Untitled - Sabrizain.org

284 SIAM.
brilliant colours, the gilded canopies of the boats, the
strange and gaudy attire of the men, the loud and
reiterated acclamations of innumerable spectators,
gave to the transient scene an effect not easily described.
" It was now, for the first time, that we had an
opportunity of seeing those singular and highly-ornamented
royal barges which had attracted the attention
of M. Chaumont and his suite, ambassador to Siam
from the court of Louis XIV. The description given
of them by LoubeVe, in his Histoire de Siam, will, with
very little alteration, apply to those now in use. They
are in general from sixty to eighty feet, or more, in
length, about four in breadth, and raised about two
feet in the middle from the water, the bow and stern
rising boldly to a considerable height. They are
highly ornamented with curious and not inelegant
devices, all of which are neatly carved on the wood
and gilt. The form is that of some monstrous or imaginary
animal. In the centre there is erected a
canopy, generally well gilt, and hung with silken curtains,
or cloth interwoven with gold tissue. The
space under the canopy is calculated to contain but
one or two persons, the rest of the boat being entirely
occupied by the rowers, often to the number of forty
or fifty.
" The procession moved in the following order :
Four long boats in front, with numerous rowers,
dressed in red jackets, and wearing tall conical caps
of the same colour. These boats were covered with a
light awning of mats. Six richly-ornamented boats,
with gilded canopies, in the form of a dome, and
richly carved. In these were the assistants and suite
of the ambassador. Each boat carried two small brass
swivels in front: the men were dressed as in the