Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1894-02-01
THE SrAMESE HAREM.
A COMPLETE CITY WHEREIN WoM-
ANS REIGN IS ABSOLUTE.

A COMPLETE CITY WHEREIN WoM-
ANS REIGN IS ABSOLUTE.
Its Government, Amusements and Ro-
mances-The E1opement OF Beautiful
Princess Leads to Trial For witchcraft.
A Slaves Heroic Devotion.
Extremely interesting are the stories
of harem life in Siam told by Mrs. A. II.
Leonowens, an English woman who
spent six years at the courts of the late
king. She was employed as a governess
for the kings children, 65 in number,
the present king being one of her best
pupils. Her description of the city of
Nang Harm, or Yelled Women, is full
Of interest. The 5000 inhabitants Of
this city, which is inclosed by the inner
Of two parallel walls around the royal
palace, are all women and children. No
man, save the king and the priests, dare
ever enter its precincts. Here live the
royal princesses, the wives, concubines
and female relatives of the king, with
their numerous slaves and attendants.
Connecting the city with the two pal
aces are covered entrances for the wom-
en-. At the end of each of these passages
is bas-relief representing the head of a
sphynx with sword through hismouth
and bearing this inscription, "Better
that a sword be thrust through thy
mouth than that thou utter word
against him who ruleth on high" Not
far off are the barracks of the amazons,
the women's hall of justice and the
dungeons, where female justices daily
administer justice to the inhabitants Of
this woman's city.
There is also a temple, a gymnasium
and theater. where the great ladies as
semble in the afternoon to gossip, play
games or watch the dancing girls. In
this city live also the mechanical slaves,
who ply their trades for the benefit of
their mistresses. 1t is, in fact, city. It
has its own laws, its judges, police,
guards, prisons, executioners, markets,
merchants, brokers, teachers and me-
chanics. Every function is exercised by
women and by women only.
The women of the harem amuse them
selves in the early and late hours of the
day by gathering flowers in the palace
gardens, feeding the birds and gold
fishes, twining garlands for the heads of
the children, listening to reading by
slaves and especially in bathing. When
the heat is not oppressive, they plunge
into the pretty, retired lakes, swimming
and diving like focks of brown water
fowl. They play at chess, cards and
dice, and some of them are decidedly
skillful.
Mrs. Leonowens describes trial for
witchcraft which occurred while she
was at the palace. 1t seems that during
the kings absence beautiful princess
disappeared from the harem, and in her
place remained only a deaf and dumb
slave girl. The day of the trial three
women, half stupefied by the foul air Of
the damp cell in which they had been
imprisoned, were conducted to the great
court hall of the temple, where the trial
for witchcraft was to take place. A pro-
cession of astrologers, wizards and
witches, who receive handsome salaries
from the king, filed into the temple and
took their places
Then came the chief judge of the su-
preme court and his secretary to report
the trial to the king. The prisoners,
when brought in, proved to be May
Peah, who was the deaf and dumb
changeling, and the two handmaidens
Of the princess. They were guarded by
30 amazons. The crowd, who looked
upon May-Peah as veritable witch, was
breathless with expectation. Conch
shells were now blown to summon the
holy man Of the woods, who soon ap-
peared on the opposite bank Of the river,
plunged into it and came and took his
place beside the prisoners. This strange
mortal, who lived the life of an orang
outang, had a remarkably fine, sensitive
face and was always called to aid the
court in its spiritual examinations.
At the command of the judge the two
amazons who were on duty on the night
of the abduction testified that a tall,
dark figure, with dagger in one hand
and ponderous bunch of keys in the
other, had entered the hall. They saw
her go to the cell Of the princess, open it
with one Of the mysterious keys and
lead her forth. AS they were paralyzed
and unable to move from the spot, the
strange figure reappeared, passed by
them quickly into the cell and closed the
door. To the questions Of the wizards
May-Peah returned no answer.
At signal an alarm gong was struck
Immediately behind her, and being tax
en- by surprise she turned to see whence
the sound came. The willy judges then
shouted, sit is plain that you can speak,
for you are not deaf" She was forth
with condemned to all the tortures Of the
rack. The holy man Of the woods on
hearing this uttered a wild cry of "Yah"
forbear) and declared that she was
powerless to speak because under the in
fuence of witchcraft. One of the wise
women suggested that some magic water
should be poured into her mouth. On
opening it they fell back with horror
and cried: "Brahmai Brahmai An evil
fiend has torn out her tongue"
Immediately the unhappy woman be-
came the object of pity and even adora-
ton. The ceremony of exorcism was
gone through, and she and her con1pan-
ions were fully acquitted of any com
plicity with the devil, each receiving
sum of money and being set at liberty.
May-Peah's friends afterward told
Mrs. Leonowens that it was she who
had terrified the amazons, released the
princess and led her to boat in which
were the lover prince and two friends.
As there was not room for all, May Peah
refused to leave the companions of her
beloved mistress, and, full of terror lest
by the dreadful torture which she knew
awaited her she might be forced to be-
tray those who were dearer to her than
her own life, she with one stroke of her
dagger deprived herself of the power of