CHAPTER VI
THE DEPARTURE
The day of our departure arrived, and very early in the morning theSlaves came to make my toilet. They rubbed me all over several timeswith a pomade perfumed with magnolia and santal; they placed on my backa mantle of purple and gold, and upon my head a chaplet of pearls andthe royal diadem. They fastened heavy gold bracelets on my legs, and onmy tusks gold rings set with jewels; from each of my ears there hungdown a great tail of horse-hair, white and silky. Arrayed thus, I wasconscious of my magnificence, and longed to show myself to the People.
Still, I gave a backward glance at the Palace I was leaving, andsounded a few notes of farewell to the elephants who were remaining,with whom I had begun to be quite friendly. They replied by thunderingoutbursts of trumpeting, the noise of which followed me for a longway. All the inhabitants of Bangok were out, as on the day of mytriumphal entry. They were in holiday costume, and were moving towardsthe palace of the King. There a splendid procession was formed andbegan its march, preceded by one hundred musicians dressed in green andcrimson.
The King was seated in a howdah of gold fillagree, on a colossal blackelephant--a giant among elephants. On his right and on his left werethe Prince and Princess, on mounts of more than ordinary size.
The howdah of the Bride was enclosed by a fringe of jewels whichrendered her invisible. The Prince was young and handsome; he had acharming expression, which at once inspired me with confidence.
I followed next after the King, conducted by my Mahout, who walked onfoot beside me. And after me came the Mandarins, Ministers, and otherhigh functionaries, according to rank, and mounted on elephants orhorses, followed by their servants, who carried behind each noble lordthe Tea-pot of Honour, which in Siam is an insignia of nobility, thegreater or less richness of which indicates the importance of the owner.
Then came the baggage of the Princess, consisting of numberless boxesof teak wood, marvelously carved.
The ceremony of the marriage had already taken place, and had occupiedeight days. This was the "farewell" of the King, the Princes and thepeople to their Princess, whom they were escorting to the shore, whenceshe was to depart.
We stopped on the way at the richest Pagoda in the city, where theyworship a Buddha carved out of a single emerald, which has not itsequal in the world, for it is three feet tall, and as thick as the bodyof a man.
After this we descended by narrow streets, traversed by bridges andcanals to the shores of the river--the broad and beautiful Mei-nam.
In the distance were seen the deep blue mountains against the brilliantsky--the chain of "_The-Hundred-Peaks_"--the "_Rameau-Sabad_"--the"_Hill-of-Precious-Stones_" and others. But the spectacle of the river,all covered with shipping bearing flags, and decorated with flowers,was incomparable!
There were great Junks of red and gold, with their sails of mattingspread out like fans, their masts carrying pennants, and their prowsrounded and made to imitate the head of a gigantic fish with goggleeyes; all sorts of boats, sampans, and rafts, supporting tents of silkwhich looked like floating summer-houses! All laden to the water's edgewith a gay and noisy crowd, and with bands of music and singers, whoplayed and sang by turns.
Salvos of artillery, louder than thunder, burst forth when the Kingappeared, and the people gave such a deafening shout that I should havedied of fright, had I not learned by this time to permit nothing tostartle me.
The vessel which was to convey us to India lay at the wharf with steamup, and splendidly decorated.
It was here we were to part.
The King and the Bride and Groom descended from their elephants. TheMandarins formed a circle; and all the people kept silence.
Then the King, "_Sacred Master of Heads, Sacred Master of Lives,Possessor of Everything, Lord of the White Elephants, Infallible, andAll-Powerful_," made a speech, while chewing Betel, which stained hismouth crimson, and obliged him to spit frequently into a silver basin,which was held by a slave.
The Prince, kneeling before his royal father-in-law, also made aspeech, less long--chewing nothing! The Bride wept behind her veils.
When it was time to embark there was some confusion on account of thePrincess's innumerable boxes of teak wood, and because of the horses,whom my presence terrified greatly. A long whistle was heard; themusicians played; the cannon boomed; a swaying movement made me feeldizzy--and the shore receded.
All the boats followed us at first with oars and sails, but were soonleft behind. The King stood on the wharf as long as he could see us. Iwas deeply moved at leaving this city, where I had at first sufferedso severely, but where my existence afterwards had been so happy andglorious.
My Mahout, leaning against me, we both looked back. At a turn of theriver all disappeared; our eyes met, and both were full of tears.
"King-Magnanimous," said he, after a moment of silence, "let us waitbefore we either weep or rejoice. Let us see what Fate has in store forus!"
Soon the river grew so broad that the banks could no longer be seen.The water began to move in a singular manner, and the ship also,causing me most unpleasant sensations. Little by little we put out tosea.... Then it was horrible! My head spun round; my legs failed me;an atrocious misery twisted me in the stomach. I was shamefully sick,and thought a thousand times that I was dying! I can, therefore, saynothing of this voyage, which is the most distressing memory of mylife.
Never, never would I go again to sea--except it might be to serve_Her_. But for any other reason I would massacre whoever should compelme to put foot on a boat!...