The Siamese fleet four times larger than that of the enemies met with no better fate. Their small vessels fired the town of Pontemas 200 tons of ivory were destroyed by the flames. The Cochin Chinese profited by the absence of these vessels to attack the transports anchored four miles from the town. The Siamese vessels aground in the river, which was extremely low could render no assistance, and fearing that famine would be as detrimental to the fleet as it had been to the army, set sail for their own country. CHAPTER VIII. THE REVOLUTION OF 1760. Before narrating the events of the revolution which, in 1760, threw the Kingdom of Siam into confusion, we ought to give a summary of the succession to the throne. The heir of Pitracha had several sons and as he was displeased with the eldest, he nominated the second as heir to the throne. This man showed that he was really worthy of the crown by his refusal to accept the succession to the detriment of his elder brother. He only made one condition and that was in case the elder were to predecease him, the succession should devolve on himself. This condition was accepted. The elder received the heritage of his father and the younger was declared Crown Prince, that is to say heir-presumptive to the throne. The new King had several children and misled by parental affection, showed none of that generous nature of which his brother had given so noble an example. Faithless to his promises he nominated his eldest son who had entered the priesthood, as his successor. The young Prince a respecter of promises made, had no wish to be a party to the perjury committed by his father. He preferred the simplicity of the monastery to the splendour of the Court, which he could only enjoy by desecrating the memory of his father. The King seeing him persist in his refusal appointed in 1733 his second son to be his successor and died shortly afterwards of a cancer in the throat. The brother of the dead King was known as the Crown Prince, and the Siamese were accustomed to look upon him as their future ruler. Five thousand soldiers whom he kept in his palace, were ready to devote their lives in support of his rights. His nephew relying on his father's will, had collected a force of 40,000 men in the Royal palace so as to overawe his rival. He had been careful to win the four chief officials of the State over to his side and having charge of the Treasury, it was a simple matter to purchase adherents. All the common people were in the power of the officials who all hoped to extend their authority over a young and inexperienced ruler, who would be obliged to put the burden of state affairs on their shoulders.