Page:Siam in 1688 - Frankfurter - 1908.pdf/40

 We retired to the fortress of Bangkok, and we were then besieged by all nations who were living in the states of the new King. The fortress was soon surrounded by eight small forts, which the besiegers builts at the distance of a cannon shot, and these all were furnished with guns and bombs which they could only have received from the Dutch and which much incommoded us, as we feared that our magazines which were all of wood should be set on fire; but we nevertheless demolished all their works with cannon shots. The vexation they had in seeing this work ruined in such a short time made them take the the besiegers built at the distance resolution to put at the head of their works the Bishop and the other French whom they had madé prisoners in Siam, so that if we should fire those our nation would be killed first.

Although their astuteness was successful as we did not shoot so often since we had to take good aim, and although our fortress was open on the land side we were able to resist five months and four days; after which time when we were running short of all sorts of ammunition, we were granted through the help of the Bishop a capitulation according to which the Siamese furnished us with everything necessary for our maintenance and for the transport of our baggage up to the mouth of the river where the Oriflame one of the King's vessels, of 50 guns, had arrived. Hostages were sent on board and after having burst part of the cannons and spiked the others we left Bangkok.

Mergui was besieged by the same nations and M. Bruan, who commanded this place, having with him only thirty men, defended himself vigorously during some time, but a cannon ball having smashed his last jar of water he took the resolution to leave the fort with his people sword in hand. He executed his design with a surprising intrepidity and having broken through the enemies he compelled the rest to run away. He arrived at the sea shore, where he found two feluccas, on which he embarked and went to Pondicheri with 20 men and some Jesuits in a pitiable state. M. des Farges arrived there some time afterwards