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Siamese History.
June,

Year 737. The king captured Pitsanulok and its governor Sámkéu, together with a multitude as prisoners of war.

Year 738. The king went and took Chákangrau and the governor Kamhéng; pursued prince Pákong and his army, took him and his officers and returned.

Year 742. He marched to Chiangmai,[1] but being unable to enter and plunder the city Lámpáng, the king sent a message requiring the governor to come and pay his respects, and returned.

Year 744. Rájátirát deceased after a reign of thirteen years, and his son Utónglan, then a little child, ascended the throne and reigned seven days, when Rámmesawan came down from Lopburi, entered the palace, seized Utónglan, and had him killed at the wat Kokphya.

Year 746. Rámmesawan equipped his army, marched to Chiangmai, built a royal fortress near the moat of the city, at the distance of 140 sen,[2] and caused his officers to build forts round about him, and get every thing in readiness for plundering the city. The front ranks fired their cannon and broke down the city walls give fathoms in length. The king of Chiangmai then ascended the ramparts, holding a large fan, and caused a soldier to fasten a letter to an arrow and shoot it down into the Siamese camp. The purport of the letter was this; 'We beg you to refrain about seven days, and we will bring forth presents to confirm our mutual friendship.'

The Siamese king asked his nobles, what it was best to do? They replied, it was probable that the Laos king was adopting a stratagem to gain time; they therefore begged him vigorously to prosecute his design of plundering the city. The king replied, that such a procedure, under existing circumstances, would not comport with royal dignity, but that if the Laos king did not regard his engagement, there was no possibility of his escaping the power of the Siamese army. The Laos in the mean time exerted themselves to rebuild their shattered wall, and when the seven days were past; did not appear with their presents. The Siamese officers began to complain; rice was ten slungs for a cocoanut shell full, and they had no means to buy it.[3] They therefore implored the king to proceed vigorously and plunder the city. The king accordingly in his compassion gave orders to proceed and plunder in earnest, and on Monday, the 4th of the waxing moon, 4th month, at 8 o'clock and 20 minutes p.m., just as the moon was setting, the persons designated, fired their cannon, took scaling ladders and ascended the walls; the Laos king could not resist them, but fled with his family, and at 5 o'clock in the morning, the Siamese soldiery entered the city, and apprehended Naksáng, the son of the king, whom they presented as a trophy of victory to his Siamese majesty. He told Naksáng, that had his father

  1. ↑ This is the country generally known as north Laos. The inhabitants differ from those of Wiang Chan, or South Laos, in their language, several customs, and a district government.
  2. ↑ A sen is 20 fathoms or 120 feet.
  3. ↑ A slung is 15 cents, or 4 of a baht or tical, which is generally valued at 60 cents of a Spanish dollar.
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