New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-13
MBONG AND ANCHOR.
TWO INTERESTING PROVINCES OF SIAM.
SOME NOBLE RELICS OF oLD-TIME KHMER CIVIL
TZ\TTON

| ZNTION
| ore rosu,t Of Slams submission to France IS
| the occupation by the latter power of two OF ''ie
most wealthy and interesting provinces OF 'i'e
| former country. These are BattamDong anu ANS
kor living in the southeastern part OF o"i'n' az
| iacent to Cambogia. \ century ago they pe'o''s
| 70 Cambocia and at an earlier date were ooup'
| less the seat OF empire over all that country anu
| the home OF the highest type OF khmer cNll"a-
| tion But they were conquered by the kihg OF
Siam and annexed to his dominions' Oh WHO"
they have ever since formed a part.
| Eattambong lies south Of that branch OF the
Mekong which comprises in it's course the great
lake of Tale Sap and borders on the CUR o.
| siam The bulk OF its inhabitants are Campo'
CLANS When the chief city. also called Bat'ai"-
| bong was seized by the Siamese its inhaoitahts
were carried away to Siam and to the Laos prov
nces The principal part Of the population VI INV
new town was drawn from Penompenh the capi'
| tai Of Canbogia and the ncghborng district anu
although they have been under foreign DOMINION
for a century. these people have preserved the GUS
| toms and usages of their country Inc co"si"oi"
ton in the way Of taxation shown to thefh ny
the Government OF Siam. and the rich character vi
| the country and of the fisheries of the adjacent
| lake have created state OF considerable pros
| perity in Rattambong. The houses on the borders
Of the river are surrounded 10y fine plantations oil
| bananas or are hidden in groves OF mangoes' be-
hind the houses stretch large fields or rice Inc
| Rattambonians are passi0nately FOND or morse
| racing Ponies OF great speed are to be found
| in Battambong cock and tortoise lghtlng are
also favorlte pastimes Of the people The latter
| is A most barbarous sport TWO planks are iNed
| i'm a narrow place at some distance from each
other. with pieces at the ends. Two tor'olS'S
! are placed in this inclosure and are then III
| viIcd from each other 10y another plank when Is
| 80 arranged as to leave small opening at the
| end b. which each tortoise can get into the in
| closure OF the other Fires then lighted on
their backs. and the poor reptiles Immediately
| rush to the opening in order To escape. anu meet
/ INK one another face TO face, fierce encounter
! takes place between them.
The province OF Battambong also includes the
city Of Chantsboon. which IL the next port In size
| In the Siamcse domnions after bangkok. II is
| situated some distance up the River Chantaboon
! which f. "A river OF great length. but Of some
| considerable width and depth. This river empties
! itself into the Gulf OF siam. not far from the
| island Of SAINT. which has been occupied by the
French The distance from Bangkok il not quite
| 20 miles Chuntaboon IL fine town. and con
| ialns n public market and several beautiful ana
| highly adorned pagodas. The inhabitants are prn-
| cipally Siamcse and Chinese. and number about
600 The population is in a very prosperous state
| as considerable trade with the ports OF Cochin
! China IL carried on The whole district round is
| hlghly cultivated, rice and coffee being largely
| grown. The mountains In the vicinity of the river
are covered with forests. and the wood Is cut down
FOR purposes Of fuel. etc. and carried by junks
and other vessels from Chantaboon to the neigh
| boring ports. A strong tortihcatlon stands on n
commanding cmin,nce about two leagues from
| Chontaboon The neighborhood Is very rich in
| precious stones one mountain especially called
| the precious stone mountain" being very rich
| In rubles, sapphres and the topaz
| The province OF Angkor lies the other side
| OF the branch OF the Mekong. the country being
| similar to that Of Battambons. The ruins OF the
| old capital. Angkor. In the centre OF large
| and fertile plain. and mark the site OF what was
once the greatest city in all the Indo Chinese pen
| lnsula These ruins were discovered by the Por-
| tuguese and Spanlards I'm 1854 and they first
| described In volume published In Barcelona In
the following century. There Chinese accounts
| OF a much earlier period. and of these writ
| ten in the thirteenth century by ambassador
| sent to the Camboglan court, was made known to
Europe by Abel Rcmusat. Ii includes descriptions
| OF the two famous temples OF Angkor Wat and
Angkor Thorn. which correspond with the ruins
| OF the present day Since then they have been
| investigated by French savants and splendid
| work the subject has been published by NJ.
| Fournereau. Angkor Wat or Angkor the Great.
the royal pagoda. is the best preserved of all the
| Khmer remains. Mouhot. who visited 1t In 1862,
| says 1t is majestic than any other monu-
ment Of antiquity that we possess. II includes
numerous towers vast terraces. several subsidiary
| temples, innumerabc figures OF fantastic mytho-
! logical animals galleries counnades. avenues.
lakes bridges. etc The surface of the large stones
employed in the buildings are covered with pictures
| and engravngs These huge blocks be-
lleved have been conveyed to the great heights
| at which some OF them are found by means OF in
| cllned planes. Angkor Thorn, which Is few
miles away, Is still more ancient. and around 1t
are the ruins OF the old Khmer capital. which
| have been invaded by the forest giant banyans
having their roots below the foundations and their
branches among porticos and pillars covered with
l,aa- liafs l,ttp WIFI
we'll preserved In the underground galleries, repre-
| rent the national sports sacred ceremonies and
historical events of the Khmers These are tho
two main Khmer monuments but there are hun'
dreds OF others scattered over large area of the
| country in the midst of what looks like a
prlmeval forest The whole OF the province OF
| Battambong. likewise. Is filled with mighty ruins
| OF "A past civilization.
The legend OF the overthrow Of the empire OF
Camboga at Angkor, and the subsequent desolation
| OF the province. is follows: The King OF Cam
bogia who leper. built Angkor Wat, the
great temple as propatory Offering to the gods.
and with the expectation that they would cure
intervene. he thereupon advertised for "A doctor
cure him. An illustrous Brahmin turned up and
proposed bath OF aqua,fortis This the King
refused to enter unit, 1t Ia, had been tried by the
enter II the King promising to pour him
a certain mixture. No sooner. however. had the
Brahmin entered the bath than the King ordered
his slaves to throw the bath and its contents into
the river. For this breach Of faith the gods inter-
fered and took away the kingdom from him.
The great lake of Tale Sap is really n broad
ening OF the branch OF the Mekong. 1t is a
splendid sheet OF water about sixty miles long.
and covers about thousand square miles Its
shores are covered with vegetation and forests
OF trees, beyond which rise lofty mountains. which
seem TO touch the sky. In the middle OF the lake.
toward it's northern end. Is a tall mast, the line
OF demarcation between the Siamese and Cam
bogian dominions The lake swarms with FISH.
md the fishing Is source OF great revenue.
thousands OF webfooted birds OF all sizes and
colors cover the surface of the lake. Flocks of
nelicans stand in It's waters literally gorgng them
selves with fish; clouds Of cormorants skim across
lis waters: while myriads OF agrettes sitting on
the branches OF the trees. look like enormous balls
of snow among the green. The native legends
affirm that before the great catastrophe which
brought in the flood OF waters forming the lake
a smiling city stood there In the midst Of rich
and fertile pls'u