second Governor, on their return from their tour of duty in
superintending the cutting of a great canal between the
river o f Kamboja and Athien on the Gulf o f Siam. The
common salutation in Cochin China is to bow to the ground
five times to the King, four times to persons next in rank
to him, three times to persons in the third rank, twice to
any other Mandarins, and once to all superior officers of
lower dignity.
Ju ly 9.— I paid to-day a visit to the Secretary of his
Excellency the Governor-General Ong-tan-hip; we had a
great deal of conversation on public matters, chiefly on the
benefits that would result from an alliance between the two
nations. I observed that the King of Ava had many settlements
towards the northern part o f the Kamboja river,
by the channel o f which a great trade might be carried on
between the two nations; while, if a road were cut through
“ Lenjen” to Tonquin, an intercourse might be established
in that quarter. I also dwelt on the circumstance of having
the King o f Queda as an ally, and the facilities which
the King o f A va had for raising a naval force for the purpose
o f laying waste the sea-coast o f the Siamese country,
on account o f the number o f seafaring strangers residing in
his territories. Th e Secretary replied with candour : He
said that his Excellency the Governor-General was well acquainted
with the numbers of the Siamese forces, their discipline,
and the Siamese mode o f conducting war ; but that
he was perfectly ignorant o f the nature o f the Burman
army and their habits o f warfare. H e would therefore
never undertake an important business o f this description,
without being made fully acquainted with the Burman nation
and their military condition. I informed him, that he
might easily possess himself of this information, by sending
back, along with the Mission, a faithful and intelligent person
to report.
J u ly 10.— W e received fifty quans more for our current
expenses, and some rice. Ongbo, our guardian, called
upon us, and informed us that on the 12th eleven thieves
were to be executed by means of his Excellency’s favourite
elephant. On these occasions the criminal is tied to a stake,
and the elephant runs down upon him and crushes him to
death.
Ju ly 22.— W e received thirty quans more for our current
expenses.
J u ly 31.— By invitation o f his Excellency the Governor-
General, we were present at a ceremony annually performed
by him at Saigun, in honour o f the memory o f his
mother-in-law. Such rites are common among the Chinese,
but more so among the Cochin Chinese. W e arrived in
due time at a good house on the bank o f one o f the canals,
which had been the residence o f the deceased. Here we
found the Governor, the Inspector-general, and a great
many other persons o f distinction. In the principal chamber
or hall of the house, three altars were decorated. After
the performance o f the usual rites, a splendid entertainment
was served to the guests. The Governor and Deputy-go-
vernor sat at one table, the members o f the Burman, Mission,
with some Cochin Chinese Mandarins of distinction,
and a Kambojan General, sat at another, and the inferior
Mandarins at a third table. The retinue o f his Exc ellency
the Governor-General was on this occasion magnificent
; it consisted o f sixty elephants, horses, litters, and a
thousand men under arms and in regular uniforms. Every
thing glittered with gold, and was conducted without noise
or disorder.
August 4.—A courier arrived from the capital, bringing
a dispatch : it summoned his Excellency to Court for a
few months, provided his presence could be spared in the
southern part o f the kingdom.
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