did not help to expand the slim purse of the Presbyterian brother.

On one occasion Mr. Buchanan turned the tables and a joke on Mr. Blair in this wise. A gentleman engaged Mr. Buchanan to perform the marriage service in the country, some twenty or thirty miles from Richmond, but he omitted to provide a conveyance for the Parson. Mr. Buchanan hired a carriage for two days, made the outward journey and made the twain one, partook of the wedding supper, and no doubt enlivened it. On the next day, as he gave the couple his parting benediction, the Bridegroom slipped into his hand a rather heavy rouleau. The kind hearted parson inwardly chuckled at the handsome fee he had earned for his brother. He was anxious to unroll the paper, expecting to find ten "Half Joes" enveloped, but he restrained his curiosity until out of sight of the wedding folks. Then, to his surprise and disappointment, he discovered Ten Half Dollars!!

Vexation could not long retain its place with him and soon gave way to the opposite feeling. He determined if he could not put a fee into Mr. Blair's pocket, he would get some fun out of him. So on his return home he drew out a regular account, thus

The Rev. J. D. BLAIR,

To J. BUCHANAN, Dr. To hire of a carriage 2 days, at $5 per day,

$10

now possesses as many and as handsome places of worship as most cities of its size. Within the last two or three years in the range of little more than a square, (since subdivided) one would pass these various places of worship-a Campbellite, (Disciples) a Baptist, an Episcopalian, an African Baptist, an Unitarian, a Methodist, and a Presbyterian Church, and a Synagogue.

CEMETERIES.

The old church yard has been fully tenanted for a number of years, and its tombstones are remembrances of many worthies whose names might else have passed into oblivion. After an absence of many years I revisited it and recognized more of my old friends there inscribed, than I did on the door-plates and signboards on the streets. It recalled "the memory of past joys, pleasant but mournful to the soul."

This sacred spot has not been exempt from barbarous desecration, the disposition for which is one of the most disgraceful traits of some of the basest of our population. Some of the tombs have been mutilated, if not destroyed, and among them recently, it is said, that of the Rev. Mr. Rose, the father of that model of female excellence, the wife and widow of Governor Pleasants, who has recently followed that father and husband to the tomb.*

A second general cemetery, near the Poor House has been filled and extended and is conspicuous with its white obelisks peering up among the pyramidal cedars. A third, "the Hollywood Cemetery," is now being tenanted, and this is, or will be, one of the most beautiful to be found in any country. Nature has done her part in forming hills and valleys, rivulets and forest; and art has embellished without rendering formal, the beauties of nature. The landscape embraces every variety of torrent and placid stream, hills crowned with woods or with steeples, blazing furnaces and cool shaded valleys, rocks and islands, bridges on which rail

tree.

Bangkok, the modern capital of Siam, is built on both sides of the river Meinam, about forty miles from its mouth.

Its name signifies "City of Kings"and it has been the abode of the Siamese monarchs since the year 1767, when it first received this cognomen. Previous to that period, Aynthia, eighty miles above the present capital, on the same river, was the seat of government, but it has now dwindled into insignificance. The latitude of Bangkok is 14° North and its longitude about 100° East from Greenwich. The population of the city and suburbs is 500,000, of which about 300,000 are Chinese and their descendants, and the others are made up of Siamese, Pequans, Burmese, Cochin-Chinese, Laos, Cambojians, Malays, Indo-Portuguese, and some twenty or thirty Europeans and Americans. It may seem strange that in the capital of the Siamese, any foreign nation should exceed their own in numbers. But it is to be remembered that the Chinese are an industrious and enterprising race who are accustomed to emigrate to ali the surrounding countries where living is cheaper, and compensation for labor more liberal than in their own densely populated empire, where the demand for provisions always greatly exceeds the supply. The fertile soil and immense resources of Siam annually attract hither large numbers of them; and foreigners not being allowed by the Siamese government to settle in the upper provinces, they all take up their abode in Bangkok and its immediate vicinity. Hence whilst in the city the population is composed of as motley a mixture as one can possibly imagine, in the other parts of the country the Siamese race is found pure and unmingled. By a residence in Siam, the Chinese are subjected to no other inconvenience than the payment by each male adult of a triennial tribute of about $3 which secures to him the privilege of following any craft he pleases, and exempts him from the half-yearly servitude demanded of all other oriental foreigners by the Siamese monarch.

VOL. XXII-18

Bangkok is a fortified city, but only about one sixth part of it is within the walls-the remainder is composed of a long narrow slip situated on both banks of the river, but by far the larger part on the west bank. That within the walls consists chiefly of the Palace Royal and its dependencies, the King's Treasury, the government offices, and quarters for the five thousand soldiers who compose the King's body guard. Within and near the walls, are also the handsome residences of many of the native nobles; whilst in addition to its numerous palaces and other public buildings, Bangkok boasts not less than one hundred gorgeous Temples, at which reside twenty thousand Budhist Priests all zealously engaged in the propagation of the established religion. Each of these Temples consists of one large and several smaller buildings occupied by the idols, and devoted exclusively to religious worship, a group of dwellings for the accommodation of the resident clergy, several stately Pagodas designed only for ornament, and usually one or more zayats, buildings consisting only of floor and roof, without side walls. These are designed as stopping places for travellers and pilgrims, and as a sort of rendezvous where priests and others assemble during the heat of the day, for social converse, and sometimes for religious instruction.

Running for a distance of three or four miles through the entire length of the city, there is one good street or road, but it is the only one, except occasional footpaths at irregular intervals, and almost impassable for filth and obstructions of every possible variety. In lieu of streets, the noble Meinam (literally "mother of waters") constitutes the Broadway of Bangkok, and the hundred or more canals and creeks which intersect the city in every direction, are its crossstreets-as on account of the intense heat of the climate, and the indolent habits of the people, locomotion by water is commonly preferred, every family keeping one or more boats. The style of these

is regulated by the rank and wealth of the owner-the smallest and cheap est kind being procurable for two dollars each, whilst the one in which his Siamese Majesty makes his peregrinations about the city, is reputed to have cost ten thousand pounds sterling! The cover of this boat is inlaid with plates of gold richly decorated with precious stones, and the inside draped with embroidered satin, and furnished with luxurious cushions of velvet highly ornamented. It is rowed by eighty men, and usually attended by four hundred other boats, each furnished with a like complement of rowers. Sometimes the procession is two miles in length--the rowers lifting their long, slender paddles with perfect uniformity several fine bands playing,-the miniature flags flying, and royal banners waving on the wind-altogether the scene is brilliant and gorgeous beyond description, especially to the unaccustomed eyes of western foreigners.

Courtly etiquette forbids the Siamese monarch to leave his palace except at one season of the year, and then he goes out four or five days in succession, till he has visited all the principal temples, bestowed rich presents on the priests, and witnessed the annual display of royal fire-works-after which he returns to indolent retirement for another year. In this however, he is relieved from any danger of ennui, by the numberless levees and court festivals which fill up the time that otherwise might hang heavily on his Majesty's hands.

A description of one of these fêtes will be sufficient to convey an idea of the whole, as there is but little variety in the routine of these royal entertainments. That to which the attention of my readers is invited, was one of a course which marked the funeral obsequies of the mother of his Siamese Majesty.

As soon as her "Serene Highness" had ceased to breathe, heralds proclaimed the mournful tidings from the watch-towers and turrets, and from street to street

throughout the length and breadth of the royal city. Every female high and low was commanded to shave her head, and wear white garments (the mourning color of the Siamese) for the space of sixty days and all who desired to present offerings to their afflicted sovereign on this mournful occasion, were permitted to bring sandal-wood, myrrh, frankincense, and spices, to the royal physicians who were engaged in embalming the body of the deceased Queen. The process of embalming completed, the body lay in state under its golden canopy for the period of eight months. During this time, the King daily visited the body, and prostrated himself before it, uttering doleful lamentations, offering prayers and sacrifices to the huge idol placed as a guard near it, and beseeching the departed spirit to return to her disconsolate son.* At different hours of the day, other illustrious visitors were allowed to pay their respects, and bands of professional mourners were constantly in attendance beating their breasts, and uttering doleful cries, sometimes accompanying their lamentations with dismal songs and wild unearthly dirges to testify the grief of the nation on this mournful occasion.

After the body had lain in state for the period required by royal etiquette, a series of entertainments was given by the King, at a magnificent Pavilion erected for the occasion in the immediate vicinity of one of the royal temples; and all the nobility of the kingdom, the Budhist Priests, and the foreign merchants and missionaries were invited to attend.

The invitation sent by order of His Siamese Majesty to the European and American residents, was worded as follows: "The High and Mighty Sovereign, the Serene Beauty of the Golden Palace, He whose smile dispenses joy to all who dwell within the influence of its bright effulgence, to his noble and well-beloved friends now sojourning within the royal city-peace, rest, and hearty good-will.

The report of your arrival here came to the royal ear many days ago, and since that time the sovereign eye has longed to repose itself on your faces, but owing to the pressure of royal cares we have hitherto been denied this great pleasure. Now that the funeral rites of our deceased mother are about to be observed, and the festivities which are to mark the close of her illustrious career, about to begin, we deem it a suitable time to request the attendance of our foreign friends, that they may partake of the royal hospitalities, and that our own enjoyment may be promoted by the interchange of the usual civilities. We therefore request their attendance at the levees of the present extraordinary occasion, and hope that each day as we enter the saloons, the royal eye may be permitted to repose tranquilly on the fair faces of our foreign guests-and most especially do we desire the presence of the ladies, that we may for ourselves judge of the truth of the report wafted to us from afar, that the fair-haired, white-eyed daughters of the West, are more beauteous than the brilliant, black-eyed damsels of our own harem. Such is the pleasure of the Serene Majesty of the royal Palace, we trust to be gratified."

Of course "His Serene Majesty" was not to be disappointed, and accordingly at the hour specified, about twenty English and American ladies and gentlemen presented themseves at the entrance of the audience hall. They were accompanied by Phya-We-Sat, an Indo-Portuguese-long resident in the country, and who on account of being able to speak a little English, had been elevated to the office of Post-Captain and interpreter to the King. The court-dress of this worthy deserves description as highly illustrative of the mania for finery so prevalent among the Indo-Portuguese and other half-castes of the East. His coat was of large flowered, red silk of the Louis XVI. cut and fashion, his vest of soiled white satin, made, if one might judge from its extreme shortness, when that article was scarce; and almost covered with gold lace and silver spangles sewed on in flowers-loose, red silk trow

sers gathered full around the waist, a girdle of tarnished gold lace, and an enormously high, black silk stock, completed this ludicrous costume, whilst the head and feet were left entirely uncovered.

Several ushers and other petty officers were in waiting in the ante-chamber of the Pavilion; and these carefully inspected the dress and general appearance of the foreigners to ascertain whether there was anything about them likely to prove offensive to the royal taste, or to be regarded as contrary to oriental etiquette. Satisfied on this point, the first requisition was for the ladies to remove their bonnets; (the gentlemen having already taken off their hats) and the next, for all to leave their shoes at the door before entering the throne-room where his Majesty would sit. They were told that European ladies never appeared in public with uncovered heads, and that among all western nations it was regarded as indecorous to remove the shoes in company-and that consequently if their seeing the King depended on their compliance with these requisitions, they should return home without attending the levee, to which they had come solely from respect to his Majesty, and without any desire on their own part to unite in the festivities of the occasion.

The ushers showed some displeasure at not being able to enforce their regulations, but fearing to incur the royal displeasure, the foreigners were allowed to pass on, followed by the urgent entreaties of the ushers, to prostrate themselves low before the throne while the King was taking his seat. To this, the foreigners replied that they should pay his Siamese Majesty just the same respect that they would show toward an American President or European King—but no more.

As the doors were thrown open, a gay and brilliant scene presented itself. At the upper end of the room, on an elevated platform, was erected a temporary throne very richly ornamented, and covered with luxurious cushions of purple velvet. Over this hung a canopy of white satin festooned with garlands of fragrant flowers-and just beyond it crouched some