The suburban citizen., 1901-05-04
wHITE ELEPAANrs, DECLINE.
They Rouse No Enthusiasm Among Siam
ese Except when Advertised.

They Rouse No Enthusiasm Among Slam
ese Except when Advertised.
Time flies and customs change, even
In the most conservative countries, OF
the conservative East, and the glory
Of the white elephant is fast waning.
Before the influence Of another white
animal, the European, he is passing
slowly, but surely, into limbo.
The greater part Of Indo-Chlna is
now possessed by England and
France, whose rulers lay no claim to
Seyka Waday descent, and who can
usually find sufficient exercise for
their diplomacy and their armies
without recourse to geological freaks,
while in Siam long years of uninter-
rupted accumulation produced a col.
lection unrivaled in extent.
Forty-five years ago His Majesty
King Mongkut Of Siam was the pos
SCISSOR of one white elephant, which
was his chief delight and pride As
the greatest compliment he could
think Of paying TO the Queen of Eng.
land he sent her, by the hands Of her
ENJOYS, a few hairs culled expressly
for her from the tail Of his beloved
animal, and when, a little later, the
arbiter of his destiny departed this
life, he sent as a present to his friend
Sir John Browning, accompanied by
a touching letter in English. small
piece Of ''its beautiful white skin"
How changed are the present condi-
tions of existence of the white ele-
plants in Bangkok The recent addi-
ton of a young specimen to the col
lection afforded an opportunity Of not
ing the miserable parody which is all
that survives Of the ancient ceremonies
connected with the capture and install
lation Of the white elephant.
The animal in question was cap
tured in the forests near LopDuri,
place once famous as the summer
palace and hunting lodge Of the kings
Of siam. No patent OF nobility or al
lance with royalty rewarded the find.
er of the animal; a small pecuniary
recompense was thought quite suf-
ficient to meet the case.
When it was announced that the ami
NAL was sufficiently tame his trans
fer to Bangkok was ordered. There
upon he was marched down to Ayu-
thia, where a specially constructed
railway truck was in readiness to re-
ceive him.
But where were the gilded pillars,
the silk and satin hangings of the
pavilion which should receive the au-
gust creature? Where the reyerent
multitudes to do homage to the mas
cot of their king and country?
Alas! these things have departed,
and are no more seen, a little red cali
co and a group of stolid railway
pOrters and Chinese coolies alone rep
resenting the gorgeous decorations
and adoring populace of the past
In Bangkok, however, some prepara-
tion had been made for the reception.
The fact of the impending arrival had
been published in the papers some
days before. Consequently, a consid-
erable crowd assembled at the termin-
us to witness the Decentralization. The
streets were decorated here and there
with bunting, and a procession, head
ed by the four white elephants resi-
dent at the capital, escorted the new
conner to the palace.
The trappings Of the white elephants
were most pitiful to view. Tawdry,
threadbare red cloth now takes the
place Of jewel-studded velvet and silk,
diamond and ruby rings no longer
ornament the precious tusks nor are
gold bangles to be seen upon the au-
gust limbs.-Imperial Asiatic Quar-
terly Review.