but only draw out of the water. In war, the
excuse is, that they do not aim directly at the
enemy, but only fire at them. Any subterfuge,
in short, appears to satisfy their easy consciences,
and they seem determined to suffer no serious
inconvenience from an over rigid adherence to
this dogma.
A Talapoin ought to be exempt from all
worldly cares, and to busy himself respecting
domestic concerns is entirely beneath his dignity.
He ought neither to lay in a store of
food, nor make any arrangement for preparing
it for use. It is this principle which makes begging
in a Talapoin honourable. They must not,
however, ask for charity, but present themselves
at the doors of the laity and expect it in silence
as a matter of right, never condescending to
thank the donor. They can receive nothing as
alms but food or clothing, and the first always
ready-dressed.
The day of a Talapoin is passed as follows.
At seven in the morning he sallies forth in
quest of alms, and at this time the streets and
river at Bangkok are so crowded with the
priesthood, that they appear to form a very large
proportion of the population. Having returned
to the monastery, they make their first meal
at eight o’clock. They make a second at noon,
after which hour, according to their rules, it is
unlawful to eat solid food, although liquids are
permitted. The afternoon is spent in study.
From five to seven in the evening the Talapoins
assemble in the oratory of the monastery, and
pray together in a loud and chaunting tone,
which may be heard a quarter of a mile off.
The beating of a drum announces the conclusion
of this part of the ceremony, and of the diurnal
duties of a Talapoin.
The other duties of the Talapoins are to read
hymns, prayers, and moral discourses to the
people in the chapels of the temples, on the 1st,
the 8th, the 15th, and the 23rd days of each
moon ; to ordain priests, to consecrate idols and
temples, to assist in solemnizing marriages, and
in performing funeral rites. In all these cases,
they are relieved from the drudgery and manual
labour, whatever it may be—their duties being
confined to the reading or repetition of hymns
and prayers in the Bah language, unintelligible
to the multitude, and most probably not very
well understood by themselves. The temporal
concerns of the places of worship are, for example,
in the hands of secular attendants clad in
white, and the ceremonies at funerals are performed
by mean persons similarly attired.
The Talapoins, as already mentioned, are divide^
into six grades, or ranks. Above all is
the San-krat, or high priest, who is chosen by
the King, and always lives within the walls of
the palace. To this person unbounded honours