Year: 1859

Up to the age ten years, Siamese children of
either sex are not troubled with any superabun-
dance of clothing, it is seldom that a child is
seen wearing the smallest shred of garment, ex-
cept on days of fe -tivals. Jewels, sometimes, of
very great value are put on young children
Among higher classes, girls and boys up to the
ase twelve wear number Of gold chains
sometimes four, six, at ting, all differ
ent, and each having some amulet OF ornament at
tached. The hair is allowed to grow long the
front part of the head but the rest is kept shaved
leaving this circular patch to be twisted into a
knot which is kept in its place by long ornamen-
tai pin. Often wreath of the white jessamine is
twined to fit closely about this knot, and the effect
is pretty. Both boys and girls are dressed (if
their scant measure of clothing may be called
dress,) exactly alike, that it is not easy to dis
tnouish them. .-.-


At the age of II, the lock of hair is cut off, eav-
ing patch which bears strong resemblance to a
small black hair brush This, in the man, is comb
ed back, and allowed to grow degree longer than
IN the woman; not so much 50, however as to sug-
gest any marked difference to stranger. The
women keep their locks carefully Oiled combed,
and gummed, to stand upright, and they take in
finite pains to keep the top Of this brush smooth as
velvet A Siamese lady hair is held to be in
perfect order when she plunge into the river,
and duck her head many times under without dis
turbing the smoothness and upnghtness of her ma
tonal hair brush. The ceremony of cutting off
the lock of hair is kept with entertainment and
joiclngs. 1t Is the great event in young Siamese
life, and resembles the coming out amongst young
ladies in other countries; for in Siam children are
supposed to reach years Of discretion rather early.


After girl marries she gives up the wearing
of ornaments and trinkets. These are set aside
and reserved for her children in their turn. Boys
| have mentioned before, have an opportunity
of learning to read by entering themselves as
neophytes, attendants on the priests. Whether
girls have any schools or persons authorized to
teach them, do not know; but it is not uncom-
mon in Siam to find women able to read or write
[ met with three or four myself and these were
persons of the lower ranks. The occupations of
the females are various and far less crcumscribed
than any other parts of the East. In fact, the
women in Siam occupy a moral position many de-
gress superior to that of their sisters in neighbor
ing countries. The wife of Siamese has no un-
important voice in the domestic arrangements Of
the family. She is keeper and seems to
possess the right to claim all her husbands
lngs. The women, as a race, very intelligent
and vry observant thts Le.onging to the
higher classes seem to have pleasing and modest
manners The head wife of the prime minister is
very interesting woman; she is not young, but
is by no means wanting in personal attractions.





sturb her husbands affection, or her influence
over him. She came with her attendants, by in
vtation, to lunch with us, and altho Oh talk
was limited for want of words she could contrve
to make herself agreeable. It was the first time
that SiameEe lady Of rank had ever visited on
equal terms foreign family, but it would have
been difficult to guess this from her perfectly easy
and quiet demeanor. She sat at the luncheon
table, with the gentlemen; and, although she had
probably never before used knife and fork, or
any of the appliances of an English table, she ac-
Quilted herself with perfect propriety and good
breeding, even to the overwhelming act of taking
wine with her host. Her step-son, (the Siamese
admiraD accompanied her. and she attended
by about thirty maidens, two of whom her
youngest sisters, very pretty girls the rest were
slaves. The whole body of attendants remained
sprawling on the ground during her visit


An absurd little incident will serve to show
how diligently these people ob erve the custom
of prostraton. The lady requested permission to
visit the sleeping apartment, in order to see
how English people arrange rooms; she was ac-
cordingly taken up stairs, followed by the entire
body of maidens and her step-son, who cid not at
all see why he should not have the benefit of
peep as well. She expressed her satisfaction at
all the arrangements, and especially her delight
at small iron crib belonging to my child, which
seemed to strike them all as device of luxury
and refinement not to be equalled. Finally, when
everything in the room had been duly handled
and examined she inquired, in a perplexed man
ner, where we kept our money, as she could not
see strong box Of any kind 1t should be men,
toned, that on previous visit to her own house,
[ had been shown over her private apartments
and in the sleeping room four large iron
safes, which she pointed out seeming to add
much to the honor of the family. There hap
pened to be box of mine in the corner, however,
covered over with the usual arrangement of cush-
ions and frills; this being shown her, she seemed
greatly relieved to find Gudging from the size of
the box, which, however, was empty at the time
that we had, or appeared to have, some worldly
pelf, and was delighted at such a charming way of
covering it up. As she was about to descend
of damsels, to whom it appeared suddenly to oe-
cur, that by going down first, their mistress would
place herself beneath them; a thing not to be to-
lerat for moment. Accordingly, with sud-
den rush, the young ladies passed her, their
hands and knees, just she was about to descend,
and the whole twenty scrambled down stairs head
formost, with hurrying and scurrying, a laugh
ing and giggling, that was amusing as it was
surprising


disfgured by the effects Of constant and exces-
sve betel chewing. 1t is carried to disgusting
extent amongst people of all ranks and ages. Even
little children may be seen with their lips dyed red
and the crimson juice running out at each side
Their mouths never, by any chance, empty; as
soon as quid is disposed of, another takes its