An Elephant Hunt In Siam.

their penetrating aroma . Maina-Mainous , large birds of a lapis blue , their breasts and long tails shot Avith shades of brownish gold , cbased velvet , black , and orange coloured orioles through the trees ; green and blue doves , and others of an irisated

violet Avere cooing amongst birds of Paradise Avhose brilliant plumage combined the prismatic lights of the emerald and the ruby , the topaz and the sapjiM ' re . I was awakened from my contemplation by my guide , who informed me that Avhat

I ivas looking at constituted the trap- —that in tlie middle of this luxuriant vegetation , Avbieb appeared virgin to my eyes , were on each side four alleys of trees of iron-Avoocl , about three-feet in diameter . They were imbedded in masonry to tlie depth of ten or twelve feet , and such is tlie luxuriant nature of this climate , that the enormous black stakes ivere surrounded and bid in

two years in the maimer just described . Left bare , the stakes Avould have warned these intelligent animals of then clanger . It is necessary to lead them , into the defile without distrust , so as to avoid their terrible and dangerous anger . On entering tlie doorAvbieb was just wide enough for

, the passage of an elephant , Ave found ourselves hi a large square inclosure , built of granite , about eight hundred square yards in area , but Avitbout any roofing . The Avails Avere about fifteen feet thick , and thirty feet in heightand the top coped

, Avitb rose and green coloured granite so as to lorni an esplanade , Avhich was interrupted however on the east and Avest by the passages which Avere to be the entrance and outlet , and over Avliicb a hanging bridge Avas tMoAvn . The Court and foreign

guests could thus vieiv the sport from this esplanade as from a balcony , as balustrades were chiselled in the stone all round the edifice .

Along the Avails inside Avere stakes of iion-Avood , placed about fifteen feet from the Avail , and at such a distance from each other that a man could just pass between then sideways . On the north and south sides Avere staircases cut into the Avails . The panorama from the platform Avas one

of the most beautiful it is possible to conceive . To the south lay the ruins of Ajuthia , the Beautiful , —a few grayish blocks alone marking the site of this city , AA'hicb bravel y withstood several sieges , but Avhich Avas overthrown at last . Other forests

stretched out to the west , Avhile on the north , the river lost itself at the foot of Mount Pbra-Bbat in the distance . At the gate , my guide pointed out four stakes which were only three feet high , but Avliicb ivere sunk in the ground to the depth of

fifteen feet ; these were to fix the ropes used for tying the elephants ; further on Avas a large pond for the animals to bathe hi , and towards the south were two large salas or sheds intended for the captives . After Avalking about an hour over the

ground , which was full of ruins , —stones of every size and colour , —Ave arrived at Khrun-Khau , before which Ave found the three steamers ly ing at anchor . The guests were just sitting down to dinner , and I needed no pressing to accept tlie invitation Avhich ivas given me to join them . It Avas a curious dinner party , Avitb many strange faces and odd costumes . But I must

confess that beside the rich dress , of the Siamese princes and grand mandarins , the uniforms of the Americans and Europeans looked frgbtfully plain and out of place . AVe had scarcely sat doAvn Avhen a mandarin came and wMspered in the ear of CboAA ' -Pbya-Bannliu-AVongseminister of

, Foreign Affairs . From the expression which passed over the good-humoured face of the minister , I could see that something terrible bad happened . He Avas about rising from table when , catching sight of mebe beckonedand directed me hi

, , Siamese to accompany Lbnang-Vicet , the mandarin , and to use every effort to avert the catastrophe AVMCII threatened , and at the same time inform the Regent . I started at once , and , overtaking Lbuang-VicetI Avas informed by him that the

, men AVIIO Avere along Avith the Portuguese Consul bad just arrived Avitb the neAvs that their Pbo ( master ) had insisted on taking a bath , despite their warning , and that be bad not appeared again on tlie surface .

AVitb difficulty Ave at last recovered the body . It Avas black from tlie bead to the waist , and from what I could jud ge , be must have dived bead foremost , as Europeans generally do , and , striking a shoal or body of electric eelsbeen at once

asph-, yx iated , for as soon as a body comes into contact Avitb one of the none-trilcs , it immediately becomes as heavy as lead , and the slightest movement is impossible . The corpse must have floated doivn the river in