A half century among the Siamese and the Lao : an ... - Khamkoo

64 AMONG THE SIAMESE AND THE LAO
was by nature hospitable. Things could not have
been better planned for our purpose. The princess
remembered me and my wife from her call on us after
our wedding. She now called on us in person with
her retinue; after that everybody else was free to
call. It is not unlikely that that previous acquaintance
redeemed our trip from being a failure. Our
sala was usually crowded with visitors. We had an
ideal opportunity of seeing the heart of the people.
They lacked a certain external refinement seen among
the Siamese; but they seemed sincere and more religious.
Buddhism had not become so much a matter
of form. Many of the older people then spent
a day and a night, or even two days, each month fasting
in the monasteries. There was hope that if such
people saw a better way, they would accept it. One
officer, who lived just behind our sala, a great meritmaker,
was a constant visitor. Years afterward we
had the pleasure of welcoming him to the communion
of the church.
From every point of view the tour was eminently
successful.
first time.
Many thousands heard the Gospel for the
In our main quest we were more than successful.
We were delighted with the country, the
cities, the people. Every place we came to we mentally
took possession of for our Lord and Master. In
Chiengmai we remained only ten days; but one day
would have sufficed to convince us. I, at least, left
it with the joyful hope of its becoming the field of my
life-work.
From the first we had planned to return by the
river through the rapids. But the prince in charge
was very averse to our going by that route. We
knew that the route positively made no difference to