Travels in the central parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos : during the years 1858, 1859, and 1860 . whom I had heard M. Arnoux speak; he had pro-mised me a welcome from M. Guillous, the missionarythere. I sent Niou back to Udong to ask the king forthe letter he had promised. He soon returned with itin due form, and on the 22nd July I quitted Pinhalii ina small boat with two rowers, which I hhed as far asPemptielan, situated on the Mekon river, about fortymiles to the north of P^nom-Peuh. Ever since I had been in Cambodia my servants hadbeen in a state of alarm, and it reached its h
Travels in the central parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos : during the years 1858, 1859, and 1860 . whom I had heard M. Arnoux speak; he had pro-mised me a welcome from M. Guillous, the missionarythere. I sent Niou back to Udong to ask the king forthe letter he had promised. He soon returned with itin due form, and on the 22nd July I quitted Pinhalii ina small boat with two rowers, which I hhed as far asPemptielan, situated on the Mekon river, about fortymiles to the north of P^nom-Peuh. Ever since I had been in Cambodia my servants hadbeen in a state of alarm, and it reached its height whenI informed them that we were about to set out on anexpedition to the savage tribes. Cambodia is muchdreaded by the Siamese: and the mountains, and, stillmore, the forests, inhabited by the Stiens, have a repu-tation for unhealthiness, among both Cambodians andAnnamites, equal to that which, in France, is enjoyed byCayenne, whither condemned political offenders and male-factors from the galleys are sent to die. I doubt verymuch if I could have met with any other men who wouldhave remained with Drawn by M, Therond, from a Photograph,CHINESE MONUMENT AT BANGKOK. Chap. VIII. LAKE OF CAMBODIA. 221 On descending the great arm of the Mekon, which ishere 1200 metres wide, I was astonished at seeing thecurrent running from south to north instead of followingthe course of the river into which it falls. The banks ofthis river are peopled by the same race of Thiameswhom I saw on my route from Udong to Pinhalii. During more than five months of the year, the greatlake of Cambodia, Touli-Sap, covers an immense space ofground: after that period there is a diminution in depthowing to the great evaporation, but its width remainsnearly unaltered. Although its waters increase in volumeduring the rainy season, these are not swelled by thestreams jfrom the mountains on its western boundary,but by the strength of the current from the Mekonwhich pours into it its overflow. As for the Ma
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