SKETCHES IN SIAM.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 277, 15 June 1860, Page 3

SKETCHES IN SIAM.

The GonstiMionnel contains the following interesting letter from one of the sisters of Charity who form part of a mission toSiam, giving an account of an interview with the King of that country:— " At Sea (Nov. 5), before Bangkok (Siam). " You are aware that our vessel was ordered to call at this place on her way to her destination. We arrived at the mouth of the river Menam on the 11th of September, and in order that we might not lose time in going up the river, the captain hired a large covered barge to convey us to Bangkok. We started in the evening with a brilliant moonlight, and arrived at about five in the morning. We met with the kindest reception from Monsejgneur Pallegoin, and attended mass with him, while the captain occupied himself with procuring lodgings for us in the town. The news of our arrival soon spread; the native Christians told the missionaries that the French religieuses with white wings (alluding to our head dress) had come, and many of them hastened to welcome us. We told tham that we were only birds of passage among them. All, even the venerable Bishop, walked about barefoot, and we repeated in our hearts the sacred words, " How beautiful are the feet of those who bring us glad tidings." Soon after we had taken possession of the lodgings which the captain had found for us, we were visited by a schoolmistress and a number of Christian girls, who brought us presents of fruit and cakes. , On the 16th the first prince of the kingdom paid us a *isit, accompanied by Viscount de Castelnau and an interpreter, and followed by a number of slaves who walked with their heads almost bent to the ground. The Prince is tall, but so corpulent that he could scarcely walk. His dress consisted of a long silk robe, a white calico waistcoat, and a scarf of yellow silk. He was barefoot. His head was shaved in the Siamese fashion, with only a tuft left on the crown. The first, carried a gold box containing betel-nut, and the second a gold vase containing cigars and a pocket-book. The Prince, on entering, saluted us in the European style, and put some questions as to our profession and our occupations. He told us that if we wished to see the first King, the consul had only to apply for an audience. On leaving, the JPrince tapped our captain on the shoulder, and said he should be very glad to see him at his house., The Consulj at our request, arranged that the the visit to the King should take place on the 3rd of October. On that j day we proceeded from our residence to the palace, which is at some distance, in the barge of Monseigneur ornamented with the French flag; the consul and a French missionary followed us, each in his boat. On landing we had to walk under a burning sun, through a long street paved with red bricks, and as we passed, we saw the stables of the Royal elephants. We were received at the palace by a page under a sort of canopy, and were requested to sit down while he announced our arrival to the King. We. had to wait for some time, when the consul, seeing we were fatigued, sent a second message, and we were immediately admitted. The Court of the palace was filled with an immense number of slaves, seated on their heels.

The King Stood to receive us at the door, of .the audience chamber. He is a man of middle height and very thin, and the expression of his countenance has a sternness vvhich marks the absolute sovereign. His dress consisted of a long, loose silk dress, a white shirt, a small thin silk waistcoat, and a Scotch cap, and slippers embroidered with gold. The consul presented us, and the missionary addressed a few words to his Majesty in, tke Siamese language The King looked at us for some moments in silence, and then holding out his hand to me, asked if I could speak English. On my replying in the affirmative, he said in that language,' Ladies, do you wish to see the Queen Consort i' and then, without asking the gentlemen to enter, he requested us to follow him. He walked very fast through a large hall filled with princes and mandarins, who all prostrated themselves with their faces to the ground. A number of little children dressed in silk, and covered with gold chains and bracelets, flocked round us. We followed the King through several passages in the midst of a double row of females, all bent to the ground. His Majesty suddenly stopped,-and asked us if we spoke Latin; he said he did, and to convince us, recited the formula, ' In nomine patris,' &c. He then took the crucifix attached to our rosary, saying, that he knew a great deal about omv religion. We at length reached a handsome saloon furnished in the European style, and where there was an arm-chair in gold, a present from the Queen of England. On entering, he introduced the Queen Consort to us. She was dressed in a long robe with a scarf thrown over the right shoulder. She is rather a good-looking woman, and about forty years of age. The King also presented to us the Queens three children, and a-number of ladies with about thirty children. S .H© then asked us to sit down, and Tiimself offered some figs in gold baskets; and next opened a liquer-case, and poured out some curacoa from one of the bottles, and handed a glass to each. He kept one himself, and proposed as a toast, ' The Catholic religion and Jesus, the Saviour of the World.' The King who constantly spoke English, talked to 'us of Manseigneur Pallegoin, whom he called 'My friend,' of Queen Victoria, and of several illustrious men in England. He also spoke of the Pope, and requested us to come and look at a portrait of His Holiness, which he had in a pretty little buodoir. Wherever the King went he was followed by a young girlj one of the body guard, who carried a sabre on her shoulder, and whenever his Majesty stopped, she placed herself oh her knees close to him. We were afterwards conducted by the King to his library, where he complained that'the worms had devoured almost all his books. On returning to the Queen's Saloon, we found the tables covered with different dishes of meat and pastry. At the close of the repast, the King handed to each of us a small cake, and took one himself. He expressed to us the pleasure he felt at seeing French reliqieuses at his table.

His Majesty spoke very correct English, but pronounced the words with some difficulty. During all these ceremonies, the little children played about about us with great glee, and fondly caressed us. On our leaving they all held out their hands, and said ' Good bye,' the only English words they knew. We then took leave of his Majesty and returned to our lodgings, and in a short time after a number of slaves came, bringing us the figs which had been served,at the royal table.

On the following day we returned the visit of the Prince, and were received with less etiquette than at the King's palace. The house of the Prince formed a most singular museum. In th» rooms there was a complete confusion of European, Siamese, and Chinese furniture, saddles, hats of all forms, chronometers, books, Cercel lamps, gold and silver vases, cloth and hair brushes, and caskets full of precious stones, all scattered about pelemele on and under the furniture. On our leaving the Prince requested that we would make known in France that we had met with a welcome reception, which I promised to do."

Cements for Stopping the Teeth.—. The Revue Medicate recommends the following for stopping teeth:—A drachm of gutta purcha, softened by hot. water, is to be worked up with catechu powder and tannic acid, of each half a drachm, and with a drop of essential oil. For use, a morsel is to be softened over the flame of a spirit lamp, introduced while warm. into the cavity of the tooth, and adapted properly. The mass becomes hardened, and even after several months, exhibits no traces of decomposition. It is also found that an excellent cement may be ebtained* by dissolving one part of mastic in two of collodion. Having well dried out the cavity, a small ball of cotton soaked in some drops of the solution is to be introduced. It soon solidifies, and may remain in situ, seeming also to exert an influence on the further progress of the caries.

The Volunteer and his New Breeks. —An officer of a volunteer corps on jluty in the place where Mr. Shirra resided, and very proud of his fresh uniform, had come to Mr. Shirra's church, and walked about as if looking for a seat, but, in fact, to show off his dress, which he saw was attracting attention from some of the less grave members of the congregation. He came to his place, however, rather quickly on Mr. Shirra quietly remonstrating, "0, man, will ye sit down, and we'll see yoiSr new breeks when the kirk's dune."— -Dean Ramsay's Scottish Reminiscences.

The Russian Navy.—Letters from St. Petersburgh state that the Russian Government is about to adopt various measures for the reorganisation of the navy. Th 6 system of organising sailors in battalions like soldiers is to be abandoned, and the are to be divided into crews, The establishment of a floating gunnery school has also been resolved on; and the navy artillery corps is henceforth to be charged solely with preparing the various matters necessary for mounting guns, and with fhe defensive works on the coasts and in the colonies. The introduction of musketry on beard vessels has been decided on; and improvements are to be effected in the medical service and in the hydrographical department. As to vessels, the Government has resolved to adopt fast-sailing screw ships of the line and large frigates; and it is causing the question of vessels sheathed in iron to be seriously examined. Rifled cannon has also attracted attention, and the forts of Cronstadt are to. be armed with guns of that kind. A certain number of rifled cannon have alread been cast in the foundries of ,To\ila. . To the preceding details the letters add that the Government has resolved to send a squadron to the Mediterranean, under the orders of Vice-Admiral Chestakoff, who is to hoist his flag in a first-class frigate called the Ad-miral-General. This squadron, which is to leave Cronstadt when th,e ice shall break op, is to be quite independent of that which is called the experimental squadron, and which navigates annually in the Gulf of Finland* the Baltic, and the North Sea,