The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1899-07-04
s1AMEsE BOATS.
Expert watermen of the East Travel in
Households.

country from north to. south, and the
innumerable klongs (canals) which
cross-section all its lower portion and
connect the more important water
ways. Save in the most northerly
part of the country, there is practical
ly no overland travel; while the occa-
sional roads of southern Siam reach
back towards the edge of the jungles,
and are used but little, except by the
tribes that bring their crude products
to the settlements for barter and the
very few that go into the jungle to
hunt The main arteries of travel are
the warehouses;, along which extend
the villages, and where ample oppor-
tunity offers for the perfection of that
skill with the paddle of which certain
ly every man, and apparently every
woman and child, is possessed.
These Siamese are the most expert
watermen of the east, and in their
abandon on the river and perfect ease
in handling their boats amidst diff
culties, are cqualled, in my Judgment,
only by the Esquimaux. The Malay,
too, is a consummate waterman, but
his craft is differently rugged. 1t is
neither so cranky nor so shallow as
that of the Siamese, and therefore the
work Of the latter appears to be the
more difficult and the more suggest
i've of higher skill.
The Siamese boat is of many sizes
and styles, but always beautifully, if
simply, constructed of teak, and in
variably of braceful lines. Perhaps
the most common type seen on the
larger rivers is the rua chang, which,
as fortune speeds the owner, is either
peddler's boat, filled with cocoanut,
betelnut, bananas, or other of Slams
many varieties of fruit, or, as at Bang
kok, becomes ferry boat. The row.
lock is bit of twisted rotan fastened
to the top of a post p feet high, set
on the port side of the stern; the oar
is of the length with which we are IA
miliar, and of straight blade. The
oarsman stands on the starboard side
of the stern, and sends the boat for
ward by pushing the oar from him,
bringing it back with familiar soul
ler's motion, without taking the blade
out of the water. This much of the
stroke is quite like that of the Vene-
tian gondolier, but the body move
ment of the Siamese is much more
rhythmical. As he comes forward on
the push, the body moves smoothly,
and the left foot clears the deck and
swings gracefully in time with the
oar.
Made little larger, with a much
more decided upward rake to the
stern, and the rua chang becomes the
type used ordinarily for sailing, or is
fitted for and may be propelled by
three oars, exclusive of a helmsman,
who does some rowing also The sail
boat type is that of the river small
trader, and as such has a deckhouse
of mating, making most excellent
shelter for the family, which is an al
most inyariable accompaniment.
The river type next most common
is the house boat, found from end to
end Of Siam, and the one commonly
used by the traveller. Twas in such a
craft l made the first stage of my
journey from Bangkok towards the
jungle. You can make yourself very
comfortable under that barrel-shaped
covering, made of a certain kind of
stout palm leaf, called atap, which is
protection against both sun and rain;
but after a few days you would gladly
welcome an opportunity to stretch
your Iegs, II, as Is most unusual in the
kongs, you could find bit of soil
clear of dense underground or solid
enough to walk upon.
The house boat is made in several
sizes, the largest requiring eight oars
men-four at bow and four in the
stern. Such a size affords a small bit
Of declroom at either end of the
house-large enough, however-in
which to swing your hand with MUIR
derous intent on the mosquitoes that
are so big and sonumerous, so persist
ent and so vicious, that straightway
you forswear having ever before even
heard Of mosquitoes, though you may
have spent many summers in the fast
nncCne of Nauy Torco,, ~, -, n, . r -. -