Journal of the Siam Society; 22

Table of contents :
JSS_022_1a_Front
JSS_022_1b_EnglishCorrespondenceOfKingMongkutContinued
JSS_022_1c_PrinceDamrong_WatBenchamabopitImagesOfTheBuddha
JSS_022_1d_Reviews
JSS_022_1e_Notes
JSS_022_1f_AnnualReport
JSS_022_1g_AditionsToLibrary
JSS_022_1h_ListOfMembers
JSS_022_2a_Front
JSS_022_2b_Robbins_HillRoutesBetweenPitsanulokeAndLomsak
JSS_022_2c_LeMay_ChinesePorcelainAndItsCollection
JSS_022_2d_Burnay_TexteDeLaLoiLaksanaMoradok
JSS_022_2e_ReviewOfBooks
JSS_022_2f_NotesOfQuarter
JSS_022_2g_AdditionsToLibrary

Citation preview

THE

JOURNAL OF THE

SIAM

SOCIETY

,.. VOLUME

XXII

(PART 1)

BANGKOK July, 1928. Issued to Members of the Society

Septetnber, 1928,

Priee to Non-Members

... Tcs, 7.00

,.

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THE SIAJ\1 SOCIETY (FOUNDED 1904) For the Investigation and Encourngement of Arts, Science and Literature in relation to Sitnn, amlneighboming Countries. PATRON:

HIS MAJES'l'Y 'l'HE KING. VICE•PATRON:

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE DAM:RONG HONORARY

HIS ROYAfJ

HIGH~ESS

RAJANUBRAB.

PRESIDENT:

THH; PRINCE OF NAG.ARA SV.AIWA.

HONORARY VICE•PRESIDENT:

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINO.E OF KAMBAENG Im.JH.A

COUNCIL FOR 1928 PRESIDENT: \

PnoF. G. CffiDES, l\I.R.A.s. VICE-PilESIDENTS: ·~

"

l'HYA INDRA :M:ON'l'RI. MAJOR E. SEIDENFADEN, M.u.A.s. R. S. r,E MAY, M.R.A.s. HON.

SECRETARY:

R. ADEY MOORE. HON. TREASURER:

V. H. JAQUES .

•

HON.

LIBRARIAN:

J. BUH.N A Y. MEMBERS

OF

COUNCIL:

H. R. H. THE PRINCE OF KA'MBAENG .H. H. PRINCE DHANI NIVAT. Du. A. F. G. KERR. W. H. MUNDIE, ~r.A. L. A. CHORIN. Dn. HUGH 1\'I. SMITH. W. R. S. LADELL. A. JifAHCAN. I

PRoF. RENE NICOLAS. E. WYON 81\iiTH.

BI~JRA,

HONORARY

MEMBERS

H. R. H. THE PRINCE OF J AINAD,-Bcmglcolc H. H. PRINCE BIDYALANKAHANA,-Bangkalc HIGHT REV. BISHOP R. M. J. PEitiWS,-Banglwlc W. J. ARCHER, c.M.G,,-London J. CROSBY, c.r E., o.n.E.,-Batavict. SIR ERNEST M. SATOW,-Devonsl!i?·e SIR J. GEORGE SCOTT,-Sussex ,T. HOMAN VAN DER HEIDE,-Bemmel, llollcmrl D1t. C. B. BRADLEY,-Octlifomict RONALD W. GIBLIN,-London A. J. IHWIN,-Oheltenham Dn. H. CAMPBELL lliGI-IET,-Wincheste?· Dn. PAUL TUXEN,-Oopenhagen l\USS E. 8. COLE,-St Joseph, Jlfo., U.S. A.

PROFESSOR L. FINOT,-Hcmoi COUNT GY.LDENSTOLPE,-Stockholm C. BODEN KLO.::l~),-S·ingctpol'e H. C. ROBINSON,-Ktwlct Lumpm· r E. C. S'fUART BAKEH,-Norwood, London , SIH WALTE[t WILLIAMSO~,-Reval, Estlwnia vV. A. GRAHAM, M.R.A.s.,-Plush JJfmwr, Dorset MALCOLM S.MITH,-Putney, Lonclon CORRESPONDING

MEMBERS:

TAW SEI~ K0,-.~.1/andala.y H. W ARINGTON SJ\'IYTH,-London .PB.OFESSOR CONTJ!J F. L. PULLE,-Bolog?ut PB.OFESSOR A. OABATON,-Pctris vV. G. ORAlB,-Abm•deen J. A. OABLE,-Lonclon G. C. B. STIRLING,-.Tersey P. PETITHUGUENIN,-Paris W. NUNN,-l'onteland, Northumberlcmcl 0. A. SEYMOUR SEWELL, -r.r.A.,-Bi?·chington, Kont J. l\IIOHELL, F.lt.G,s.,-.Mentone, Ihance.

Table of Contents. Pag(l

English Correspondence of King 1\iongkut

1

H. R H Pl'ince Dn,mrong Ru,janubhab- W11t Benchamu,bopit and its Collection of

Images of the Buddhu, Review oR I~ooks

...

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19

29

Notos; April-J\1ne Amn1n,l Report fat• 1927

55 5D

Addition& to tho Library

G7

List. of l\:Iem ben;

71

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ENGLISH CORRESPONDENCE OF KING MONGKUT. (contin/ne(l ).

British Oousuhte Bttngl,wk, August 18th, 18lil.

F. 0. Si1tm, Vol. 24. No. 30. My Lord,

The For·eign Residents ~tt Bangkok of the Protestrmt Religion htwe hithet·to 11ssembled for the celebrntion of Divine Service, in one of the houses of the Ameo~:icn.n Missionaries. 'l'his is in mauy respects inconvenient, and ii; wn.s resolved dul'ing a meeting, held for that purpose at this Consulate, that n, memorial should be addressed to the Major King of Siam by the Protestttnt Oommuuity of Bangkok, soliciting His Majesty to grnnt a piece of hmd, in a convenient place for the erection of a Protestant Chn.pel. A f:lub-Oommittee WLrcls the formation of the road, will app111 ently not be required. 'l'he King maintttins likewise f:wom·rtbly the ~proposition. of the m·ection of n. Light house at the Bru·, :1ncl n.t his clesi1:e, :t Committe was nnmecl during :t meeting at the Consuh1te to give a report in what· manner it may best be· effected,

I h:w~ the honour to encl0se a copy of a note which I hn.ve received from Mr. Gunn, one of the Sub-Committee to collec·t subscriptions, froru which Yom· Lorcl~hip will observe that 13l'itish Subjects re~>iclent in Bmtgkok have subscribed .one thousand a.ncl five dolhtrs (:tt folll' dolltw and eighty cents per £, ec:tnal to two hunched and nine pound::! ten shillings) towurd~ the t\l'ection of a ch:tpel, with a p1·ob:tbility that the sum will ultirn:ttely amount to twelve homlred dollars t.wo hunch·ecl n.ncl fifty pounds.

I hn. ve tho honour to be &c. Robel't II. Sehombnrgk. To The Right Honomable, Lord Wm. Russell, M. P &c. &c. &c. XXII-1.

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F. 0. Siam Vol. 24. Copy No 35.

(L. S.)

Royal Residence, Grand Palace, 31st July, 1861.

Sir, I have receiv8d your letters under the date of 12th and 18th inst. the former accompanied 4 documents in relating to the proposed route. This purpose is great, it may be troublesome and noxious to the native inhabitants in that district of their resiclenceR shall be removed for l)Urpose of direct and broad route or path. And the fund of work will be gre11t, ought to be from 'rreasure of our Governments. Myself alone cannot decide to give you proper answer for being. read to foreign community, who una,nimously has shown the petition to lll.C. I lmve therefore delivered those documents in hand of Chauphya Phra Klang the minister or Fol'eign Affairs here to obtain creditable translater or interpreter to translate in Siamese proper intending that I will lay before om: Council for c011sideration n,nd conclusion what to do. Then I will cuuse a proper a.nswer to be given to you from them. Mysel£ think to construct the light houses at the Bar from th~fund being the money of three years taxes dep~sed on Chinese people on this year Regt1rding the required brief document. for being testimony the small or ground given for erecting the Chapel for Protestant Christians, I beg to enclose herevvith the customary Royal order or command in two pieces of paper, one of which sh11ll be handed to the O'.fficer of Surveying, the other shall be retained by the person who will possess the place concerned ·therein. It will I think [be j sufficient for the purpose. But if you require a longer document [than] these, which uncustoma.ry, I will consider the proper term and give you another afterward. I ought to be very busy in writing and XXII-1.

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arranD"intt several documents in vanous arl'ttir·s in loc11lity. I seek "' "' . pardon from you therefore for meet the delny alw[1ys. I beg to remain, · Your good friend, S. P. P. llf. Mongkut R. S. on 3727th day of reign. ( L. S.)

( Scl.) ( L. S.)

P. S. I do not understu,nd exactly throughout those documents as term therein are generally strange or unaccustomed in speaking u,nd reading t::> me-they ought therefore to be translated in Siamese proper.

( Scl. )

xxn-1.

S. P. P. lVL M. ( L.rS.)

(

5 Bt·itish Consulate

F. 0. Siam Vol. 27. No. 15

Bangkok. i\1:ay 8th 1862.

My Lord,

I hn.ve the honour to enelose herewith in original, 11 letter which I received from The Major King of 8imn, HiR l\J~cjesty requesting that he nmy be pet'mitt;ed to pmchase one of Sir Willin.m Armstrong's guns. I beg to refel' Yom· Lorcbhip to the lettet• itself, nnd H the request of the King c•cn be'execnted, I nm Rtll'C he will consider himself nuder obligntion. The permission n.ppert~dns perhn.ps more strictly to the W~u· Department, but I hnve no doubt if Yotll' Lordship would n.dvocate the King's request, he might see his wish ren.lizecl. His Majesty has given the requisite orders for P'tyment, reception and transmission of the Gun to Messrs. Th·~ Borneo Oompa.ny Limited in London,

I h:we the honour to be &c. Hobert I-I. Soh om burgk.

To The Right IIonom•a hle E,crl Russell &c. &c., &c.,

~Xli-1,

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( L. S.) F. 0. Siam,

Vol. 27.

6

) Royal Residence Grand Palace 29th April 1862.

Honored Sir, I beg to apply to you one of my pleasures and desires hoping. you can favour me to furnish it without delay as I thought it is only harmless. Having had learned from various searches the bestness and most curiosity of the new breach loading cannon invented by Sir William Armstrong, I was eagerly desiwus of obt11ining one small gun of the only 2} bore made in good brass in manner of the Armstrong's cannon ,for my own enjoyment or play, to see the power and . curio3ity and usefulnegs ·&c. thereof, and for being the only specimen of such celebrated cannon, whenever We would concern relating to the power of such the breach loading cannon to our visitors came from remote state of Laos &c: to whom the Bight of curious and powerful articles manufo,ctured in Eqrope is very seld(Jm; my purpose was only as the forementioned mot for war-like purpose. So I have written my ot·cler to the branch of the Borneo Company Limited at ,Singapore, offering to them the only price or amount of £300 that is to say three hundred sterling sovereigns for op.e of the gun forenamed with bore of 2~ !nches, they having u.ccepted my order and being silent during a meu.n while luwe written me refusu.l of obtaining it for me in consequence of the prevention of their Governments. The extract of their letter to me .is as the following. "I bu.ve the honor to inform your Majesty that my friends "in London applied to Sir Wm . .Armstrong's agent for a six "pounder gun with a bore o£ 2~ inches, that gentleman stated that " £ BOO was sufficient for the cost, but· that he could not forward "one without an order from the War Oflice. ".Accordingly my friends "applied at the War Office and Lord Degr11.y and Ripon informed "them that at pre.seut it was not possible to allow any Armstrongs XXII-1.

( 7 "guns to be l'lold. In the3e circumstances I have been unable to "procure one for Your Majesty." Can you favour me by aAking your Governments at home to favour me by their permission for only one of Arnall Armstrong's guns of the bore of 21 inches to be sold to me according to my very desire? as I wish it only for purpose of pleasure in witnessing the specimen of such the newly invented gun to see the improvements of British power &c., not for any warlike purpose, so I hope my desire must be considered luu-mlees. \Vhen you will favom· me home for what purpose I hope yon signed u,pplication to London, for governments at home will see with

by asking your government at will fonvarcl this my sealed and hoing a testimony· which your great confideuce on you.

I hope they will perhaps make permission extraordinu,ry and peculia~·ly for myself, whom thtJy are knowing as an intimate and distinguished friend of their gracious Sovereign He1; l\fajesty Victoria the Queen of United Kingdom of Great Britain uncl Ireland defender of faith .

..

I have the honor to be Your good friend, S. P. P. M. Mongkut R. S. on 4003rd day of reign

To His Honor Sir Robert Schombmgk, the Consul of Her Britannic Mu,jesty for Siam, &c. &c.

:x:xu-1.

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F. 0. Siam Vol. 27. No. 25

8 BritiRh Consulate B:mgkok, Jnly 31st 18()2.

My Lord, I have honom to enclose herewith in original two Notes which I received from the first King, referring to n. collection of live animals from Sin.m which his [\in.jesty is just now sending ns a present to the Emperor of tl1e F1·ench.

When the Si:unese Embassy WitR in Paris, they were requested to interest their King to sencl such ft collection, and one of the Employe's at the Jfl.l'din des Pla.ntes, with Assistants, :wcompn.niecl the Embassy on their :retum to Bn.ngkok in Ol'der to snperintend the choice of nnim:tls ruid their tmnsmission to Fr>bnce. 'J'he French St.emner " Gironde" Wfi.S sent expressly to Bn.ngkok fo\· the purpose of conveying these animals to Suez, from whence they will be conducted across the Isthmus and placed on board of. nn other vessel of the French Government whicli a wn.its them n.t Alexandria for further conveyance to France. r,

It must become obvious, that as simple as the gift of the Siamese King to the French EmperoJ: is in its t.me light, sufficient et,Jnt hn.s been given to this n.ct by the French Government.

His Siftmese l\ln.jesty probably considering, tlmt hf,tving presented such a collection to the l~mperor of the Ft'encb, appn.rently imagined tha.t such might cause I'em~trks, if a similar present were not equally tendered to the Queen, he addressed to me his letter of the 21st of July. I informed the King in answe1· that the Zoologicn.l Society of London was an institution of pl'ivn.te individuals, 11.nd that while I had no doubt they would ftel grateful to his Mr1.jesty for his kind offe1', I thought they might hesitate to incur so hen.vy :m expense as would be entn.ilecl upon them by sending a vessel express for such n. purpose to Bfl.ngkok. I promised however i;o communic:tte to the Zoologic:\1 Society his Majesty's note. This produced in answer his.seconclletter of the 23rd of ,T uly, requesting me to communicate to Her Majesty's Government his offer. I beg leave to enclose a copy of my answ~r to the King. I intend to write by the pres~nt opportunity to the Secret~try of the Zoological Society, informing him of the King's offer with the request to XXII-1.

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place the matter before their Council and to inform me whether trtke n,ny fmther steps.

r·

am to

It would no doubt ·grntify the King if Your Lordship were pleased to acknowledge his offer of sending n, similar collection as the one transmitted to France, to Her Mrtjesty the Queen, if rt proper conveyance be provided for. I have the honour to be &c. Robert H. Schombmgk ~ro.

The Right Honoumble 'l'he Earl Russell. K. G. &c., &c, &c.

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F. 0. Siam Vol. 27. No. 102.

Grand Palace, 21st July 1862.

Sir, On the time of the Siamese Ambassy having been at PariH Monsieur Charles De Montigny, who had been French Plenipotentiary in negotiation of GnJico Siamese Treaty here on the year 185(), and who on last year was sent by the French Governments at

Pari~

to accompany Siamese Am bassy there for hn,ving been familiar wihh Siamese, has introduced a person who is superintendant the Imperial Zoographical museum to be acquainted with our Ambassy, and assured thttt His Majesty the Emperor of France please to have various kind of animals of Sian. for that museum, His Majesty will be very glad i£ we would send some number of Siamese quadruperlH and fouls, £or that purpose when our Ambassador have accepted, the French Governments have sent two French Zoographers with our Ambas:sy on return to Siam and have placed a;rangement that after a few months an Imperial Steamer will be sent here for receipt of animals required and selected by those two French Zoographers. So on the present opportunity the French steamer "Gironde" ' came and lies at outside of the Bar-the French Commandant, acting consul and Zoographers encouraged me to write our royn,l letter in address to the Emperor on the subject. So I ought to do it, because our Ambassy have had accepted to do so when they had been at Paris. Whereas yourself had introduced a diploma from Zoographico,l or Zoological Society ·of England to me and made me an honorary member of that society on your first arrival here, I wish now therefore to serve her Modesty the queen of United Kingdom of , Great Britain and Ireland on such or similar way, i.E you endeavour to have any person of that soci~ty to be here for selection o£ XXII-L

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animals tmd cause a large Steamer to come here for their receipt. I shall be glad to secure. I beg to. rclmain, . Your good friend, S. P. P. M. lVI ongkut R. S. · on 4086th day of reign. To His Honor. Sir Robert Schomburgk Her B. lVfajesty Consul £or Siam &c. &c.

XXII-l.

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F. 0. Siam Vol. 27. No. 103.

Royal Residence Grand Palace, 23rd July, 1862.

Sir, I have received your Note or the 21st. inst. on last night. l beg to state that when I have written you my last note, I considered that when I have so liberty to send some number o£ Siamese· 11nimal for Zoographical museum of Paris per the Imperial Steamer, it might be known to many even through England ; and it might appeared that I am delighted to have much more respect and favourable endeavour for service to the Emperor of France than to Her Britannic Majesty, who has entered the true friendship with me before the Emperor of France, and who is of the l::Lnguage which is medium of my use in correspondences with many European nations who have now treaty power with this country. Then many might consider me asi am much marvelled or admired wit),1 nam~ of that Emperor, that now French. Subjects boasting almost everywhere, like the prince of Oamoodia who considered the French Monarch as most and highest of all monarches on the surface of the earth. For this consequence, I have considered that it will be best if I have the equal service to Her :Britannic Majesty on the same manner, ~tnd it will be known as an equal friendly service with that was done to the French Emperor. Moreover whereas you have introduced the Diploma from the Zoological Society of England to me and made me their honorary member long since, and nothing has been done by me in favoUl' to the said Society after the Diploma was received, when they would have learnt that I sent certain number of Siamese animals to the Zoological museum of France, they might be sorry and consider me as the forcsaid also. · On your reply to my last note you said that will write information and send my note to the only Zoological Society-it is occurred to me that it would be best 11nd you would oblige to me XXII-1.

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much if yon would write this my intention to the British governments n,t homo Lo mn,kc known to Her Bt"itu,nnic Majesty; then the receipt o£ anin1t1ls may ho with Her M11jesty's man of war in the same manner; it will be great hem or .to i1w.

I beg to remain Your good friend, S. P. P. M. Moogkut R. S. on 4088th day of reign.

To His Honor Sir Hobert Schomburgk the Consul of Her Britannic Majesty for Siam &c. &c. &c.

XX.II-1.

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F. 0., Siam vdl. 34.

L. :::;.

;---""'

l j smmp.

L. S.

Somdetch Phra Paramendr Maha Mongknt by the Divine blessing or the Suparagency of the Universe, the first King of Si11m, and its dependencies, great p11rts of Laos, Cambodia, several provinces of the Malayan Peninsula &c. &c. &c. To Her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Brito.in and lrel11nd, r. Sovereign of Hindostan, Defender of the faith, &c. &c. &c. Our royal Sister and most distinguished and respected friend, Humbly and respectfully sendeth greeting. Please permit us to acquaint Your gracious Majesty, that Your Majesty's faithful consul, Sir Hobert Schornburgk, whom Your Majesty in Council was pleased to nominate as consul at Bangkok, on his arrival here in the year of the serpent, ninth decade of thu Siamese local Era 1219, corresponding to the Christian year 1857, was the bearer of Your Majest·y's Royal letter and certain royal gifts to cement the friendship betwef.ln us and Your ..M:11jesty. The subject or Your Majesty's letter was introductory of Sir B.obert Schomburgk in order that we might become familiarly acquainted with him. Sir Hobert Schomburgk has now been in Bangkok over six. years, and has, on all occasions, endeavoured faithfully and zealously to _fulfil his duties as the servant of Your Majesty. XXII-1.

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He has a.lso by Ids good qualities greatly pleased our Ministers, who have expreRRed their satiRfnction with his conduct as consul, in t1 letter sent in his charge for the information of Your :Majesty's Ministers. Sir Robert Schomlmrgk is about the s{Lme age as ourselves, being only three months older. As he is now sixty years of age, he feels himself un11hle to withstand the effect of our warm clim11te, and has taken lc11vc to return to Emope, where the climate is more salubrious. We could not 11llow Sir Robert Schomburgk to depart ·without our royar lettct· which we h(1ve to send•in his charge, ::mel as he has resigned his t1ppointment as Your Mttjesty's consul (1t Siam, we would beg Your :Majesty tha,t you will still continue to extend Your royttl favom to him. We would beg Your Mn:jesty will be graciously plettsecl to direct Your Ministers to select a pet·son of rank and possessing the like good qmlities as Sir Hobert Schomburgk to be appointed in the place of Sir Robert Schomburgk without delay. We a~so beg that the new Comml at Siam may be a person of intelligence ~nd well acquainted with his duties. We would prefer a person sent direct from England, and whose good qualities and abilities the British Government is aware of f1·om persona.l acquaintance.

If the new consul be a person familiar with the international and othet· laws, he would rendet• great assistance to the Siamese Government, who are in governing of a powerless nation, by advising and confening with it.in mutters o£ importance, and thereby word off any calamities which might otherwise befall us through misunderstanding with the neighbouring great powers. From the South West extending to the North \Vest of Sinm, since the last 40 years, the frontiers of Great Britain certain disputes have joined those o£ this kingdom, different understanding on trifling matters have sometimes taken place between the two governments, but through the medium of Your Majesty's cons{ll here, all these differences .have been nearly all satisfactorily arranged: those that remain unsettled are but a few unimportant ones. XXII-1.

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The Siamese Government is aware that it is distant from Em·ape and that it is unacquainted with the good laws and custom[s] of civilized )jjurope. The Siamese Government have consequently been willing that Your Majesty with the Ministers should decide on all such differences, as it has been confident that the de.cree of the British parliament would a] ways be guided by justice. We consider 'ourselves as closely connected with Great Britain for the following three reasons. lst Our tel'l'itodes have for a long period past, bordered on those of Great Britain, as we have above stated. 2nd A treaty .was concluded many years ago and was renewed before any other nation made one with Siam. 3rd Besides the treaty Hoyal, letters have passed between Your Majesty and ourselves, the Siamese ministers and those of Great Britain have corresponded, these correspondences have been mutually read and understood without the necessity of the interposition of an interpreter For these reasons we beg Your Majesty will bestow your eornpassion and favour on us. r Sometime since, we and our Ministers were desirous of nominating a Siamese consul at London, and we requested Sir Robert Schomburgk to inform Your Majesty's ministers of our intention. A reply was received giving their consent which pleased us much. We then selected Mr. D. K. Mason a British subject who had resided in Siam for eight years as merchant and had become. acquainted with the customs of Sjam, and who having many friends in London was desirous of returning to live there in an honorable position. ·We informed Sir Robert Schomburgk who expressed to us his approbation of our choice; we . therefore appointed Mr. D. K. Mason as our consul and conferred on him the title according to the . Siamese custom of "Phra Siam Dhurabab." Sir Robert Schomburgk assured us that Your Majesty's Government would recognise the appointment, I would beg Your Majesty will extend your favour and benevolence towards Mr. D. K. Mason our consul. XXII-1.

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We were sincerely grieved to leu.rn· of the decease of Your l\'Ltjesty's royo,l mbther, and of Your Majesty's royal consort, which two sad events happened on tho last year We sincel'ely sympathize with Your Majesty's h·re1)airable losses, nevertheless, we trust that Your .Majesty will find consolation i:J. the thought that all uankind must follow this path, even those most dear to us cannot uo prevented from leavjng us. We ourselves have also within the last three years suffered losses in our royal family, by the death or our royal queen consort aged 27 yen,rs, or om soc~md son aged 38 years, and of our daughter aged 8 years. 'l'hese matters ar(; all known unto Sir Robert Schomburgk. We must now beg to express our pleasure and congratulations at le:1rning that Your Mtl service in Ft·ench Indo-China and has for many years been tL px·omincnt member of the famous Ecole Fmn~aise d' Extri'':me Orient in Hanoi, that distinguished seat of lea.rniug from which so much has been done to dispel the dn.rkness and ignomnce tlmt, only a good gencmtion ago, still surrounlled the m>tjm· p>wt of the history of the Indo-Chinese peninsultt. The work consists of two volumes, the first giving the richly illustrated text (402 pn.ges) nnd the :Second conta.ining no less than ninety-six excellent phns and designs, drawn by the a.ut.hor himself, besides four jnstructive mn.ps of !tncient Cttmbodia. These ma.ps show the distribution of tho~e sttnctuaries and buildings which, in 1\'1. Parmentier's opinion, belong to the w-callecl primitive Khmer art. It ma.y be St1id here at once th;tt the l'6SL1lt of l\1. Pttrmentier's pn.insil)tking tl"nd ingenious studies, undertn.J~en in the field, do not disappoint expectatiOns. Much, which formerly seemed unintelligible or dark to the student of these ma.tters, hs been cleared up ttndnew light is shed on many perplexing questions especially rega1•ding the relations between the different styles of the art a.nd ?H'chitectm·e of Camboditt, Ju.va, Chn.mp;1 a.nd ancient India-the ln.st named their common mother country. This is, of course, not M. Pt1l'mentier's first sel'ious work as tl.n n.uthor. His "Monuments cq!l-ms del' Anmtm," "L' Art d' Indravn.l'm!\.11" and "Etndl:ls tl.Sitl.tiques, 01•igine commune de.i .trc:,itectures ch1ns 1' Inde et en ExtremeOrient" besides numerous pt1.pe1•s on m11tters of n.1·chaeologicn.l a.nd n.rtistic interest-not to forget those of his consort, known unde1· the "nom de plume'' as J eitnne Leuba.....:.have long been known 11.11d treasured among students of the past of this corner of the wor~d. Indeed it is difficult to overmte the importance of the work clone by Mr. Parmentier in connection with the exploration, the study a.nd-la.st but not least-the p1·eserva.tion of the many wonderfLll relics from R>ncient Cftmbodia's and :e

-.'ir

Champa's golden age; and it is sincerely to be hon;ed that he will still be able, for a good many years to .. come, to continue his eminently fertile ,,.

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n.ctivities, for the fnrtherrmce of humr1n knowledge. 1'hough it is true'tllllt Professor Finot 1md1YI. Groslier-n,nd to n, cerh1in clegl'ee Mttjor Lnnot do Ln.jonquiere -luwe contributed remn.l'lmble studies on primitive Cambolliltn ru·t, M. Parmentier is the· first to tttke up the whole pl'Oblem for a thorough examination. Dy primitive art M. Pr1rmentier understands th11t form of n,rt which flonl'ished between the VIth and the IXth centmy A. D. and which

WIIR

succeeded by what has been termed the chtsr:;ic art, the lt1tter including tho forms characteristic of Indravttrmrlll (the king who reigned A. D. 877 -889) and B:tyon (a1most contempomneous with Inclmvarman's art style). 'l'hn.t classic nrt s11.w its llnn,l rtnd crowning tt·iumph in magnificent Angkor 'N~tt. The chief characteristics of the primitive n,rt, which separate it from the cl.ge, pn.rticul:nly those of the Brtyon stylt•, at·e constructed of sr111dstone.

Fmthermore their superstructures are, in

most cases, covered with :1 ridged l'Oof with g:tbles, while those

of

the

~

classic a.ge ta.ke the fo:·m of a conimtl "pmng", its termin:1l being a lotus Jlowe1· shn.pecl stone. Finally there at·e the different modes :tnd styles of decorations of the walls and especially of the lintel. The different si;yle:; of carving of the lintel, always a monolith, at'e

:1

precious help to decide tn

which m·t period the building in question belongs. · By a happy inspit·ation Major Lunet cle Lajonqniere, when engaged on his grand snrvey of tlm Camboclia.n monuments during the ye11rs hom 1901 to 1907 (the resultg of which are given in his imposing work "lnventtdre descriptif des monuments du C:tmboclge'' in three volumrs)'~ got the idea of dividing the di!l':Jl'· ent styles of ca.rving of the lintels in to five groups or types. These typ~s :wo shortly d escribecl in the nfterfollowing :-'l~ype

I is the so-called Makara lintel. At the two extreme ends of the lintel are seen two monsters facing each other (inwards). 'l'hese mon. sters have scaly bodies like sea monsters, their mouths at•e wide open,, tho

" :Referred to fUl'ther on as I. K. XXII-1:

31 upper lip being continued in tm elephttnt's trunk, the tongue is long and slender like

!t

of n. vulture.

h:trpou, their tails end in cock's tftils while their feet are those From their monthH issue either lions or hum:tll bei11gs nnd a.

personnn.ge is sitting on thei~· bark or st1tnds, half hidden, behind their bodies;

These monsters hide the supports of an arch which spn.us the space

between them.

Undet· the nrch hnng three lock:ts or medn.illons, the cen-

tru1 one of which contains an image of tlle god Indm sitting on

1111

elephant's

heud, while the two others contrtin horsemen. 1'ype II is more rttrely met with.

It io: a modification of type I; but

instead of the Makaras one sees sheaves of flowers or oval lockets.

The

lockets sometimes contain no figures ..t all. Ty]Je II I is very common.

In the cente1· is a monster's head, "-heavenly palaces-showing divinities tre somewhat rare with the exception of the Mttlmra; the lion, so dear to classic art, is seldom depicted. 1'he building materials consisted of well made bricks held together

by a peculiar binding material the nntnre of which, as in the case of the Cham temples, is still o. secret to us. I

The stone used was a kind of schist, and it is a very evident that the artists of the primitive n.rt style were not yet so skilled in treating it as those of the hter classic art period.

Stone ·was only. used for lintels, door

fmmes, columns and the interior crooks supporting the wooden ceiling.

In

rare cases a sort of white laterite was used as building mn.tel'ial instead of bricks. After this very detailed description of the style and the construction of the Sfl.nctuaries, belonging to the so-cr.tlled primitive art and ttrchitectnre of ancient Cambodia, 1\'L Pftl'mentier, on the following 192 page of his book treats the most important temples or groups of temples clMsified under the above nomenclature. XXII-1,

(

37 )

nnd squn.re built with a f111t monolith serving as roof. The W11lls of the eel-

las are decorn.ted with representnJ,ions of Rishi's (Hermits), sitting a ln. Jn.vanaise, while the rim of the monolithic roof is provided with four small niches cont;nining persons of which only tho face and the !U.'mS n.re seen, as wet·e they Jenning out of the window. These persons do not resemble Asia tics at all t Bnt enough of detnil;; from this fascinating temple city.

Let us

only add th1;.t in the case of the m~tjority of the sn.uctuarieR their superstructtll'es terminn,te in ridged roofs with pet·penrliculn.r gn.hles, while some otberR bad n. pyrn.midicn.l top; also n, very inte1·er:ting lintel of ,type II (the three lockets) in whose centre is seen represented S'ivn,'s

Muklmling~t

adored by

the fourfaced Brnhma and Visln~u, below which is Been a long frieze of . be~trcled Bmhmans doing homnge to n king sittiug on a throne, It would clemn.nd too much Rpn.ce to follow the author in his des-

cription of the rest of the monuments l;rented in this book and we shall therefore confine ourselves to a brief montiou of t;he most importn,nt ones.

In the vast deltn. lftnd of the Mekong, otherwise somewhat poor in J{hmer vestiges, there has been found

11

nnmhm· of i1wtges of n. truly :fine

workmanshin, . s~1ch n.s n,n Avaloldtes'vn.l'fL (A Bodhisattva of the Mrthayanis~

tic cult) which dates back to the period tren.t.etl by the author, also an image of Umii., S'ivlt's ferocious consort, ancl two stn.tuettes of the Buddha, sit;ting

n l'Europeenne ;

n, Bodhisattvn. with fonr arms and a Visln).n wielding

the bow, which n.ll show a superior conception compared with the often stiff and clumsy statun.q of the later classic art. Prasat Bayang, a snnctwwy situn.ted on the top of taining a nHtl) and ceremonie,.;. 'l'he enlt of Hnrilmm dist~ ppear~ before the more gross S'i v:Lism, the costnrnes of the divinities nucl tho eu::;toms of the people clmugiug t~t the onme time. M:. Pal'lll8Utiel' iinishe;; by s~.ying :- "1'his examination of the rn·imibive Khmer art IIUL.}' have helped to lift a. CO!'l!et' of thn.t veil whielt l1ides the secl'ct of the tl':lllSI:lil:ll:!ion of the l:Iiudn thought to the .Extt·erne O!'ient Rml ~!tows how incredibly i·t lms beeu transformed by the coming into coi,tnet with the diffet'ellt lJeO]Jies, which WBl'e eulighteuecl by its 1:n.ys." With which wot·clc the reade1' no doubt will agree. A 11tl herewith let this intet·esting and i llnminating work be recommended most heartily to n.ll ardent riturlents of the past of Ca.mbodin, a. past whieh, to fL gl'eat extent, i~ al~>o the past of Siam. · ' It is needless to sny that a thol'Ough examirHttion and classificn.tiou of all the o.~mbodittn monuments still existing in this country would give XX.II-1.

(

52

us vnJnn.ble dn.tn. both fo1• the stntly of th8 art ltnd nrchitectnre of aneient Sia.m rwd for th~J general history of .Fmther India. :M::ty the me:tns fo,1 this much needed work soon be rWtburi, Pntchin and the 8ak Vttlley, do not belong to th11t school of n.rt our sen.rch will bo exclusively confined to North En.stern Sin.rn. As will be ;;een from the survey mrrde by 11:1. Pttrmentier this view is rdso' sh::l.l'ed by him. From my own resettrches, nndertttken during n sojoul'll extending oveL' more tlmn 10 ye;n·s, I arn, however, inclined to believe that the numbet' of snnctuarie~ belonging to the ]_.n:imitive urt, is l!trger th:tn that given by the le:u·nccl author. Besides those already mentioned by M:. Parmentier I should thus ndd the following:-~ C.hangvad Ubon.

,.

Dong Pu Ta (Complement p. 7), where the standing image, as far

us memory set'ves, bebng::; to the p1·imitive i.tl't. Ku Muang (Complement p. ll ), 11 l)l'ick sunctnary with door fra.me~ of sandstone. Changvad Kltulrhan. Prasat Thong Lang (Complement p. 12-13), three brick towers f-trmding 011 a terr,lCC of Sttndstone. Though the lintels represent l1 moui· fica.tion of type III these towers rrmy perlu.tps clnte back to the primitive art pe1:iod. Prasat Nong Pen (Comple:nent p. 13), [1. monument :tnttlogons to tho above mentioned. Ban Prasat Jo'r (Complement p. 17), a hl·ick sanctmtry with door fmmes of sandstone, may also belong to the p1·imitive art period. Changvad Surln.

Prasat Ban Sanom (OompUnnent p. 17), :t brick tower with door frames of sandstone. Prasat Sre 0 (Complement p. 18), a brick tower.

(

53

)

Huei Singh (ComJ,](nnent p. 18), already referred to in my commentnrics on p. 14 of this review under Sambor. ~gvad Kalasin. Ban Muang Sung Yang (Complement p. 24), a brick sanctuary with stone sculptures. ~vad Mahasaralram. ({U J{ho Kat (Complement p. 24). The brick tower found here seems to belong to the primitive m·t too, 'Jhi~:; additionnl !lote is only given here 'vith the reservation of a later cm·rection nR, at the time, when I wrote my "0ompl{m1ent iL l'Inventn.ire doscriptif des monuments dn Onmbodgo pour les q?h, F. M.S. French Legation. Suan Ku:larb College: Roya.l State Hailw11ys. . .. J.llapgkok Dispensary. :", Royal State Railways. ;,

... Siam Electrk Corpn. Ltd.

(

Senn, J. Sicldhi Byakarana, Phra Shaw, E. O'Neil Simmons, Hev. C. R. Sinclair, J. M. Slaclt, T. A. S111idt, Kai Smi,th, Dr. Hugh M. Sn;dth, E. Wyon. .. . Srishtikar Banchong, Phya Stather, E. J. Stevens, Haymond B. Suvabliand, Phra Swansm:, James

... .. 'l'amagno; M,f, Thavenot, A.·F.1t... . 'l'hawihLua.6g Thune, E. Toms, Dr.· H. W. Theobald, Dr. G. W. Tyrer, H . .Varn Vaidya, H. S. H. Prince Vernay, A. S.

79

)

Diethelm & Co. Ltd. Ministry or Commerce & Communications. Bangkok Times Press, Ltd. The Parsonage. Bangkok Dock Co., Ltd. British American Tobacco Co., Ltd. Siam Electric Corpn., Ltd. J.Vljnistry of Lands & Agt'iculture. Hoyal State Railw11ys. Royal State Railways. Louis T. Leonovvens, Ltd. Foreign Office. · Royal Sta.te Railways. Siam Architects. Tori~o.

Chieug;mai. Royal ~ate. Railways. Siam 0en1ent Co., Ltd., Bangsue, Wi~dmill Road. . . ,, CJln{r~·longkorn University. Anglo-Siam Corporation, Ltd.

Siamese Lega~ion, L·:mdon. 219 Piccadi3.d:y1/London.

Cliftorcl, Castletownroche, Co. Cork, Ireland. Warming, Lt.-Gen. P. L. E.... ''1Ministry o£ Interior. Wergeni, T. . .. East Asiatic Co., Ltd., Phrae. Waterlow, S. P. . .. British Legation. Bang Jcapi. Wattana Wittaya Academy Williams, C. C. ... Columbus, Ohio (U.S. A.). Walton, E. J .

XXII-1·

(

Watson, (l\frH.) C. L. Wildeu, A.

\VeHtur, ;runt·., ."1. 1>. Winit W1umdol'll, Phm WiHhnrt, .A. Wood, W. A. H., o. 1. g;

HO

)

Ra tltol'll Htmt 1. t~/\l Jt'nmeh L~·~a,tinn. Jntt•l'IHtti.t~ml Ellgin .. t•riug

C:tl,, Inc.

t~J•.t }\tl'el't, DulHll'lllH'IIt.

nnn,rko.k lhwk who wol'e rdui.·uing to their villnguK nftee Kelliug pigH in PitHilllnlu ke. Bnn Wu.ng Tong i:-:; close to a river the eoun;e of whieh we fullowecl up fol' HO!llC r.1t1.)'H inti> tho hills: it i1-1 loenlly kuowu ILH the K11'fLll Wttng Tung, (on the oJlietd snrroy nutp marked the Klong 'l'tt Ptm), uml iH a tl'il,mLnry o£ the Nm1 niver, ilowiug into it just north uf Pichit.

III 'l'lte new .carriers toplC' un the:i:r: lpg,ds ai1c1 moved oft' at

clitW11 :

they looked and ttfteL'Wttrd,s, l~l'RVecLto ~C,' ra;., ve1y good 19~ of.ruon, XXII-2.

(

83

Jokes and shouts were coutiuually IHLssing down the loug straggling file of them. There wel'e tL few Rm:tll villages near Ban Wang Tong: then the cotintry bcc11me lJl'oken with the beginnings of forest. A.t Bmt Nok En, f:tmous fm peacock, we took 011 the lcnm'fM~n to be om· guide - a t:tcitnm olcl nmu who nJwayH wore a fur cnp like 11 polm· explorer. 'l'he mnte eeossed seveml streams nmning in ~leep gullies, calling for n. steep Her amble down and up. 'l'he latter pttrt of the mcn·ning we traversed light btLLnboo jungle by a l'oeky l'ising 1mth. Wayfarers were fe:~w - n solit:uy gendarme, 11w1 a party of priests, even they en rrying the univm·stLl nnd csBentittl knife of tho jungle. We ctLmped for the dtLj' under n tangle of bamboo by the side of a rocky Hb'cttlll, Huey Kni, which close by lmJ been clammed by 11 stont barrim· of wood and earth to form a pleas!tnt little lake.

IV The next uwruing l\Ir. Aston wac; feeling unwell, t1ml decided to ronutin in cttmp for the day. ~l'he canicn; . were ugme11hly surpi·isecl b_i tho news. 'l'he morning ptLssed 'Nitlt t~ little shooting for tho pot; but the many deHinvble imperial pigeons tLbont per. versely kept to the very highest keeR. In the afternoon tho Kamntm slticl there Hlwuld lm wild duck by the river, the Kwao Wang Tung, to the fl()Uth of ulll' CtLllllJ. 1\ccording to him the jomney WILH cmly 30 sen but nctnally tuniml out to !JC ovet' three miles. 'l'hiH i:-; mthel' typical of the 11\'omgo eouutry-mau's amazing vagueness a:; regards dist11nce : time too-he h118 no nse for hours and only distinguishes between early morning, ·when the sun is going up, '!Vela, prwn when the r)riest::; e;tt their htflt UletLl of Lho da,y about 11 o'clock, rmd ttfternoon when Lho Hun goes down. There were no dqek, but there was a wild 11nJ magniJic@t Wliterfn,ll where the path met the river. A. concave IllLtuml dam of rock, altHoHt a perfect semi circle in Hhape blocked tho river, which plnngm1 down 40 Ol' 50 feet in the middle of the curve. Below it broke HJ) into a dozen Hwift channels, joining again half !t ''inilo n,way to reform the main stream · ·which then flowed on through a thickly wooded: \'a,!loy. When we !it'riyecl a.fresh water cO'i:mora.nt leisurely spetLring fish from a rock ';'\~"~s the: only inhabitant.,.-..tu~tillw was ~talked )1Ucl sllot. Tho river ~

\V~s ·~live with lettpill~ fisl1. J.•"

·

\.

Httr'lll ,J;~-fl.or lt:ltving '£~}!''.\' K1d t.hu ubxt mot' II ing t.h•1 ftuttla ills ol' t.hu nmgt:;!~hottd began. 'l'IH• Lmek ~'':nu ali t.ldH Pll.l'l~· Ktag" o!' tlw jum· 1wy Jw)J'll'nll Lhti ::~ign:-; ol' IHdng l'ittlu llHud: onw t't>di:.l>! wlwl't• Ill!• hoo\'llH ol' utll' liLt.lo punit•s W(~llt. elatLl'l'illg' il Wlll'i 1\11 illdt•t.el'tllitmlt• Ktn udgn, Jtml iii sovnml HLt·t•ldH:::-; of Lldl git·l )t .. Jdg·lt gmsl'\ (\ tn·~· plt•IL· l'iltllt. in ihu t:!lttl of t'ILL'l,\' tnoming) it Wit~'< 'tllit" owrgruwu. Wt> nt,• uomltined lm•ttkl'ttHL ltlld Litlill lty thu xid" of tl sLt'otun. Tlm nsunl plt111 oC mt~l'l·h wu folio\\' uti wns Uds: t.u bu 1df nL dnwu ILtul rl11 fou1· or th·u solid ltotu·s, wit'h Khnl'l. l'usLH, la•rOL~o ht·e!dd't\Kt-Lil:lin nbom. II : a.Ftcr that nnoLlwt• Lwo ol' tlll'l:u mildet· holll's hPfcn··~ ettlll~Jillg fot· the day. Evening llltLL'l:he:-; \\'l)\'1\ a\'ohlod lnlC:.tltiHt' or t:}u, di!Ut~ulty (Jr ehuosing tL gmnnd tLIHl Hdt.ing up t:ILilllJ i11 tlH· g'll.tlhH'illK dut·kncl's. 'J;his cltLJ, UI.Lrly in thu ttl'tel'llUIIII \\"1! CU,llll' Lo IL with· Hl.l'!'ILlll whic:h lmd to he furLletl unl'ol'tun,Ltely 11L the HILilte tiuw tlmlt~ gt·eltt, hertl ol' wa.tllt' hutt'nloefi wnH CL'UHHiug in tllll oppnHitn dit·~,wLiou. They with their momuful unintelligent eyt!H HLtn't!d

\'IW!llltly 1tt

us.

\Vo wet. nthPI'

l,';Glnls on i:mcceedi~;t.g dn.ys lmiug d l'i \'Pll i 11 l'ut· ~:~t..dP ttl: Pitst.~nuluke. 'l'ltu l.JtLO henhmw11, V~y giant harl been pmcticnlly investigttbing tlw theoremH a humOlll'OUS aml ultra modern geomet:,ry. Iu one Ol' two plaeew there Wl1il a umsty Rmcll in the tti t' ,vhere Rome animal habb q q

>

2

JJ'fffl~'ffn'ilU~~~JJl~g:JJlfl q

ft'fl'~ q

ii ~ pl~g:u1 LU'Vl ~(b)fll{\ g:fl 1HlH1

w~~lJl'Vl

0

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VllH'Jl

111 11-l V flU (a)tl'ti'lllJ ty t l1l'llU Ufl L'ilHVl VW lt'ff~C)J ~

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fll Ufl ~ill Wl1iW1U~l'llW

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"l"

o

m

V

l'llW VH'Ufl~ Lut.HYl'l LLfl ~llJU U li1

9)

t1l

-elJolar, \\'onld ]liLY tt visit to Bangkok

between i;lw 7th ttmll4th July nnd, in tlutt eventualitJ', he ltttd kindly pt·ontiHutl to read a pit per on " BucldhiHJJJ in: N opal. " Unl!n.ppily Prof. Levi had to c:ttl~ltendcctdial .thank~ . . of the i::>C>CJtn;y ~h~dly ~~~ by ti~ Iwy~L"$to,t~; .. ' ·, '

or

'

'

~\'

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'

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of

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(

167

)

Additions to the Library " Periodicals. 1. ExLL'cuw .\:-~iu, Nuw Huries, Nos. 22 to 26. 2. .lll\ll'llld tuHJ PJ·oe(Hlt.ling:; of the AHitttic Society of BeugoJ \'nl. 2:1:\'\us. 1 lliHI 2. !!. .Jotmml of t.lu..l Auwl'imn 0 ricntul Sm:iety, .,/ol. 48 Nos. 2, :3. •1. ,}tJlU'IHtl nf tl1t1 ;\lahtj'llll Branch of ·the Hoy11l Asiatic :-i«.n:idy, Yul. ;) ptLrt 4., Vol. li pttrt l. !3. ,Jolll'lltd uf the Hoyal Asiatic Society or Grettt Brittdll a111l l.rnlutnl, 3l'J.