The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-07-29
THE KINGDOM OF SIAM.
Population and Area Of the county..B Bang
kof a Cit, ~ soOO1D.

reputation anu hte1 Vi lne SCuItTJ..OdnB.
kox a citI OF 5oo,ooo.
The kingdom of Siam has On area
nearly three times that of the state of
Missouri and corresponds in latitude to
that of Central America and southern
Mexico. Stated in figures, the area is
about 100000 square miles, reaching
from Az to 20 degrees north Latitude,
and from 9s to LOG degrees east longi-
trde. North of it lie the Laos prov
lnces; on the, east, Auam and Cam
bodiu; on the south, Cambodia, the
gulf of Siam ard the Malayan states,
and on the west, Burmah and the bay
of Bengal. The population is esti-
mated at from 100000 to 7,OOc, 900.
No reliable and accurate census of
Siam has ever been made, however.
A number of rivers thread their way
through the kingdom, and these form
the main arteries of trade and travel.
There are no railways, no established
lines of stages, no public highways
worthy the name outside the vicinity of
the towns. AS one leaves Bangkok the
roads become mere elephant trails or
bride paths through the junglcs. The
principal river is the Me-Kong, or Cam
bodia, which rises in China and flows
southeasterly through eastern Siam and
Cambodia and empties into the China
sea through several mouths between
the ninth and tenth degrees of lati-
tude. There are numerous towns
along its banks, and it is navigab!e for
the largest ships for some distance
above the mouth.
The Menam, which rises in the ex-
treme north of Siam and flows almost
directly south through the western
portion of the Kingdom and into
the Gulf of Siam, is second in
size. It's near the mouth of this river
that Bangkok, the capital, is situated.
The Menam is called by the natives the
Chow Payah. The name is common
one for all rivers me" means mother
and nam" waters.
The scenery of Siamis by no means
grand. Around Bangkok there is u
dead level of rice fields and fruit gar
dens. Along the southern coast the
surface is little more rugged, while
of to the north, near Laos, it is still
m ore diversified. All the rivers flow
through broad level valleys and overflow
their banks in the rainy season. These
annual overhows irrigate and en-
rich thousands of square miles MAX
ing the soil SO productive as to
rival the most fertile regions of the
earth. All tropical fruits and plants
grow here in richest profusion, and
food is cheap and abundant. The
heaviest rainfall is in September, and
d ring the next two months the whole
country near the coast presents an APP
pearance not very different from that
along the banks Of the Mississippi dur
ing period Of high water like that Of
yeag ago Inst spring. Trees, houses
and temples prpJect from the water
everywhere. The people fish from
their houses and travel everywhere in
borts. .
In spite Of It's location in the torrid
zone and Of the annual overflow Of its
rivers, Siam Is tolerably healthtul
country. From November to February
the wcathef is delightful, and thu
thermometer is seldom below "a de.
degrees. March and April nrc the hot
test months. The highest reeorded
| temperature is 97.5 degrees. Tht
/ nid fits are cool and comfortable. Diph
| Lth1ria, pneumonia, yellow fever INT