Travels in the central parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos : during the years 1858, 1859, and 1860 . er. Exposed to the influenceof pernicious climates, badly lodged, badly fed, far fromtheir families and from their country, often ill and dyingwithout help—such is the lot of these men. The house of uncle Apait was at least as elegant andwell furnished as that of the humble priest at Brelum:both had the bare ground for a floor, walls of bamboocanes, and dried grass for thatch. The hut was dividedinto four compartments, two being used by the mission-aries, another by their servant, an
Travels in the central parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos : during the years 1858, 1859, and 1860 . er. Exposed to the influenceof pernicious climates, badly lodged, badly fed, far fromtheir families and from their country, often ill and dyingwithout help—such is the lot of these men. The house of uncle Apait was at least as elegant andwell furnished as that of the humble priest at Brelum:both had the bare ground for a floor, walls of bamboocanes, and dried grass for thatch. The hut was dividedinto four compartments, two being used by the mission-aries, another by their servant, and the fom-th served as achapel. This, like the others, was far from splendid, andthe whole house had been so undermined by the whiteants, that it seemed menaced with approaching ruin. Speaking of the Annamite servants, I shall quote whatthe Abbe Gagelin says about them, for I can testify to itstruth. All sensibility, says he, appears deadenedamong them; they are very proud, however, and greatcheats. There is so little affection among them, that thenearest relations never think of embracing; even a child,. ^ Drawn by M. H. Bousseau, from a OF THE KINGS FEMALE I. S Chap. X. THE ANNAMITES. 259 returning to his parents after a ten years absence, wouldnot think of such a thing. Among brothers and sistersit would be considered almost a scandal. They will notpermit us missionaries to caress a child, not even a coldness is not confined to their domestic relations;under an ardent sky, which should warm the imagination,they, in their stupid sang froid, will not tolerate in apreacher the slightest movement or gesture. However,to compensate for these defects, the abbe, who, even inthe opinion of several of the other missionaries, has beenguilty of great errors in his letters, might have added that,at times, they are capable of acts of devotion and self-sacrifice truly great and courageous. The French missionaries in Cochin China must havehad many p
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