withdrew as the first grey tint of dawn appeared | were paddling to and fro in all directions, laden with various sorts of commodities for apparel or for household consumption. Now came a gorgeously-painted canoe with gilt figure-head, and twenty men paddling it, bearing some nobleman from his mansion to the king's palace: then came a less aspiring boat, with ten or a dozen meagre individuals clad in bright yellow apparel: these were a body of Siamese priests, going on a beg ging excursion for their daily food. Next came a canoe bearing a gentleman clad very lightly indeed, even in so warm a climate as Siam. This was a Chinese pork butcher, resting on his paddle, and who as we pass hails us in an unknown tongue, inquiring possibly whether we wanted anything in his line to-day. Canoes next follow, laden and piled to such a height as to peril their equilibrium, and yet skilfully managed by solitary women and girls, who are the venders of fruits, vegetables, fish, cooked and raw meats, fowls, and, in short, all the luxuries of eastern life. in the east. The river wound in a very serpentine course, in some parts so wide that we could barely distinguish objects on the opposite shore. About this time a legion of crows awoke, and, clamouring noisily to each other, proclaimed aloud the birth of another day. Flights of these thievish birds flew over-head in every direction, cawing joyously in expectation of an early breakfast. Five minutes more, and scores of noisy sparrows were twittering to each other. The day had now fairly broke, and the pilot declared that we were within a mile of the celebrated FLOATING CITY OF SIAM. The river was wide and deep, and the ship sailed merrily from shore to shore as the morning breeze freshened. Sometimes before we tacked, the bowsprit would run right into the centre of a forest of mangroves, to the discomfort and alarm of troops of wild monkeys and countless paroquets. Expectation was now on the tiptoe, for none of us had ever been in Siam before. At length the breeze stiffened, and a bend in the By-and-by, as we make our way, there is a treriver making the wind fair for our progress, away mendous hubbub right a-head; rapidly the tumult spun the ship like a happy courser who knew it grows louder, and is caught by all the neighbours was close upon its journey's end. We rounded in the floating houses and all the people on board one lofty forest-clad point, the sun at the same of the vessels and boats in the river. The cause moment casting the glorious mantle of his light of this commotion is presently explained, for just over the scene, and, before we knew exactly how as we are coming to an anchor, the tide meanwhile we had got there, we found ourselves sailing in a running down like a sluice, a whole mass of ship of eight hundred tons through the main street floating houses, which have accidentally broke from of Bangkok, the capital of the kingdom of Siam! their moorings, are seen heaving in sight between What a singular and beautiful sight here burst the junks and a Siamese man-of-war. The inhaupon our view! On each side of us, as far as bitants of these runaway houses are screaming and the eye could see, were countless little houses, gesticulating frantically, and flourishing long poles neatly painted, and all floating upon the surface of which seem to threaten destruction to all the occuthe smooth waters, by means of strongly-con-pants of the minor boats and canoes. Now they structed bamboo rafts. Behind these again in the distance rose the stately spires of the various pagodas or watts, sparkling in the early sunshine like costly gems, while far beyond all these was descried the solitary palace of the king of Siam, looming like some giant's castle above the pigmy habitations that surrounded it. In the houses, all was life, bustle, and confusion. Chinamen, with gay silk dresses and long pigtails, were shouting and screaming to one another as some vessel, incautiously moored in the river, swung heavily round to the tide, threatening to annihilate their fragile tenements. Old Siamese women armed themselves with long bamboo poles, to be prepared for an emergency and shove off any unwelcome intruders; Burmese were speculating in beetle-nut; natives of India were bartering with captains of Cochin China junks for the flesh of newly-slain alligators; while in the midst of this babel of languages and costume was to be seen the broadbrimmed hat of the American missionary, and the close-cropped pate of the Capuchin friar, labouring even in this distant land. But the scene of activity to be witnessed in the floating houses was far surpassed by the moving tumult upon the river. Large Chinese junks, with a complement of full two hundred men, were hallooing and beating gongs and hoisting up their anchors; others, that had only just arrived, were equally busy about their moorings; European ships, of all sizes and nations, were hoisting in cargo or landing imported bale goods; whilst numberless canoes, chiefly moved about by women and girls, are foul of a ship's cable, but anon they are afloat again; now they sweep by us like so many steamers bent upon a race, and in five minutes more they have disappeared round the corner, and will be seen or heard of no more till the next favourable tide. Advantageously for them, the river has so many bends and turnings that they will be sure to be brought up by some projecting headland before they go much further; but were it not for this circumstance the tide would surely carry them out to sea, and then farewell to Mr. Chinaman and all his noisy neighbours. The excitement occasioned by this runaway detachment of houses soon abates, for such things are of every-day occurrence in Bangkok; the floating venders are again busy crying their goods, and the people have subsided once more into the comparative calm of every-day life, when we step into the ship's boat and are speedily landed-I beg pardon-I mean transhipped to the floating house of a friend. The flag that has braved a thousand years is waving over his residence; so we may calculate, with brother Jonathan, that our friend is a Britisher. Finding ourselves in our new quarters, the first thing we inspect is the floating house itself. This, then, consists of three neatly-painted apartments -a hall or sitting-room, a bed-room, and an office: the first about eight feet square; the second, five; and the third, three and a half. There are windows and doors in every direction, and in front of the house there is a little verandah with a wooden balustrade. -a very necessary precaution for a stranger on a dark night, as he might easily by mistake step from this verandah into eight fathom water and a rapid tide. The furniture is of the simplest description, consisting of a table, a few chairs and a bamboo couch, an iron bedstead, a chest of drawers, and a clothes-horse (the river being the universal wash-hand-stand); there is also a writing-desk, together with files for papers and newspapers. This constitutes the furniture of our countryman, who yet probably is worth not far short of twenty thousand pounds, with which amount when doubled he will one day visit his native land. The next house, into which you can easily step from the verandah, belongs to the same establishment, and is allotted to the servants for culinary and other domestic purposes. In size it resembles the other, and contains as many rooms; the servants sleep in one and cook in another, while the third apartment serves for provisions. Having visited these two houses, we have now a fair conception of every other house among the seventy or eighty thousand dwellings which constitute the floating city of Bangkok. There is only this difference, that whereas our host is obliged to maintain two houses to complete his establishment, most of the natives content themselves with one. In one room they sit, and eat and drink; in another, they all sleep together; and the third serves as a warehouse or magazine-for almost every man is in some way or other connected with trade, and will sell or barter anything in his house, from his own daughter to the favourite pet rat, which all the Siamese keep, and which protects them from the intrusion of other vermin of its own species, by expelling them vi et armis. It is now long past twelve, and having breakfasted rather earlier than usual, we are beginning to inquire anxiously about lunch. By-and-by the loud notes of a trumpet awaken the stillness that reigns around. We are eager to ascertain the motives for these war-notes, and are gravely assured that it is only to apprise the world at large that his gracious majesty has been pleased to dine, and that he accordingly condescends to grant his royal permission to his subjects to do so likewise. There is immediately a stir amongst the platters of our Siamese neighbours, and very grateful odours of many nice things; so, having the king's permission, we sit down to lunch and enjoy a sample of Siamese fruits and vegetables. First comes the durian, large and stately, reckoned by eastern epicures to be truly delicious. Faugh! Carry it away and bury it, or throw it into the river; burn perfumes in the room, or bring chloride of lime, for the stench of that fruit is enough to make one faint. But what have we here? Mangosteins, ramboteens, plantains of all sizes and colours, the luscious mango, and innumerable other truly delicious fruits. Nature has indeed been bountiful to the soil of Siam. As for the vegetables, how an epicure would gloat over them: never were such things tasted in the cold north! The fowls, the ducks, and the river and sea fish are all excellent; but the meat is badly flavoured, and lean withal. Well, it is not much to be regretted, for the less meat you eat, the healthier you are likely to be in such a hot climate as Siam. At length lunch is over, and though we have feasted luxuriously, there is hardly a native in the capital that has not had as good a meal. The sultry heat of the day has now become intense, and all employment is suspended: not a boat is to be seen on the river; not a man, woman, or child is visible in the verandahs of the floating houses, for the doors are all shut and the inmates are fast asleep: they are having their daily siesta; and such is the universal lassitude that prevails, that however resolutely we bear up against it for a time, sleep eventually overcomes us, and so we also slumber in the cool pleasant shade of the floating house, lulled by the rippling of the water beneath and round the raft on which we float. Three o'clock comes, and the doctor arrives; not the medical practitioner, but the sea-breeze so designated in the east from the beneficial and exhilarating effects it is sure to produce upon the drowsy inhabitants. We accordingly wake refreshed and ready to prosecute our inquiries. In order to pursue our investigations, then, just step into this canoe, taking care, however, that you do not tilt it over. Now we are paddling along the shady side of the river at the rate of several miles an hour. What's that? a boat load of sugar coming from the interior for shipment to Liverpool: and that? another boat with pepper for the same destination. Why, what a wealthy country this Siam must be! Every shop we pass exhibits specimens of its riches-elephants' and tigers' tusks, gamboge and indigo, spices of every variety, rice, drugs, lead, and other precious ore-all brought from the interior, where also there are countless sugar-cane plantations and whole tracts of country laid out with rice-fields. Rich, however, as Siam is in various productions, we need hardly remind our readers that it is enveloped in the shades of heathen darkness; but happily there are labourers in the field, who are busy sowing precious seed. That house which we are passing is the missionary establishment: the little wooden houses occupied by these benevolent men look comfortable and neat, and as a special favour they are permitted to be built upon terra firma. It was our host (who is himself building a perfect palace on the banks) that procured for them this exemption, for, as a general rule, none in Bangkok, save the royal family and the highest nobles, are permitted to build upon the solid ground. Amongst these pioneers of evange lization is a doctor, a schoolmaster, and a printer; and as we paddle along we encounter one of the missionaries distributing Siamese tracts amongst the natives;* while a little farther down we pass the doctor's shop, where he sits and sees patients, and distributes medicines gratuitously. Yonder, too, we are sorry to see, is the Roman catholic chapel; for Rome seems to delight to tread in the footsteps of protestant missionaries, and mingle tares with their wheat. We have now arrived at one of the Siamese temples, and are permitted to survey it both outside and inside; the court-yard is spacious and well paved, abounding with flower-vases and grotesque-looking images of every conceivable bird, beast, and reptile. The temple itself is a stately building, with a lofty capacious central room, surrounded by smaller ones allotted to the priests; incense-rods are burning; there is gold and silver tapestry, and the images are of the same costly materials, set with precious stones. As we are about to retrace our steps, our attention is arrested by a concourse of people congregated in the front court-yard, and who we find are busy preparing for a funeral. The dead man is laid upon a lofty bier, under which, in a species of oven, are piled fagot upon fagot of firewood, while garlands of flowers are tastefully arranged over the richly-worked linen cloth that hides the corpse from view. We hurry away from the spot and get into our canoe, in doing which a bystander tells us that the dead man was alive and hearty at eight o'clock this morning. Cholera, however, had marked him for its victim. As we paddle away, the dense smoke rose up high into the air like a white column against the clear blue sky, and by the time that we reached home again, doubtless all that remained of the robust man who had opened his eyes to daylight that morning in health, little dreaming of death, was a handful of ashes scattered far and wide by the fresh breeze of evening-a solemn theme indeed for thought and reflection! Before reaching home, having a permit, we visit the temples of the two white elephants, so much to give some account of the contents of the previous one. This is a necessary condition in order to receive a second. freely at all hours of the day. There are many cheering Christianity. "The missionaries are also engaged in improving their types and general printing operations. In addition to furnishing the Siamese with the printed words of eternal life, and a religious literature, they render much valuable assistance to those of the natives who have mechanical and artistical tastes, by giving them valuable suggestions whenever it is in their power. The Siamese types used in Bishop Pallegoix's Grammar, a beautiful and valuable work which has been recently published, were cast at the mission foundry. The first volume issued from the mission press. The second volume is now of a neat and convenient edition of the laws of Siam has been being printed. This work is printed at the expense of Kh'un Mote, a young Siamese nobleman of much promise and talent. And it is sincerely hoped that his intercourse with the missionaries may incline him to labour assiduously for the moral and intellectual improvement of his people, and that religious toleration is largely extended towards the missionary. The truth may be brought to bear upon his own mind. Religious king of Siam lately made in substance the following statement: Siam is a great country! and, from ancient time till now, Siamese, Chinese, Malays, Portuguese, Englishmen, and Americans have each been allowed to worship after their own The following particulars, from the "Christian Spectator" for March, relative to missions at Siam, may be here appro-religion; and they shall still, so long as they behave well." priately introduced: "The missionaries connected with the American Baptist Missionary Society are diligently engaged in the distribution of tracts and religious books in Siam. They have daily numer. ous calls from all classes of men. Those who have not preriously received a book have one presented to them, and are informed, that, in order to receive another, they must be able Will not the friends of missions,' ask the missionaries, 'pray that God will accompany the pages of his own precious truth with the gracious influences of his Holy Spirit, as they find access to the palace, the homes of the nobles, the hamlets of the poor, and the innumerable towns and villages that stud the many serpentine and beautiful streams with which Siam abounds ?'" venerated by the Siamese. Here idolatry is lavish indeed in its tokens of regard, for the rooms where these huge unwieldy creatures are kept are carpeted with costly gold and silver-wrought mats, which are soon soiled and worn out by the heavy tread of the elephants. To keep these in order forms a considerable item in the treasury expenditure, and causes a frightful waste of money. By the time we reach our host's floating house again, the sun is far in the west; but the river presents a lively scene once more. Besides the shipping, and the boats and canoes, there are shoals of ducks and geese, and other domestic waterfowl, swimming to their respective homes, from a day's foraging amongst the bulrushes that cover the banks of the many small outlets of the river. But these are not the only swimmers; for, the labours of the day being over, men, women, and children take to the water, with small distinction of rank or sex. They all bathe in their clothes, just as they go about when dressed, and on coming out of the water they cluster round a fire, and so let their clothes dry on their backs. Yet seldom or never do any of these amphibious people catch cold. All can swim well, and so entirely aquatic are they in their habits, that though the houses are linked together with chains, and are easy of ingress or egress by simply passing from one verandah to another, a Siamese will invariably step into his small canoe, although he has only to call upon a neighbour three doors off. The houses are in rows of three or four deep, with spaces between each, and intersecting channels between every eighth or tenth house-the latter being the number usually linked together, and moored at each extremity to poles of immense size and strength driven deeply into the bed of the river at low-water ebb. And now our day's exploits are over, and the sun sets. Crows are flying over-head to their roostingplaces; hideous-looking tokays are croaking from the dark walls of the floating houses: night gathers round us rapidly; the first star twinkles faintly from afar, and simultaneously the whole city and the shipping burst into one magnificent illumination. It is the Chinese feast of the lantern. Red, blue, white, every coloured light is displayed in every imaginable direction. Festoons of light hang from the yards of the Siamese ships and the Chinese junks; the verandahs of the floating houses have festoons also, and the stately spires of the pagodas are one rich mass of light. We look up towards heaven, and behold countless wonderful lights there: we look around us, and perceive there, too, many artificial lights: we look below us, in the calm blue waters of the Menam, and the lights there reflected are beyond computation even in the air the fire-fly shows its tiny lamp. There is but one glorious light wanting, and that is the light of the true knowledge of the gospel! May it soon be supplied. The present king of Siam, who has only just succeeded to the throne, is an accomplished scholar. As one proof of his desire for improvement, he has sent his own sons, and also persuaded many of the principal men of Siam to send their children, for education to Singapore. He seems disposed effort for the benefit of his people. to aid every A spotted lizard peculiar to Siam. SELF-POSSESSION IN MOMENTS OF PERIL. "ABOUT the year 1778," says his biographer, "Mr. Cecil was appointed to two small livings at Lewes, in Sussex. At this time a very singular providence occurred to him on his way from London to serve these churches. He was detained in town till noon, in consequence of which he did not arrive on East Grinstead common till after it was dark. On this common he met a man on horseback, who appeared to be intoxicated, and ready to fall from his horse. Mr. C., with his usual benevolence, rode up to him in order to prevent his falling, when the man immediately seized the reins of his horse. Mr. C., perceiving that he was in bad hands, endeavoured to break away, but the man threatened to knock him down if he repeated the attempt. Three other men immediately rode up, placing Mr. C. in the midst of them. On perceiving his danger, it struck him, 'Here is an occasion of faith;' and that direction occurred to him, Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee. He secretly lifted up his heart to God, imploring that deliverance which he alone could give. One of the men, who seemed to be captain of the gang, asked him who he was, and whither he was going. Mr. C. told them very frankly his name and profession. The leader said, Sir, I know you, and have heard you preach at Lewes : let the gentleman's horse go; we wish you good night." Mr Cecil had about him 167. of queen Anne's bounty belonging to his churches, which he had been to London to receive, and the loss of which would have been to him at that time a large sum; yet his person and property were alike untouched." An incident in the early life of Thomas Burchell, a devoted missionary to the West Indies, is even more striking than that just mentioned. Mr. Burchell was in early life a cloth manufacturer in the west of England. His first piece of cloth he sold to a person in Bristol, who, a few days afterwards, was reported to be on the point of insolvency. With the energy which character ized him throughout his whole life, he determined, if possible, to regain legal possession of his pro perty, of which it appeared he was about to be defrauded. It occurred to him, that by walking all night he should be in Bristol some hours earlier than if he waited for the coach, which did not start till morning. He therefore set out at once, and had walked nearly twenty miles by daybreak. He now approached the Severn, at a point where he expected to find some one who would ferry him over. As he reached it, he saw a boat push off hastily from the land. He hailed the crew, but they only plied their oars more vigorously, and were soon out of hearing. Looking round he saw another boat just pulling out, and feeling that if he did not succeed in gain ing a passage in her, he should fail of attaining the object for which he had made such efforts, be used all the means in his power to attract the attention of the boatmen and induce them to return. It soon became evident that they had noticed him, and seemed debating whether they should return or not. He at length had the satis faction of seeing them pull for the shore. As they approached, it struck him that he had never seen | From their horrid oaths and avowed intentions I have since learned to be a carpenter, and am doing very well in this village, and attend a chapel three or four miles off. And our poor captain never forgot to pray for you till his dying day. He was quite an altered man, took his widowed mother to live with him, and became a good husband, a good father, and a good neighbour. Before, every one was afraid of him, he was such a desperate fellow; afterwards, he was as tame as a lainb. He opened a little shop for the maintenance of his family; and, what was better still, held prayer meetings in his house. The other three men are now in a merchant vessel, and are very steady and well behaved." Rarely has there been a more striking instance of heroism, calmness, and presence of mind, inspired and sustained by Christian faith, than in the conduct of a peasant's wife in the Peak of Derby. shire, quoted by Howitt, on the authority of a minister of the Society of Friends, who was personally acquainted with the facts of the case. It is likewise recorded by Wilson Armistead, in a volume published with the sanction of the same body. We give it in an abridged form. In one of the thinly-peopled dales of the Peak of Derbyshire stood a lone house, far from neighbours, inhabited by a farmer and his wife. Such is, or at least was wont to be, the primitive simplicity of this district, that it was usual for persons to go to bed without taking any precautions to bolt or bar the doors, in the event of any of the inmates not having come home at the usual hour of retiring to rest. This was frequently the practice with the family in question, especially on marketdays, when the farmer having occasion to go to the nearest town often did not return until late. One evening, when the husband was absent, the wife, being up-stairs, heard some one open the door and enter the house. Supposing it to be her husband, she lay awake, expecting him to come up-stairs. As the usual time elapsed and he did not come, she rose and went down, when, to her terror and astonishment, she saw a sturdy fellow searching the house for plunder. At the first view of him, as she afterwards said, she felt ready to drop; but being naturally courageous, and of a deeply religious disposition, she soon recovered sufficient selfpossession to suppress the cry which was rising to her lips, to walk with apparent firmness to a chair which stood on one side of the fire-place, and seat herself in it. The marauder immediately seated himself in another chair, which stood opposite, and fixed his eyes upon her with a most savage expression. Her courage was almost spent; but, recollecting herself, she put up a prayer to the Almighty Even had the results of this perilous boat for protection, and threw herself upon his provi Voyage stopped here, it would have afforded a dence, for "vain was the help of man.' striking instance of the blessings which attend immediately felt her courage revive, and looked Christian fidelity and boldness, springing from a stedfastly at the ruffian, who now drew a large sense of God's presence and access to him in prayer. claspknife from his pocket, opened it, and, with a But more remains to be told. Many years after-murderous expression in his eyes, appeared ready wards, on Mr. Burchell's return from Jamaica, he to spring upon her. She, however, showed no was at a small village in the neighbourhood of visible emotion, but continued to pray earnestly, Cheddar Cliffs, when a man accosted him, offered and to look on the man with calm seriousness. his hand, and appeared surprised that he was not He rose, glanced first at her, then at the knife; recognised. It proved to be the smuggler who again he seemed to hesitate, and wiped the weapon had guided Mr. Burchell to the farm-house. After upon his hand; then once more glanced at her, she some conversation, he said, "Ah! sir, after your all the while continuing to sit calmly, calling talk we none of us could follow that trade again. earnestly upon God. Suddenly a panic appeared to She |