Home » categories » rare book library » Smyth. Journey on the Upper Mekong.
This chapter is tagged (labeled) with: 

Ch. 1: Bangkok to Muang Nan

Ch. 1: Bangkok to Muang Nan Page of 117 Ch. 2: Muang Chieng Kong Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
THE UPPER MEKONG, SLAM.                         23
musician after the fashion of his country, and used continually to warble languishing love-airs to our great amusement, and also good inarching airs. He had a good ear, and soon picked up some of the Laos tunes, and so one had good opportunities of comparing them. It was curious, too, how he and several of the others took to English airs they heard from me, even copying the sounds of the English words. The proficiency of the Siamese " service" bands in Bangkok shows, too, that they can master and appreciate our music.
I have heard the Laos called " savages," which can only be said in ignorance. They respect superiors, are devoted to their " chows," to whom they are united by feudal ties, are obedient to their parents, extremely hospitable, and perfectly honest. The stranger to them is no enemy, but a creature that needs kindness, and invariably gets it. Quarrelling is unknown. They respect their women, and, unlike the Siamese, walk behind them and bear the heaviest load. They do the jungle-work, and the women stay at home, weaving their silk panungs or their horizontally striped petticoats at the loom beneath the house; while the dogs, no longer vile pariahs, but cared for well, and of a breed something like a sheepdog, sit by and watch the children play.
Surely there is something besides savagery here.
Ch. 1: Bangkok to Muang Nan Page of 117 Ch. 2: Muang Chieng Kong
Suggested Illustrations
Other Chapters you may find useful
Other Books on this topic
bullet Tag
This Page