Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-11-24

the bereaved family. The pyre is
/ built within the private walls of the
family estate, and after the simple
ceremony OF the yeIlow-robed priests
of Buddha, the nearest male relative
applies the match.
| Life clusters along the rivers,
throughout Siam. There is com
paratiyely little Overland travel in the
north and almost none in the south.
Thus the three rivers constitute
Slams highways north and south.
while many tributary rivers and
kiaw IS Of various width and length
make eat anr west connections all
through the lower country
The houseboat, next to the ruachang,
Is the most common river craft from
end to end of Siam, and the one COM
monty used by the traveller. 1t may
be any size from one manned by two
oarsmen to one requiring eight, four
each bow and stern. AS a rule the
house on these boats is barrel-shaped,
stretching amidships, and made of
atap leaves, supplied by the palm
like plant which grows all over this
country and is the Siamese shingie.
both afoat and ashore. 1t is pro
PEELED by oars, bow and stern, set in
twisted cane rowlock fastened to the
top of post about eighteen inches or
more high, and set on the port side of
the stern and on the starboard side of
the bow. The oarsmen send the boat
| forward by pushing the oar from them,
bringing it back with the familiar
unacceptable motion without taking
the blade out of the water 1t is much
of the stroke of the Venetian gondolier,
only the boat movement of the Siam
csc is more rhythmical, and becomes
graceful in the rua chang, where the
left foot clears the deck on the for
ward push and swings gracefully in
time to the ear. There is less op-
portunity for graceful movement on
the houseboat where strength rather
than grace is the desideratum, and in
freight boats laden with rice, which
are hOuseboats built heavier, larger
and broader, the men swing on their
oars without any other regard than
getting the boat along; and this they
do with notable success.
Often where We stopped for the
night there was music, and dancing by
young girls painted after the Chinese
manner, but much better looking than
the girls of Bangkok. Saw appeared
to think SO at all events, and by the
time we reached Ratburi l grew to
look upon him as an authority. The
dancing is quite like that of the Bur
mese, in fact, of the type common to
the Asiatic coats, which is expressed
by posturing, the hands and shoulders
figuring minently-especially the
hands and fingers, which, bent back
so that the palm presents a curved
line, are moved about in a rather
dramatic manner the arms stiffened.
The body-posturing of India ana
Polynesia is not seen in this part of
Asia. To me the music, Burmese and
Samese-it is practically the same
is delightful because of its enhancing
melody. A series of gongs, peculiarly
modelled and varying in size from
large cup to a punch bowl, supplies
scale Of soft mellifluous notes, bar
barrie witha, that you would believe
impossible to the instruments. Added
10 these are an arrangement of wooden
uotes-a species of xylophone-played
upon with wood hammer, and reed
instrument of considerable length and
surprising depth and breadth of tone.