Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-07-12
QUEEN vlcToRlVs ODD PRESENT.
The King ~ siam Presented Her with =
Tew Hair. from liis White Elephant.


The King ~ siam Presented Her with
Few Hair. from His White Elephant.
a few years ago the British govern
ment sent one OF is distinguished dip
lomats, Sir John Dowrlng. TO Slam.
as the head Of an embassy. 10 present
A grave and important question TO the
king. Sir John was also intrustod.
according 10 the custom Of the day.
with a number OF valuable gifts from
Queen Victoria TO his majesty, the
king. On his arrival he was granted
an audience. and after presenting tho
gifts he acquainted the king with this
object OF his mission.
Being the representative OF 30 pow
erful a monarch. Sir John was rcceiv.
cd with every possible honor and great
pomp. In no way could the siamess
king 80 well entertain his guests as by
a display OF his elephants. and doubt
less Sir John. who later wrote about
them. was afforded many opportuni.
ties for observing these wonderful
animals In the land where so much at.
tentlon Is paid them. AZ the time Of
his visit. In 1855. few European Gus
toms had penetrated Slam and Bur.
nah. and the ways and habits OF the
people we're essentially oriental. while
the great masses OF the natives were
STEPPED In superstition and ignorance.
One OF their strange beliefs was that
at one time Duddha. whom they wor-
shipped as coming from the Deity.
dwelt in the coffee-colored or pink.
splashed creatures called white ele-
plants. Indeed. the Buddha was sup
posed 70 remain here longer than In
any other animal, and consequently
the possession OF white elephant
was TO possess the presence Of the
Buddha. In this way great intelligence
II accredited 10 the animal and STA.
mese were often observed talking into
the huge ears OF the elephant, making
II a confident OF their various Sc
crets and hoping for some answer
A short time previous TO Sir JohI
Bowrlng's visit a plnk-splashed ele
plant had been captured. The king
and his oourtlers LEFT the palace ans
went out into the country some
distance 20 meet and welcome
It. and the animal was escort.
ed back 10 the city with much ceremony.
When Sir John had been feted and
entertained for many days and the
business OF his mission was completed
he waited upon the king TO announce
his return and TO present his ad.euS
The king made him tho bearer Of
various gifts to her majesty the queen.
Among these was a gold box locked
By a gold key. which was commended
20 Sir Johns especial attention as I've.
Ing more valuable than all the 9th.
ers.
whether Sir John and his suite and
the officers OF the man-of-war which
bore them to England knew what tho
gift was. we are not told. but the fact
that IL was held In a gold box must
have aroused much curiosity and We
may believe there were various CON
lectures regarding the mysterious gift
whether Il was a pearl OF great price,
rare and beautiful ruby similar 20
that preserved In the temple OF the
Emerald idol. or some OF the many
gems for which slam was famous
Upon his return Sir John al once
waited on the queen 20 acqualnt her
with the success Of his mission and
present the gifts which be- had re-
celved from the k.ng OF Slam for her
majesty
In an probability Sir John handed
her the gold box and the sold key and
the queen opened the casket herself
On this point history and Sir John
are equally silent. But this ls known
that when her majesty raised the Nd
OF The golden casket she found, not a
ruby. pearl or diamond. but a few
hairs plucked from the kings white
elephant; and as Sir John tells "a
that at this time hair from the tail
OF white elephant was worth Jews
ransom" we may assume that the
queen. instead OF being disappointed
appreciated the dellcacy Of the gift
which. in the eyes Of the king. was
the most precious Offering be could
flake --CHARtEs y. HOLDER,