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SIAM. 295
Siamese differs from that of all barbarous tribes, in
being played upon a different key on that, if I understand
him right, which characterises the pathetic
music of certain European nations. There is certainly
no harsh or disagreeable sound, no sudden or
unexpected transition, no grating sharpness in their
music. Its principal character is that of being soft,
lively, sweet, and cheerful, to a degree which seemed
to us quite surprising. They have arrived beyond
the point of being placed with more sound : the
musician aimed at far higher views, that of inte-
resting the feelings, awakening thought, or exciting
the passions. Accordingly, they have their different
kinds of music, to which they have recourse according
as they wish to produce one or other of these
effects.
" Their pieces of music are very numerous. A
performer of some notoriety, who exhibited before us,
stated that he knew 150 tunes. This man brought
with him two instruments, the one a wind, the other
a stringed instrument. The former, called klani, resembled
a flageolet, as well in form as in the tones,
which, however, were fuller, softer, and louder, than
those of that instrument. His manner of blowing on
it resembled that of a person using the blow-pipe. He
was thus enabled to keep up an uninterrupted series
of notes. The other, a more curious, as well as more
agreeable instrument is called tuk-kay, from its fancied
resemblance to a lizard, though, in point of form, to me
it appears to approach nearer to that of a Chinese
junk. It is about three feet long, has a hollow body,
and three large sounding holes on the back, which is
of a rounded form. It is composed of pieces of hard
wood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Three strings,
one of brass wire, the others of silk, supported on
PART II. S