The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-29

As usual with coronations or with | royal weddings in the east, especially with Indo-Chinese and Malay poten- tates, there was a display of splendor and extravaganza fitting he kingly role at Sisavong's assum ion of the throne. The act of crowi.ing tho king was performed in LuanRprabang, the | capital of the Kingdom. by the French | governors, who had to travel over the mountains which almost inclose the lit- tie state on three sides. The journey | had to be made on horseback and re- | quired eleven days.
 All the French dignitaries in the French colony. including those of the neighboring provinces, attended, as well as the secretary general for tho colonies. who has charge of the organ ization of the French Indo-Chinese ter- ritories.
 The fetes lasted a week and were, indeed. considered marvellous by the French spectators in the country, where the civilization and splendor of the east have left their imprint. There were such diversions as processions dances and banquets, and they con tinued with little interruption until the guests had a surfeit of this oriental entertainment.
 Borne In Gorgeous Procession. The coronation ceremonies and the accompanying festivities were held in
 
 the province and has a population, en- tirely native. of about 12.000. It Is situated at the confluence of the great Mekong, "the mother Of seas," which has its rise in the Thlbetan plateau, and the Namkan. In the center of the town Is a high hill, upon which stands the extensive royal palace.
 The young king was carried to the place where the peculiar shaped crown was put upon his brow with much cer- emony. He was elevated upon a kind of throne and borne through the pal ace grounds on the shoulders of the grandees of the Kingdom. It was an adaptation of the ancient European practice of carrying the king upon the shields of his chiefs and very likely this part of the program was prepared by the kings French advisers.
 It was very different procession from those similar ones in ancient Britain and France. for instance, for this young monarch of the East was accompanied by fan-bearers and the insignia of his high rank--the opera bouffe royal umbrella. After he had been borne through hosts of admiring natives he was the recipient of @ cu- rious ancient Laotian salute-that known as powguieu-maguieu- an- cestors of the Laotians greeting the new king.
 Grote0Que Native Dance.
 This is nothing more nor less than a grotesque yet graceful native dance. It is really a ballet. for 1t is descrip-' tive, and in a measure a kind of prim- ittve native drama. Two of these an- cestors are represented with an enor- nous mask of human face. colored brilliant red; another is a fantastic animal, intended by the Laottans for a monkey, but called by some of the French guests a lion. All were cov- cred with a towlike grass. The quaint dance was performed by the kings own troupe from the Theatre Royal, Luangprabang.
 King Sisayong, although educated in Paris. wears knickerbockers, but. then, this is a native garment in Luangpra- bang and is not confined to the king alone. but to royal persons generally, both men and women. In dress, in habits and customs, as in language, there Is little difference between the people of Luangprabang and those of Siam. from which country Laos is sep arated only by the great Mekong river.
 In former times. and even now. there has been much intermarriage between the natives on the border. but with this differences at present, that all of such marriages do not make the bri- dal pair subjects of the king of Siam. Laotian maidens were considered par young men of Siam.
 Until France began her colonial scheme in the Indo-Chinese peninsula. which so far has been without proat either to France or the native states