Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos (Vol. 1 of 2): During the Years 1858, 1859, and 1860Mouhot, Henri
History
Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos (Vol. 1 of 2): During the Years 1858, 1859, and 1860
Mouhot, Henri
Cambodia -- Description and travel; Khmer language; Natural history -- Indochina; Thailand -- Description and travel
I passed several days at Cape Liaut, part of the time being occupied
in exploring the many adjacent islands. It is the most exquisite part
of the gulf, and will bear comparison, for its beauty, with the strait
of Sunda, near the coast of Java. Two years ago, when the king visited
Chantaboun, they built for him on the shore, at the extremity of the
cape, a house and kiosk, and, in memory of the event, they also erected
on the top of the mountain a small tower, from which a very extensive
view may be enjoyed.
SUBMARINE VOLCANO.
I also made acquaintance with Ko-Kram, the most beautiful and the
largest of all the islands north of the gulf between Bangkok and
Chantaboun. The whole island consists of a wooded mountain-range,
easy of access, and containing much oligist iron. On the morning of
the 29th, at sunrise, the breeze lessened, and when we were about
three miles from the strait which separates the isle of Arec from
that of the “Cerfs,” it ceased altogether. For the last half-hour we
were indebted solely to our oars for the little progress made, being
exposed to all the glare of a burning sun; and the atmosphere was
heavy and suffocating. All of a sudden, to my great astonishment, the
water began to be agitated, and our light boat was tossed about by the
waves. I knew not what to think, and was seriously alarmed, when our
pilot called out, “Look how the sea boils!” Turning in the direction
indicated, I beheld the sea really in a state of ebullition, and very
shortly afterwards an immense jet of water and steam, which lasted for
several minutes, was thrown into the air. I had never before witnessed
such a phenomenon, and was now no longer astonished at the powerful
smell of sulphur which had nearly overpowered me in Ko-Man. It was
really a submarine volcano, which burst out more than a mile from the
place where we had anchored three days before.
On March 1st we reached Ven-Ven, at Paknam-Ven, the name of the place
where the branches of the river unite. This river, whose width at
the mouth is above three miles, is formed by the union of several
streams flowing from the mountains, as well as by an auxiliary of the
Chantaboun river, which, serving as a canal, unites these two places.
Ascending the stream for fourteen or fifteen miles, a large village
is reached, called Bandiana, but Paknam-Ven is only inhabited by five
families of Chinese fishermen.
THE CROCODILE AND THE APES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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