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SIAM. 277
tiles. They are divided into several small apartments,
of which the Chinese always allot the central one for
the reception of their household gods. The shops,
forming one side of the house, being shut up at night,
are converted into sleeping apartments. The whole
is disposed with the greatest economy of space ; even
the narrow verandahs in front, on which are usually
disposed jars of water, pots with herbs and plants,
bundles of firewood, &c. They have become so habi-
tuated to this sort of aquatic life, as scarcely to experience
any inconvenience from it. The walls and
floors of the houses are formed of boards ; and consi-
dering the nature of the climate, such buildings afford
very comfortable shelter. The houses of the common
people are equally wretched in appearance with those
of a common bazar in India. Those occupied by the
Chinese are in general neater and more comfortable.
The latter people are not only the principal merchants,
but the only artificers in the place. The most common
trades are those of tinsmith, blacksmith, and
currier. The manufacture of tin vessels is very considerable,
and the utensils, being polished bright, and
often of very handsome forms, give an air of extreme
neatness to the shops in which they are displayed.
Were it not for the very extraordinary junction of the
trade of currier, such places might readily be mistaken
for silversmiths' shops.
"The palaces are buildings of inconsiderable size,
in the Chinese style, covered with a diminishing series
of three or four tiled roofs, sometimes terminated by
a small spire; they are more remarkable for singularity
than beauty. The palace of the king is covered with
tin tiles. Many of the temples cover a large extent of
: ground they are placed in the most elevated and best