Page:The Chinese Repository - Volume 01.djvu/68

54 contests; but when a French bishop had organized the kingdom, and amplified its resources under the reign of CoungKaung [sic] Shung, Annam could defy the prowess of Siam. Even when the French influence had ceased, and the country had relapsed into its former weakness, the Cochinchinese continued to keep a jealous eye on Siam. The Siamese, conscious of their own inferiority, burnt, on one occasion, a large quantity of timber collected for ships of war, which were to have been built in a Cochinchinese harbour; they have also been successful in kidnapping some of the subjects of Annam; and the captives have mostly settled at Bankok, and are very able tradesmen. If the character of the Cochinchinese was not deteriorated by the government, the people would hold a superior rank in the scale of nations. They are lively, intelligent, inquisitive, and docile, though uncleanly and rather indolent. This indolence, however, results from the tyranny of government, which compels the people to work most of the time for its benefit. The Cochinchinese pay great regard to persons acquainted with Chinese literature. Their written language differs materially from their oral; the latter is like the Cambojan, while the the former is similar to the dialect spoken on the island of Hainan.

It remains now to make some remarks on the introduction of Christianity into Siam. When the Portuguese first came to this country, in 1622, they immediately propagated their own religious tenets. The French missionaries came to the country sometime afterwards, by land. They had high anticipations of success from the assistance of the Cephalonian Phaulkon; and, as soon as the French embassy arrived, and French influence gained the ascendancy, they increased the number of able labourers. Two of them even shaved their heads, and conformed to the customs of the Siamese talapoys or priests, under pretence of leaninglearning [sic] the Bali language. But, when the treachery of Phaulkon had been discovered,