to Europe, but that the Europeans had never sent missions to the Siamese. It is surprising that a man of such universal knowledge should have made so strange a mistake. There have been many missions from Europe to Siam. The most illustrious of Portuguese poets, Camoens, was wrecked in the Meinam river, of which he gives a poetical picture, and he is said to have escaped with his Lusiads in his hand. And the Portuguese have left in that country remarkable vestiges. With them all objects of commerce or conquest were subordinate to purposes of conversion. I found in that country Catholics bearing Portuguese names, and representing the traditions of many generations, who wore Portuguese garments, and were proud to trace their origin to the Portuguese of the 16th century. The Dutch never went to Siam to convert anybody or anything, except to convert men and merchandise into money as fast as was possible. They have left there no names, no traditions, and no marks of any influence. I saw the ruins of their factories, but I never heard in Siam a Dutch name or a Dutch word. The Spaniards frequently and vainly tried to establish themselves in Siam. They made elaborate efforts, and one of their expeditions cost seventy thousand dollars, and is much vaunted in the history of the Philip pines, whence the envoys took their departure. But the most remarkble fact in Siamese history is the attempt made in the reign of the King whom the vanity and prostration of his courtiers called the "Grand Monarque" to cultivate and perpetuate relations with France. A man named Faulcon was wrecked on the coast, and made his way to the Siamese Court. He brought with him European civilisation, and exercised so wide an influence that he became the Prime Minister of the country. The news of his good fortune reached Eu rope, and it was thought in France that through his agency and his zeal for Catholicism, French rule and Papal authority might be established in Siam. A remarkable letter was written by the famous French Minister Colbert, and a large number of gentlemen went to Siam, and were received in a very friendly spirit. The ambassador's name was Chaumont, and he published a remarkable account of his reception in Siam. As I had the good fortune to follow in his steps, I was struck with the fact that the court ceremonials and the manners of the Sovereign and the people had undergone few changes in the course of two centuries. As soon as the Siamese discovered that the purpose of the Pope and the monks was to tamper with their religion, and that of the King and his representatives was to interfere with their Government, a rebellion broke out. Faulcon was executed, the monks and foreigners were exiled, and from that time Siam seems to have been forgotten for something like a century and a half. But it was known to be a a rich and progressive country, and in process of time successive attempts were made to open negociations and establish commerce with the Siamese government and people. It is not necessary
