“ rich nor gay/’. Of Eastern nations tliis is particularly true,
where there are but two descriptions of men, the governors
and the governed. One amusement, however, would have
proved highly interesting, with which, it seems, the Sovereigns
of Cochinchina usually entertain foreign ambassadors :
this is an excursion into the forests to hunt the elephant, the
tyger, or the buffalo, on which occasion they usually celebrate
the royal feast of elephants. Hence it has been said
that the Cochinchiffese eat elephants ; but it is probable that
the magnitude of the object marks the peculiarity of the festival
rather than the delicacy of the food, which I imagine
must be extremely coarse. In the forests of Cochinchina and
neighbouring countries these animals are supposed to be of a
larger size than in any other part of the world. The first I
ever saw were at Türon, and their appearance made a very
strong impression on my min'd. I may safely , say that the
elephants of Cochinchina, the peak of Teneriffe, and a storm'
at sea, are the only three objects in nature that surpassed the
idea which my imagination had previously formed of them.
The letter from the young King was filled with expressions
of the high regard he entertained for the British nation, ¿s a
proof of which, it was observed, he had sent one of his officers
of state with a small present, as he termed it, for the use of
the ships’ companies. I t consisted of ten young buffalos,
fifty hogs, and about three hundred ducks and fowls, with
fruit, pumpkins, brinjalls, onions, and other vegetables.
This seasonable supply of refreshments was brought in sailing
craft, preceded by a parade of officers in large row-gallies,
gaudily painted and decorated with flags and streamers. The
Ambassador accompanied his letter in reply with a handsome
double-barrelled gun complete with its apparatus, a pair of
brass pistols fitted with spring bayonets, a steel hilted sword,
and several pieces of camblets and scarlet broad cloth. The
bearer of the letter was dressed in a silken robe, embroidered
with figures of tygers and dragons, like those worn in
China ; but on coming on board the Lion, he threw this aside,
' and put on two or three long white muslin robes.
The good understanding that now subsisted between the
natives and us met with a momentary interruption by an act
of indiscretion on our part. Being desirous of obtaining a
correct outline of this excellent bay and harbour, a party of
us one morning took a boat and landed on the eastern shore,
where, by measuring a base line on the sandy beach, and
taking the necessary angles, w e might be able to determine
the position of the most material points. From the earliness
of the' hour, and the expedition with which we accomplished
our object, it was concluded we had escaped without notice.
An officer, however, speedily followed on board wdth a message
from thé Governor, expressing dissatisfaction at our
conduct, and desiring that no more measurements might be
taken. Another awkward circumstance occurred, which
served to confirm their suspicions of our having other views
than those we professed. An officer of the Lion, whose zeal
to . explore the, river leading up to Fai-foo got the better of
his prudence, was seized in the night, and made prisoner in
a kind of small fort, with the whole boat’s crew. Hearing
nothing of what had happened, we: conjéctured that the boat
had swamped, and every soul in her perished- At length,
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