His reply gave us no reason to suppose that we were actually under restraint.

The court-yard now seemed to be rapidly filling with people; but as our linguist stated that this was usual, it dissipated our suspicions for the moment. Observing, however, the crowd still increasing, the strictness of the storekeepers in preventing any person from going out, and a sword or two occasionally carried into the palace, I became uneasy, and said that if the prince was not likely to come out soon, we must return. Upon which we were told that he had come out, and would see us in a few minutes.

A conversation then took place between Captain Smith and the Port Captain respecting our having firearms, when we assured him that we had nothing of the kind; indeed he must have known this himself, for we had left the brig in such haste that we had not allowed ourselves sufficient time to make any change in our dress, or even to go into our cabins. We then said that we had been there twice before without any search having been required, and that it seemed strange they should now wish to adopt a measure so obnoxious. Capt. Smith presently intimated to me that they insisted upon searching us, and that therefore we had better go away: upon which, we both rose. This movement appeared to be the signal of attack, for we were immediately struck, and surrounded by such numbers as to preclude any hope of escape, or of resistance being of the slightest avail. The human mind, however, is not easily subdued, and in the midst of the greatest dangers it resists insult and oppression: accordingly Capt. Smith defended himself for some time in the court-yard into which he had been forced, while I retreated with my back to the wall, in the place where we had been sitting only a minute before. Here I defended myself for some time against their brutal attack, but was at length overpowered.

My legs and arms were immediately seized and twisted in the most painful manner; at the same time I was carried backwards and forwards, sometimes with my face down and sometimes up. During the whole of the time they continued to strike me with their hands and feet in the most inhuman manner, and once or twice attempted to break my back by placing their knees upon it. They then seized my neckcloth, which they twisted in such a manner as to induce me to believe they intended to strangle me, and actually occasioned so much pain as to render me unable to eat with comfort for some time after.

During the early part of the scuffle I received a blow on the nose, which broke the bridge; consequently, from the position I was in when they were carrying me, the blood collected so copiously in my throat that I was often nearly choaked, for I could neither swallow nor throw it out.

Being at length satisfied with their brutality, they placed me on the floor, and pulling, or rather wrenching, my arms back, they put two pair of irons on my ancles, weighing about twenty pounds.

While this operation was going on, I observed Capt. Smith, for the first time, in the same situation, after having suffered severely, having been thrown down, and kicked backwards and forwards till he had become quite insensible. It was difficult to say which of us had suffered most. Our eyes seemed to have been their principal objects of attack, for we were both much disfigured about those parts, and Capt. Smith had a cut on the forehead. Our watches and caps had been torn from us; Capt. Smith, however, recovered his almost immediately, but I did not get my watch for three days afterwards, and my cap and a knife were never returned. Nothing could exceed the barbarity with which we were treated. Hands, feet, and elbows were all employed upon us without mercy. Death would have

been preferable to what we suffered, and no intreaties could move them to desist.

The Prah Klang✶ now made his appearance, accompanied by several Rajahs of high rank, and told us, while bruised and bleeding, and loaded with irons, that we had now experienced what a Siamese Tomasha was. This man's conduct had always been bad, but on the present occasion it was brutal in the extreme, for he seemed to exult in our distress.

The Talooa + also sent a message to Capt. Smith, that he understood the English thought the Siamese were afraid of them; he hoped therefore that we were now convinced they were not: a convincing proof, indeed, when about five or six hundred men were thought necessary to attack two defenceless individuals, who had neither means of escape nor of resistance to such an overwhelming force.

They then proceeded to inquire into the cause of our killing a horse which the King had returned to us. We answered, that it was our own property, and that we thought we had a right to do with it as we liked. We then complained of their outrage upon us, and stated that we had been in the country for six months; that we had paid them upwards of ten thousand ticals in duties and charges, which was more than any one ship had done before; that it was paid within a few days of our intended departure, and immediately before the ill treatment we had just experienced. We received, however, no satisfactory answer, and were told afterwards that Raasday, the Musselman Grannie, who was the interpreter, did not communicate all we said.

We were now desired to withdraw to a shade which had been prepared for us near the gate; but if the bedding of my sampan had not been fortunately brought in to us, such were

* A relation of the King's who has the management of the shippang under the Prince. † A Rajah connected with the shipping.

our bruises that we should have suffered most severely in the removal.

The four lascars who had, in the absence of my boatmen, accompanied us, were also severely beaten; and two of them, who had their usual knives with them, had, in addition to the two pair of irons on their legs, a collar fixed round their necks, which was fastened to the wall by a chain.

The whole business appeared to have been previously arranged: for immediately after we left the brig, two armed junks dropped down alongside of us, and several gun-boats, having each a gun mounted, and carrying a number of armed soldiers, continued to row alongside. Four Portuguese linguists were also put on board Capt. McDonnell's brig, who were obliged to answer the boats as they hailed, while the houses in front of the Prah-Klang and his brother were filled with armed men. A message was also sent on board, that if they kept quiet, and nobody left the vessel, no harm would be done to them.

We were also told that a Sr. Carlos Ml. de Selviera, who assumes the title of Portuguese Consul, had been consulted by the Prah Klang, and that he had given it as his opinion that they might proceed to these extremities with us with perfect safety, as our Government would never take notice of such proceedings.

About two hours after we had been placed in confinement, we were visited by my friend Chow Croom, a Siamese of rank; and owing to his being at the head of the establishment of the Prince, were treated with attention by our guards, and supplied with comforts which we could not otherwise have expected. He regretted much having been absent at the time of our arrival, as he could have prevented the unfortunate occurrence which had taken place. He assured us also that he would now make every effort to obtain our release, but as a preliminary step it would be necessary for us to say every thing they wished.

We were guarded most strictly, hav. ing eight or ten men constantly with us, in a place about fifteen feet long by ten broad; others also during the night came round frequently with torches to see that all was right, while the court-yard was filled with armed soldiers.

On Sunday afternoon the brother of the Prah Klang, with three or four other Rajahs, came into our prison, to tell us, as they said, our faults; threatening also to write to the Rajah of Penang upon the subject. They then proceeded to read to the following effect, viz. that we had killed a horse in the King's boat; that we had said we would have killed it before the Prah Klang; that two of the lascars had knives when they entered the palace, which was contrary to the custom of Siam; that we were indebted to the Prah Klang for not having been beaten to death; that we had refused to be searched; which latter circumstance, and killing the horse, were two great faults in Siam, and if committed by a native, would have been punished with death; but that the Prince, out of his great friendship for the Rajah of Bengal and Penang, had forgiven us; that the brig must immediately proceed to Pak-nam; that our guns, which had been landed there on coming in, would be sent by some other vessel; and that we should be sent down in one of the King's boats as soon as the brig had reached Pak-nam. Here we ventured to make a few remarks in our own defence; and as we were very unwell, offered to deliver up al! our muskets, pistols, and swords, if they would only allow us to go on board; telling them, at the same time, `that if we moved out of the vessel, they might cut our heads off. But we were stopped, and told that the case had already been decided by the great men of the kingdom, and that no alteration whatever could possibly take place after their decision, They then said that our Musselman Mallim might remain, and settle our

upon

accounts, and afterwards join us, either at Pak-nam or outside of the bar.

It was here insinuated that I had been the first transgressor by striking one of the Chokidars. I dared them to the proof. So pertinacious were they, that they contested the point for half an hour; at length, however, they abandoned the charge: a most convincing proof that they had been the aggressors.

A short time previous to this con-ference we had addressed the following letter to the Prince :

To the Prince Croma-mon-Chit. May it please your Royal Highness: We are strangers, and came to your country for the purpose of trade, and during the six months we have now been here, there is no man who can find fault with us.

If we have done wrong now, it is from ignorance of your customs; and as we are sorry for it, we hope you will allow us to go on board of ship again, as we are very ill, and must certainly die if kept here any longer.

We are respectfully yours,
(Signed) WM. STORM.

CHAS. E. SMITH.

Bangkok, Oct. 19, 1822.

This letter was returned to us, and the following, dictated by themselves, was substituted. We were in irons at the time.

To His Royal Highness the Prince
Croma-mon-Chit.

May it please your Royal Highness: We are strangers, and came to your country for the purpose of trade, and during the six months we have now been here, there is no man who can find fault with us.

We brought a horse to the King as a present, which we understood from the horsekeeper* was to be returned, and we told him to do so; and when it came alongside of the ship we were angry, and ordered it to be killed in the boat in presence of the horse

* It was Raasday who told us, and not the horsekeeper, whom we had never seen.