The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1893-09-05

Siam is an Asiatic kingdom, in
habited by quiet, peace-loving
people, of unique manners and
customs, which are peculiarly in,
teresting and often picturesque
The people are Buddhists, and
guard their religious beliefs jeal.
ously. Many believe the Siamese
to be of Malay origin. Europeans
regard them as Monaghan, but
they are lighter-complexioned than
the Chinese, and have neither the
almond eyes nor fiat noses of those
people. They trace their own
genealogy up to the first disciples
of Buddha, and are probably a
branch of the great Indo-European
stock.
The king of Siam resides in
Bangkok. He is popular with his
subjects, for he always seems
anxious for the best welfare of his
people. He is great admirer of
Abraham Lincoln, and long before
he came to the throne he vowed his
country should be muang Thu
that is, a free country. All
children born in the year in which
his majesty was crowned shall be
free at the age of twenty-one-so
says this gracious king. He wears
a crown of solid gold, weighing
many pounds, and carries the title
of Para Bard Somdech Phra Para
mendar Maha Mongkut Phra Cham
Klau Chauyu Hua, with a few
additions which we have forgotten.
The royal family is a large one.
The custom of polygamy has al
ways been practised, and in con-
sequence of this custom the royal
concubines of the King of Siam
have ever been numerous, num-
bering upwards of hundreds
even thousands. 1t is a GUS
tom when a prince ascends his
throne and becomes established
in his reign, that each of his mobiles
and lords present his most beauti-
full daughter or niece to the king,
to serve as a nang ham-literally a
lady forbidden; that is, forbidden
to go out of the palace. In former
reigns persons of this class have
been vigorously confined in the
royal palace, but in this reign they
are allowed much more freedom.
Their royal husband is their lord
indeed, and they may not go away
from home without a permit. This
favor must not be sought very
often, and then only on extraor-
binary occasions.
These ladies are not allowed to
be idle; they all have re cha kan,
or royal business, assigned them,
some of them being appointed to
others, some perform
ing the services of servants
under mistresses, and all hav-
ing some daily duties. Prepar-
ing beetle-nuts in soft, round
balls, the size, of marble, for his
majesty to eat, is one of the occu-
lions; rolling the spicy clove-leaf,
which is plastered over with lime,
20 be eaten with this nut, is another. |
They also prepare wax and put it |
INTO little gold boxes for lip-salve.
% say nothing of the making of
ga and dainty sweetmeats for the
.oyal palate.
There are two queens-the right
land and the left hand. These
aides do not appear on state occa-
lions, and seldom participate in
eStlvltleS. NOW and tnen one OF
he queens will visit a temple with
Ter children, in closely covered
carriage and with a body-guard.
The first queen is closely related by
,lood to the king. AS there is no
more honorable family, he must
eek wife from family of equal
y honorable parentage. The king
Ioes not WOO his own wives. If he
ees a pretty girl of noble stock
whom he desires, she is conducted
o the royal palace, and trained
nd schooled as a Nang ham. 1t
5 also quite common for the rela-
ions of a girl to make an offering
f their handsomest daughter,
randchild, or niece, thinking it
TouId be great good to have the
ing for a family prop.
The browning act of choosing q
ueen is the bathing of her whom