ON
( OF
GO
ON AND OFF DUTY
IN ANNAM
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LONDON : WILLIAM HEINEMANN
ii BEDFORD STREET, W.C.
AN ANNAMESE WOMAN IN HKR HOME COSTUME
ON e? OFF DUTY
IN ANNAM
BY
GABRIELLE M. VASSAL
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS FROM
PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY THE AUTHOR
LONDON
WILLIAM HEINEMANN
1910
Copyright, London, 1910, by William Heintmann
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Occupation of the Country, or First Occupation of the Colony Pp. i-n
CHAPTER I
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF FRENCH INDO-CHINA
The send-off of our English and French friends : Arrival at Cap St.
Jacques : First glimpse of the Annamese : Saigon : Adventurous
driving : Le tour cf inspection : Public buildings and native dwell-
ings : My first evening in the Tropics : European life in Saigon :
Cholen : A crowded native thoroughfare Pp. 13-32
CHAPTER II
LIFE IN AN ANNAMESE FISHING VILLAGE
Miseries of a coast steamer : An ungraceful landing : Nhatrang : The
native village : Fishing tactics : Our new home : Choosing
native servants : Beginning of domestic worries : Fight with
insects, damp, mould, native habits, &c. : Catering of native cook :
The market : My neighbour's pigeons : Cooking practices : Daily
routine Pp. 33-51
CHAPTER III
A TROPICAL PASTEUR INSTITUTE
Influence of Pasteur's discoveries on tropical medicine : The origin of
research work : One of Pasteur's pupils : Yersin's discovery of
the plague bacillus : His search for a site and foundation of the
present Institute : Its work and organisation : Suoigiau : A
rubber plantation : Mosquitoes and malaria : The Institute's
vi CONTENTS
cattle : Natives' distrust of European doctor : A shark's victim :
Difficulties in treatment of native patients : Escape of a one-legged
man : Expressions of gratitude after recovery : A thanksgiving
ceremony : Trials of research work in the Tropics Pp. 52-67
CHAPTER IV
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG
Lessons in riding and shooting : Configuration and outlook of Annam :
Want of communications : Comparison with Cochin-China : Beauty
and attractiveness of the country : A native village : Pagodas and
tombs : Water buffaloes : Red ants : A brickmaking village
Pp. 68-87
CHAPTER V
DAILY ROUTINE IN THE LITTLE CAI-NHA
The awakening at dawn : The rush into light and air of the cai-nka's
occupants : Tidying up and arranging the house for the day : The
ba-gia : The baby's meal : Occupations of the children : The
market : The rice-fields — irrigating, ploughing, sowing, and plant-
ing out : Occupations which bring men and women together :
Evening leisure Pp. 88-104
CHAPTER VI
THE MANDARIN AT HOME
How to become a mandarin : The esteem with which education is
regarded in Annam : The mandarin's house and furniture : The
Citadel : Visit to the Quan B6 of the province : Shaking hands :
Refreshments : His family : Nicknames of the children : Respect
due to the family name : The Quan Bo's return call : A brother
of Thanh-Thai : Illness of one of his wives : The princess : A
royal infant : A Chinese pipe : Snapshots Pp. 105-119
Religious systems of Annam : The scepticism of the native : Spirits
and genii : Countryside shrines : The shrine to the tiger : Super-
CONTENTS vii
stitions concerning the tiger : Ancestor-worship : The benefits to
family life of this cult : Its ceremonies : The death and funeral of
a believer : The practice of polygamy Pp. 120-131
CHAPTER VIII
THE SOCIAL POSITION OF WOMEN
Marriage laws : Betrothal and divorce : Betrothal and marriage
ceremonials : Polygamy : Social situation : Education and occu-
pations : Peculiarities of Annamese beauty : Generalities
Pp. 132-147
CHAPTER IX
THE ANNAMESE COMMUNE AND THE
ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANISATION OF THE STATE
The Annamese Commune : Its independence and its functions : Mayor
and deputy mayors : Notables and the Municipal Council :
The Public Hall, goods in common and their redistribution : The
canton, the district, and the prefecture : The Ministers and the
Comat : The Emperor Pp. 148-155
CHAPTER X
THE TET
Preparations for the Tet : Gambling propensities of the Annamese :
Baquan : Festivities during the Tet : Sports on water and land :
Procession of the Dragon : A theatrical performance : A curious
play : An enthusiastic audience Pp. 156-169
CHAPTER XI
OUR GARDEN
Laying out and planning a garden in the Tropics : Our coolie gardener :
Tropical shrubs, bougainvilleas, filaos, agaves : Tropical fruits :
Cultivation of European garden flowers : Enemies — lizards, crabs,
birds, ants Pp. 170-179
viii CONTENTS
CHAPTER XII
THE TCHAM TEMPLE OF NHATRANG
History of the Tchams and their conquest : Tcham dress : Their
temples : P6 Nagar's temple : Its architectural beauty : The
goddess P6 Nagar : Tcham curios and hidden treasures : A Tcham
legend Pp. 180-189
CHAPTER XIII
TO THE INLAND HILLS— NHATRANG TO DABAN
Preparations for a two-hundred-kilometre journey : Trials of a tri-car :
Catastrophe to a group of native women : Meeting an elephant :
Arrival in a village whose inhabitants had never seen a motor-car :
Commotion wrought among oxen, fowls, pigs, &c. : Frightful state
of roads : Safe arrival at Banghoi : Phan Rang : Breakdown :
Return to Phan Rang : New start in pony-cart : No relays ready :
Balat : Change of scenery as we approached the hills : Exhaustion
of the last pony : Deluge of rain : Shelter at Daban : In the land
of the tiger Pp. 190-304
CHAPTER XIV
TO THE INLAND HILLS (continued)— FROM DABAN
TO DANKIA
The Mois' physical appearance : their baskets : A " tailed race " : A
steep climb on horseback : The pines : A snake : Dran : Isola-
tion of Europeans in this district : A second long climb : General
view of the plateau : M. Canivey's escape from a tiger : His puni-
tive expedition to a Moi village : Moi bows and arrows : A Moi
woman : Dankia Pp. 205-217
CHAPTER XV
IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MOIS
A Moi village : Children decorticating and winnowing the rice : A Moi
hut : Darkness and smoke : Moi furniture : Men and women
round the fire : Hygiene among the Mois : A Moi woman's con-
CONTENTS ix
finement : A Moi funeral : Moi tombs : Sacrifice of a buffalo :
The priest's oration : The slaughter : The banquet which follows :
Moi justice : The Sorcerer : Methods of discovering the culprit
Pp. 218-232
CHAPTER XVI
THE AGRICULTURAL STATION
The discovery of the plateau : The proposed sanatorium : Foundation
of the Agricultural Station : Temperate and tropical fruits and
flowers : Cattle-breeding : The Mois as farm labourers : Moi
slaves : Their hatred of the Annamese : Wages paid in kind :
Good-bye to the Station : Visit to a Moi village : Hospitality of
Moi women towards their sex : Arrival at Dran : An adventurous
ride : An incident on the homeward drive Pp. 233-243
CHAPTER XVII
A TIGER HUNT
A tiger seen on the Station : Surrounding his hiding-place, a clump of
bamboos : A courageous dog : First sight of the monster :
Wounded : Hunting him in the long grass : Escaped : Re-
appearance at the house itself : A night watch under a bridge :
The tiger by moonlight : Killed at last Pp. 244-258
CHAPTER XVIII
THROUGH HINTER-ANNAM
Preparations for our novel journey : The pholy of Dankia promises to
accompany us : Scenery beyond the plateau : Difficulties of
mountain and jungle paths : Our first night : Strange quarters :
Cockroaches : A tremendous descent : Great welcome to a Moi
village : The pholy's hut : Ternutn : Sleeping to an audience : A
hasty departure : Mois' accurate shooting : Leeches : Crossing
a river : Moi weavers : A narrow escape from a fight : The
gradual extinction of the Moi race : Dankia again Pp. 259-275
ILLUSTRATIONS
To/ace
page
An Annamese Woman in her Home Costume Frontispiece
An Annamese Woman with her Children in our Garden 12
A Moi Woman with her Children 12
Fishing Experts 34
Fishing-boats in the River 34
Bringing the Nets to Land 34
A Novel Mode of Fishing 34
Doctor Yersin's House 52
The Verandah of the Pasteur Institute 52
Logoun, the Brick -making Village 68
The Return of the Fishing-boats 68
Our Best Road in November 88
On their Way to Market. The Baskets are carried like a Pair of
Scales 88
Ploughing under Water 88
Primitive Method of Irrigation 88
The Native Market 94
The Market Flooded 94
One of the Towers of the Tcham Temple at Nhatrang 102
He balances himself on the Harrow by means of his Buffaloes'
Tails 102
One of the Tricks for flooding a Rice-field 102
Women planting out the Rice 102
Princess Thuyen Hoa outside her House 106
ix b
x ILLUSTRATIONS
To/ace
page
At the Quan B6's House no
The Quan Bo lent me his Official Robes no
A Mandarin in his Garden 116
Two Mandarins with their Household and Retainers 1 16
The Tomb of a Village Notable 120
An Annamese Tomb 126
A Wedding Procession 134
The Wedding Procession entering Bride's Garden 134
A Highly Ornamental Pagoda Door 148
A Sheltered Corner of the Bay 150
Prisoners at Work on a Stone Dike 154
Dancing 160
A Sampan Race 160
Types of Moi Men 166
Annamese Actors 166
Our Pet Deer begging for Bananas 176
An Agave springing up 176
Inside the Principal Tower of the Tcham Temple of Nhatrang 180
The Market. The Central Figure is a Tcham Woman 186
The Quan Bo's Elephant 192
The Whole Village in our Wake 2oo
On the Edge of the Tropical Forest 200
Resting — the Stick props up the Burden 206
A Picnic near some Falls 2io
Over the Langbian Plateau 212
Our Convoy waiting to be paid 2x4
The Village of Prenh 216
Mois. Two Young Girls in Foreground 218
A Sociable Gathering 233
The Moi Lances have done their Work 222
ILLUSTRATIONS xi
To/ace
A Funeral among the Savages 22^
In a Moi Village 224
The Buffalo Sacrifice. The Moi Chief officiates dressed in
Annamese Costume 228
The Village Sorcerer 230
Savages examine my Watch 230
In Dankia Village 234
Station Coolies 234
A Fine Water-Buffalo 240
Our Convoy emerging from the Forest 244
A Dangerous Search in the Long Grass 250
Bringing him through a Field of Maize 250
The River near Suoigiau 256
A well-made Moi Dwelling 264
A Curious Staircase 264
INTRODUCTION
FRENCH Indo-China forms the Eastern side of the
Indo-Chinese peninsula. It is bounded to the east
and south by the China Sea, to the north by the
Chinese Empire, to the west by Burmah and
Siam. Its greatest rivers are the Mekong and
the Red River, which form, at their mouth, alluvial
lands and rich deltas where the Tonkinese have
settled in the north, the Cochin-Chinese and Cam-
bodians in the south. Between the valleys of the
Mekong and Red River, extending over a distance
of 1000 kilometres, stretches a chain of mountains,
which proceeds from the Tibetan system by the
Yunnan plateau.
The "Annamitic Chain" expands in North Tonking,
traverses Annam, where the highest peaks and largest
plateaux (Tranninh, Langbian, 1500 metres) are to
be found ; then dies down into the sea at Cap
St. Jacques.
The eastern coast-line is so near this mountain chain
that the valleys of Annam are of small extent. Those
of Song Ca and of Song Ma, in the rich provinces of
Thanh-Hoa and Vinh, must be mentioned however,
also those of Binh-Dinhand Quang-Nam. Finally, to
the south, is the Song Cai, the river of Hue" and
Tourane, and the Donai, which rises in the Langbian
and forms one of the tributaries of the Saigon River.
2 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
Indo-China, a country much greater in size than
France, can be said to form a big capital J, of which
Tonking forms the head, Cochin-China and Cambodia
the tail, and Annam the trunk. The ancient Annamese
were fond of representing their country by a pair of
scales, the pans loaded with rice, Annam itself was the
beam of the scales, not only from its geographical
outline, but also on account of its relative poverty.
The population of this country is estimated at five
millions, whilst that of the remainder of Indo-China is
about ten or twelve millions.
The Annamese people the delta of the Red River,
the lower valleys and the shores of the China Sea, and
the lower delta of the Mekong. They form four-fifths
of the population of the Indo-China of to-day, which
moreover differs very little from the ancient empire of
Annam. This included the present Annam, Tonking,
and Cochin-China. The King of Cambodia was
tributary. Laos and the mountainous hinterland of
Annam were beyond its sway.
The Cambodians — ancient Khmers — inhabit the
upper delta of the Mekong and the country of the
Great Lakes. The Thais extend over the upper
reaches of the Mekong, and a fourth race, the Chams
or Tchams, after having played an important part in
the history of Indo-China, have been absorbed or
dispersed. A few of them, however, are still to be
found in villages in Phan-Rang and Phan-Tiet (South
Annam) and at Chaudoc (Cochin-China).
The Mois are the aboriginal people of Annam,
whom later civilisations gradually drove towards the
summit of the mountains, The Annamese call them
INTRODUCTION 3
Mois, the Cambodians Stiengs or Penongs, the Thais,
Khas.
The Chinese are naturally very numerous in Indo-
China ; after many centuries they have acquired an
exceptional position here, and gained the respectful
title of " cai-chu " (uncles).
In their dealings with the Annamese they are, as
it best profits them, either discreetly or insolently
superior. Except in Tonking, it is they who carry
on all the small trade. They are unrivalled shop-
keepers, devoted to their work, clever, honest, and
very united among themselves. They do not cultivate
rice-fields, but they monopolise the rice trade, building
manufactories to shell the rice and chartering boats to
export it. From the very first days of the European
occupation they have made themselves indispensable
as intermediaries between the white and yellow races.
They have strengthened this position by monopolising
all trade connected with gambling, opium, and alcohol.
They are perhaps Indo-China's best colonists, and
those who make the greatest profits. There can be
no question of evicting them at present as the
Americans have done in the Philippines (Chinese
Exclusion Act). The French have simply tried to
limit Chinese immigration by raising heavy taxes on
the Celestials, so as to re-establish the equilibrium
in favour of the Annamese. In Cochin-China, for
instance, a Chinese from eighteen to forty-six years
pays, first, a head-tax, which varies from four to four-
hundred piastres, and secondly, a prestation tax of
from two to fifty piastres a year. Every Chinese must
belong to a " congregation," a sort of association which
4 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
is responsible to the State for all its members civilly
and pecuniarily.
The climate of Indo-China is not the same every-
where. While in Tonking and North Annam there
is a real winter the temperature in Cambodia and
Cochin-China is always hot and damp. The average
temperature of Saigon is 30°. 7 7, of Nhatrang 26°. 79,
and that of Haiphong 24°. 79 Centigrade. The year
is divided into two seasons : dry and wet, according to
the monsoons (N.E. from October 15 to April 15,
S.W. the rest of the year).
The unity of Indo-China was realised by M. Doumer
in 1898. The five States of the Union are : Tonking,
Cochin-China, Annam, Cambodia, Laos. A new
territory has been added : Quan-Tche"ou on the
Lei Tche"ou peninsula, a little to the north of the
Hainan Straits, ceded by China. The colonial union
has thus been able to acquire a moral personality,
permitting it to realise large loans and to carry out
extensive public works.
Annam proper is that long strip of country,
more than 1000 kilometres in length, which unites
Cochin-China to Tonking. The government is
a Protectorate. The Emperor reigns at Hue" with
the help of regents and of the Chief Council of the
kingdom, the Comat. The " Resident Supe"rieur de
France," at Hue, is president of the Comat and
represents the protecting Power. The whole of the
native administration is under the direct control of
French officials. There are ten provinces in Annam.
At the head of each is a Civil Service official, who
takes the title of "Resident de France." The
INTRODUCTION 5
" Resident Supe"rieur " has the supreme authority
over all the services.
The revenue of Annam is about three million
piastres. Each province has its own particular revenue,
which varies, according to the importance of the
population and the value of the land, from fifty to
two hundred thousand piastres.
With the exception of Hue" and Thanh-Hoa, the
chief towns of Annam are on the coast. Starting from
the south, one first reaches Phan-Tiet and Phan-
Rang, then the magnificent port of Camranh, where
the Russian fleet took shelter before the battle of
Tsoushima. After Nhatrang, you pass Qui-Nhon and
Tourane. Tourane is the only port with dockyards,
between Saigon and Haiphong. It stretches along
the left bank of the Song-Hau and joins the big
Chinese town, Faifo.
Hue" is the capital, and here it is that the manners
and customs of the great mandarins are best preserved.
The royal palaces, and especially the tombs, are most
characteristic of Annamese architecture.
In North Annam, Vinh and Than-Hoa are the two
most important cities.
The Annamese are descended from the Giao-Chi,
once established in the south of China. Giao-Chi
means separated big toe ; this is a peculiarity which the
Annamese have not yet lost, and which enables them
to use their big toe in a most skilful manner. The
Giao-Chi may be traced back to the remotest antiquity.
Nearly three thousand years before our era they occupied
Yunnan, the Quan-Si, Quan Toung, and Tonking.
A Chinese prince sent his son Loc Tuc to govern
6 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
the Giao-Chi. It is the origin of the H6ng Bang
dynasty, which reigned over those Qui (foreign devils)
for more than two thousand years. It is only in
the third century B.C. that we can emerge from this
legendary period.
At that time intestine struggles divided the Giao-
Chi country into two parts : the Van- Lang to the
people of the plain and deltas, the Thai to those of the
hill-country. China seized this opportunity of estab-
lishing a new Chinese dynasty. In the year in B.C.
she conquered the country and kept it in subjection
till A.D. 968. The Annamese were therefore governed
by Chinese mandarins, who accustomed them to
Chinese civilisation during more than a millennium.
The literature and moral code of Confucius gave a
definite shape to Annamese thought and religion.
That their national spirit was still alive is proved from
time to time in the repeated insurrections and heroic
rebellions against their conquerors. From 39-36 B.C.
an Annamese woman, after proclaiming the indepen-
dence of her country, expelled the Chinese for a time,
and reigned under the name of Tru'ng Vu'ong.
But it was not till the middle of the tenth century
that the foreigner was driven out and the first national
dynasty established. The Dinh, then the L£ (first
dynasty) were followed by the Ly, the Tran, and the
Ho (968-1407), ephemeral dynasties which gave place
in the end to a new Chinese occupation. Treated
with unexampled severity, the Annamese rebelled,
and once more became free. Their great deliverer
was a poor Tonkinese fisherman, Le-Soi, who
received a miraculous sword from the genii of the
INTRODUCTION 7
little lake at Hanoi. He was proclaimed king. This
dynasty (second dynasty of the L6) occupied the
throne till the end of the eighteenth century.
Among the monarchs of this line Thanh -Tong
must be specially mentioned as proving himself a
clever ruler and great warrior. He formed the six
Ministries of State, the mandarin hierarchy, reor-
ganised the civil code, and did much to promote
agriculture and public instruction. Placing himself at
the head of an army of 260,000 men, he attacked the
Chams in their capital and exterminated them. For
fifteen centuries the Chams had inhabited the larger
part of Annam proper. As the representatives of
Hindoo civilisation, they have left remarkable monu-
ments of their past glory. Only a few survivals now
remain. This rapid extinction of a powerful and
civilised race by the Annamese is a problem of the
highest interest.
The Mois, on the other hand, have survived the
disturbances and revolutions of the country's history.
Faraway in the remote mountainous regions of Annam
they have retained their primitive habits. An incon-
gruous collection of wretched tribes may there be
found who have sacrificed everything to their love of
freedom. At all events, they have succeeded in occu-
pying an immense hinterland, the possession of which
their neighbours did not find it worth while to dispute
with them.
In the beginning of the nineteenth century the
Annamese had extended their rule over Tonking-
Annam, and the whole territory of Cochin-China
proper. Here they very naturally transformed the
8 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
valleys and deltas into fertile rice-fields, but made the
great mistake of neglecting the hill-country. For it
can well be believed that a strong position in the
mountains would have enabled them to defend them-
selves and remain a free people.
It was in the reign of Louis XVI. in 1787 that
Annam for the first time came into contact with
France. Gialong, of the dynasty of the Nguyen, had
been desperately struggling to recover his crown,
usurped by the three brothers Tay Son. Not suc-
ceeding in this exploit, he followed the advice of the
Bishop of Adran, and sent an embassy to France
demanding protection. With the help of the French
officers Olivier, Chaigneau, Vannier, and Dayot —
King Gialong reconquered all his lands. His suc-
cessor, Ming-Mang, broke off all connection with
Europe, in order to gain the support of China, from
whom he accepted investiture. Tu-Duc made several
attacks on the Christians, whom he massacred in great
numbers with their European missionaries. The
Spanish and French interfered, and Saigon was
taken by Admiral Rigault de Genouilly in 1861. In
the following year, Tu-Duc, finding himself besieged
in his own capital, was obliged to give up Lower
Cochin-China to France. The rest of Cochin-China
became French territory in 1867. The King of
Cambodia, Norodom, had placed himself under the
protection of the French in 1863. The provinces of
Angkor and Batambang have been lately given back
by Siam, during the reign of Sisowah, in consequence of
the happy negotiations of Lieutenant-Colonel Bernard.
The conquest of Tonking required far greater
INTRODUCTION 9
efforts on the part of the French troops, because of
Annam's alliance with China, and more especially
because the politics of France were uncertain and
confused. The French of the metropolis were them-
selves opposed to it, and it was only through the
genius and skill of Jules Ferry that this colony was
added to the mother-country, one might almost say
against her will.
On two several occasions Tonking was taken and
lost, first by Francis Gamier and then by Commandant
Riviere. Both attempts, though extraordinarily auda-
cious, failed through want of support at the right
moment. A new start had to be made. Admiral
Courbet directed the expedition. The French now
had to face not only the Annamese, but numerous
bands of pirates and the regular troops from the
Chinese frontier provinces of the Quan Si and
Yunnan. Some splendid feats of arms took place,
the capture of Son-tay and Bac-Ninh, the battles of
Bac-L£ and Kep, the defence of Tuyen-Quang
by the Commander Domine" (1884-85). The cause
appeared to be won. The army of the Yunnan was
destroyed, that of Quan-Si had been driven beyond
the frontier, and from the fort of Lang-Son the move-
ments of the enemy could be carefully kept in view.
At sea, after the bombardment of Fou-Tch£ou,
Admiral Courbet received orders to take Formosa.
He was unsuccessful, and had to be content with
merely forming a blockade. Later he took the
islands of Pescadores. China was on the point of
coming to terms, when the panic of Lang-Son took
place (March 28, 1885). It created considerable ex-
io ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
citement in Paris : the Ferry Ministry fell. Tonking,
in spite of all, was finally conquered ; a treaty with
China recognised the sovereignty of France.
The military operations in Annam, started by
Admiral Courbet in 1883, had the following political
results : Recognition of the French Protectorate,
restoration of the control of the finances and
customs, and the permanent occupation of the forts
of Thuan-An and the lines of Vung-Khiona. After
the settlement of Tonking, the French wished to
consolidate their position in Annam. General de
Courcy entrenched himself in the citadel of Hue".
There he was suddenly attacked by superior numbers,
but put them to rout (July 1885). The King of
.Annam, Nam Nghi, who had escaped from Hue", was
deposed and replaced by Dong- Khan, whose name
means " Union of the Two Nations." One of the
regents had been captured and sent into captivity,
the other followed the fortunes of the King Nam-
Nghi, who had been driven into the Moi country.
Thus there were two Kings in Annam, and two large
factions. The Christians, suspected of friendliness to
the foreigner, were massacred by the orders of Nam-
Nghi to the number of 20,000. The question of
Tonking- Annam, which had caused the fall of the Ferry
Ministry, was brought once more before the French
Parliament. It was only by a majority of four votes
that it was decided not to relinquish it.
A short time after Paul Bert was appointed
Governor. He died at his task. His successors,
Constans, Richaud, Picquet, de Lanessan, and Rous-
seau, effected the pacification of the country and its
INTRODUCTION 11
reorganisation. During the five years in which
M. Paul Doumer (1897-1902) held office, the union
of Indo-China was accomplished, and the era of
great public works and railroads was inaugurated.
M. Beau, then M. Klobukowski (1908), succeeded him.
Annam has lately been disturbed by one or two
small rebellions.
The King Than Thai, who had been chosen by
the French on the death of Dong-Khan, was deposed.
One of his sons, aged eight years, now reigns over
the Annamese under the name of Jy-Su.
CHAPTER I
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF FRENCH INDO-CHINA
The send-off of our English and French friends :
Arrival at Cap St. Jacques : First glimpse of the
Annamese : Saigon : Adventurous driving : Le tour
^inspection : Public buildings and native dwellings :
My first evening in the Tropics : European life in
Saigon : Cholen : A crowded native thoroughfare
A FEW weeks after our marriage we got marching
orders for Annam. This did not surprise us, for the
natural fate of a French army doctor is a French
colony. We were only too pleased that our destina-
tion was Annam rather than Martinique or Timbuktu !
My husband had been offered a post by Dr. Roux
at the Pasteur Institute of Nhatrang, and preferring
bacteriology to other medical work, he accepted it
gladly.
I had never heard of Annam up till then, but it
was reassuring to learn that our bungalow was all
ready for us on the coast in a picturesque country
amidst an interesting population.
My family indeed was rather taken aback at the
thought of our departure for such a distant, and to
them unknown land, but nevertheless they looked on
the bright side of things, while some of the inexperi-
enced members even envied the novelty of my new
12
S O
i 5
13
existence and the adventures we were likely to
encounter. And this was perhaps the attitude of
the greater proportion of our English friends.
The love of adventure is still a strong national
characteristic.
All this encouraging interest and sympathy enabled
one to leave England with a fairly light heart. But
what a different send-off we received from our friends
in Paris! Though evidently proud of their largest
and wealthiest colony, any allusion to our approach-
ing sojourn out there was greeted with unconcealed
looks and words of pity. One and all thanked
Providence that their duty did not call them beyond
the confines of their own country. Those whose
acquaintance with Annam led me to expect ex-
citing stories of exploration and vivid descriptions
of the life and scenery limited themselves to the
remark that perhaps we should not find the life as
bad as we expected. The attitude was most dis-
concerting.
Even the doctors of the Paris Pasteur Institute,
who with their wives came to bid us good-bye at the
Gare de Lyon, took leave as if they might never see
us again. Had not the wish to travel and to try new
experiences in the East been very keen, my courage
would assuredly have ebbed away.
Indeed, as the train glided out of the station and
we settled down for the night, I found that the re-
marks on the platform had not been without effect,
and began to shiver with nervousness and apprehen-
sion as to what might be in store for us. I pictured
disasters and calamities of every description, and a
14 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
shudder went through me when I realised that there
was no going back and that every minute was taking
us farther into the vast unknown. I comforted myself
with the recollection that the greatest drawback for
a woman in such isolated spots as we were going
to, is the difficulty, or even the impossibility, of
obtaining the help of a doctor, but I was taking mine
with me ! I resolved to trouble no more, and let the
shaking whirling train act on my brain as well as on
my body, and in the consequent confusion of ideas I
fell asleep.
The sun was pouring in at the carriage window
when I woke the next morning ; 1 was only just dressed
when the train came to a standstill in Marseilles.
We spent that day hard at work shopping, no
time to drive up to "Notre Dame de la Garde,"
whose tall spire is associated in the minds of all
travellers with their last thoughts of home ; no
time to linger on the dirty but picturesque quays with
their cosmopolitan crowd of idlers, and early the next
morning we sailed.
Some colonial friends of my husband, who had just
returned from Indo-China, came on board to see us
off. These fortunately cheered us up by declaring
that Nhatrang was the prettiest and healthiest spot in
Annam.
We met some delightful people, both French and
English, on the Salazie, and time and opportunity
were not wanting to discuss the merits and character-
istics of the two nations. The arguments were often
long and lively, and in our peculiar position of French
husband and English wife we received on board the
FRENCH INDOCHINA 15
nickname of " entente cordiale." We were often cited
as typical examples or called upon as umpires.
Though bridge and dancing help to make the days
go quickly, the first glimpse of the East, as seen
during the few hours spent at Port Said, Djibouti, and
Colombo, are so impressive that before Singapore
is reached, one feels as if one had been travelling a
lifetime. After passing Singapore with its luxuriant
vegetation, its crowded Chinese quarters, and its
sampan-filled canals, we began to be impatient to see
our new country, and to compare Saigon, the most
important port of Cochin-China, with the English
colonial towns we had visited on our way. And yet I
was sorry that the journey was nearing its end, for we
should probably meet none of our fellow-passengers
again ; and many of them, after this month's intimacy,
were quite old friends. Still "en avant " was the
predominant feeling, and we did not stop to indulge
in vain regrets.
With the beautiful harbours of Colombo and Singa-
pore still fresh in our memory, the prospect, when at
Cap St. Jacques we left the open sea and turned into
the Saigon River, was very disappointing. With the
exception of this lofty ridge, which is used by the
Europeans of Saigon as a health resort, a monotonous
and absolutely flat stretch of country lies between the
ocean and the town. As far as the eye can see on either
side, there is no rising ground, and the long grass and
water palms on the banks of the river are covered with
mud. It is a dreary picture, and I therefore prepared
myself for disappointment when Saigon should be
reached, We could, owing to the flat surface, already
16 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
see the spires of the cathedral when we were still a long
way off, and they appeared first at the stern of the
boat, then at the bow, with the windings of the river.
The moist heat rising from all the dank vegetation on
the river banks was more trying than the higher tem-
perature of Singapore, and did not serve to cheer us
greatly. Impatient as we were, we could not fail to be
distracted by the sampans which were moving up and
down the river. Many had their huge cocoa-palm-fibre
sails up, and in spite of a very light breeze they moved
quickly. They are flat-bottomed, and are managed
almost entirely by their rudders, which go deep into
the water. This rudder is manipulated by a native
squatting at the end of the boat. He holds it under
his armpit, and bends to right or left as he steers. The
sampans moving up the river were mostly of medium
size, and were rowed by Annamese. They row stand-
ing, and are bent nearly double as they press forward
their big and heavy oars. I was much surprised when
I discovered that many of these rowers were not men
but women, so alike are they in appearance and dress.
Indeed, it was only after I had been several weeks in
Annam that I was able to distinguish one sex from the
other. Both men and women wear trousers and long
tunics, and twist up their coarse black hair into a
chignon. The figure is concealed by the long tunic,
and the fact that the women's chignon is higher up on
the head than that of the men, and that their tunics are
longer, does not immediately strike the eye. The
height of the men seldom exceeds i m. 60, and the
women are slightly shorter. But in spite of their small
stature and rather frail appearance, they wield their
FRENCH INDOCHINA 17
heavy oars with ease and grace, and their swaying,
well-balanced movements are pleasing to watch.
As we moved forward, the increasing number of the
sampans warned us that we were approaching the
town, and at last even the Colonials on board, who
were familiar with these tortuous channels, began to
break up their bridge parties and the ladies to put
away their needlework. Suddenly, without warning,
we found ourselves nearing a quay on which stood a
white-dressed crowd. What a different reception from
anything I had imagined ! From my late experiences
of other Eastern ports, I had merely anticipated the
usual crowd of sampans rushing out of nowhere,
anxious to sell their wares, but nothing further. Here,
however, the arrival of a French steamer seemed to
be an event, and all Saigon had turned out to welcome
her. Some expected friends, others came in the hope
of meeting acquaintances or as mere spectators. One
was reminded of a fashionable garden-party, for the
dresses and equipages were worthy of Paris itself.
The reason of the interest was not far to seek : at
least two-thirds of the passengers on board were
French officials destined for service in Indo-China.
Still, the greater part of the spectators had come, we
found, merely because it was the recognised thing in
Saigon to do. We ourselves were not expecting to
meet any one, and while my husband busied himself
in having all our luggage transferred to the boat which
was to take us to Nhatrang in two days' time, I was at
liberty to watch the animated scene from the deck
railing. Not only passengers, but sailors and waiters,
seemed to find some chum, and the greetings, hand-
1 8 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
shakings and kisses of every degree of warmth, were
most amusing to watch. Many ladies remained in
their carriages, but so surrounded were they by one
group of admirers after another, that it was but seldom
one could catch a glimpse of their elegant Parisian
toilettes.
Distracted by all this finery, I failed at first to
notice any natives, but at last I was able to distinguish
dark forms slipping in and out among the clusters of
Europeans, and running lithely to and fro from the
boat. I remarked that if by chance one of them hap-
pened to be on the ship's ladder as a European went
down it, he crouched down and flattened himself
against the ship's side so effectually that he really
blotted himself from view.
But now, when my husband joined me on deck, my
curiosity concerning the natives was satisfied, for he was
followed by five or six Annamese and Chinese. They
were all tailors, anxious to make him white clothes. The
Annamese were rather smaller than the Chinese, and of
a darker complexion. Their lips were red-brown and
swollen with chewing the betel, and their black lacquered
teeth made their mouths repulsive. Indeed, I found
them most unprepossessing in appearance. It was truly
astonishing to learn that such slight-looking men were
capable of even greater endurance than our own
powerful-looking, vigorous countrymen. They will
row sampans for twenty-four hours at a stretch, only
stopping for an occasional light meal of rice, or they
will run with a rickshaw containing a European twice
their size, for two hours, often covering thirty kilo-
metres in that time.
FRENCH INDOCHINA 19
But to return to the tailors now standing before us.
One and all promised vociferously to have a dozen
white suits ready in the next twenty-four hours if
necessary. For the sake of peace, my husband ordered
three from the most importunate of the band, though,
in truth, he was already amply provided.
When we at length descended the ship's side and
made our way across the quay, the crowd had begun
to disperse, having mostly started on the so-called
tour c£ inspection, which is the favourite evening
promenade.
Having left our luggage at the Pasteur Institute,
where we were to spend the night, we decided to
follow their example, and my husband beckoned for
a conveyance. By this time there were none but
covered malabars* left, and when one of these queer
little vehicles drove up, I declared that there was not
room for two full-grown people (Europeans) inside.
However, we managed to squash into the tiny wooden
box with its square holes for windows, and told the
driver our destination. At first I thought that he had
not understood, for we continued to stand stock-still.
Then began a struggle for mastery. The native sai's f
beat the ponies, pulled at the reins, made queer sounds,
whether of cajolement or threats I could not tell, but
nothing was of the slightest avail. The animals only
set their feet wider apart and took on a still more
* Malabar was the term for any Indian in Indo-China ; now it is
also used for the closed carriage driven originally by these Indians.
This small box-like vehicle on four wheels is the favourite carriage
of the Annamese.
f Sai's, coachman ; the name that the French have given to the
native driver.
20 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
obstinate air — then began to back. It was small
comfort to be told by my husband that this was a quite
ordinary occurrence with native ponies, and that I
should see many similar proceedings in the streets
before evening, for we were backing slowly but surely
on to a smart pair of horses harnessed to a neat
little victoria. The two children sitting inside with
their native nurse had apparently not noticed, and as
for their driver, he watched impassively till the side
of our malabar actually touched his horses' noses.
Then he yelled out something, our sai's yelled some-
thing back, until finally two soldiers passing by came
to the rescue, dragging our recalcitrant ponies a little
way up the road. Then they suddenly dashed forward,
nearly upsetting the soldiers, and clattered at full speed
up the street. The sai's never tried to control them,
rather he seemed to urge them on, glad to cover as
much ground as possible while they were in that mood.
Owing to his adroit steering and blood-curdling yells
to passers-by, we had no accident, though we galloped
through groups of natives squatting on the ground in
the middle of the road, and whisked round corners
without slackening our pace. We stopped once
abruptly, all our harness having come to pieces, but as
it was already mostly tied with string it did not take
long to put it together again. Fortunately we had
only to hold out for another ten minutes.
We found a bedroom prepared for us at the Institute,
and after a hasty glance at the mosquito curtain (I
learnt that, in future, that would be the most important
piece of furniture in a house) we started out again.
This time the Director lent us his own victoria, and
FRENCH INDOCHINA 21
we were able to look about us instead of fixing anxious
eyes on a horse's ears and wondering how long we
still had to live.
Saigon is the capital of Cochin-China ; together with
Cholen it is the largest town of Indo-China, containing
over 130,000 inhabitants.
The tour (f inspection took us down the chief
streets, through the Botanical Gardens and round one
of the prettiest districts in the neighbourhood. We
were charmed with all we saw. Saigon is the Paris
of the East. Manilla, which the Americans call " the
Pearl of the Orient," may be more sanitary and show
greater commercial activity, but it is neither so pretty
nor so attractive as Saigon.
The town is well laid out on broad and artistic
lines. The public buildings, such as the Cathedral,
the theatre, and the Governor's Palace, are chefs-
d'ceuvre of architecture, and are set off to advantage
by their position at the end of some broad avenue or
grass-covered square. The wide and admirably kept
streets, with trees planted on either side to give a
welcome shade, are a striking feature of Saigon.
There is a conspicuous absence of Annamese
buildings, whether pagodas, towers, or gates, though
the town was a native centre long before the French
arrived. In this it contrasts greatly with Hanoi, where
native monuments abound, and with Hu6, famous for
its tombs of the kings and royal palace. On the
other hand, we have here palatial European residences,
built apparently regardless of cost. Everywhere an
atmosphere of lavishness and luxury prevails.
In imitation of the French capital, the cafe's over-
22 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
flow into the roads, and the little tables and chairs
outside hotel and restaurant are never long unoccupied.
Just as the Englishman's instinct is to make a tennis
court, a polo ground or a golf links in the colonial
post where fate may happen to call him, the " gais
Parisiens," according to their national custom, love to
sit and drink, laugh, and talk, and watch the passers-
by, as on one of the Paris boulevards. And here
they are on the broad pavement in the Rue Catinat in
Saigon.
The Botanical Gardens are neither so large nor so
varied in their collection of animals and plants as
those of Singapore, but they are pretty and easier of
access.
One of the roads along which we drove was planted
with " flamboyants " (flame of the forest), at that
moment in full bloom. It was a veritable blaze of
colour ; such brilliancy is beyond the imagination of
anybody who has never been in the Tropics, masses
and masses of red poppies would be pale by com-
parison. It was during that drive too that I made my
first acquaintance with the tall cocoa-palm, the graceful
bamboo and other tropical plants. When I saw
their luxuriant growth my mind rushed back to the
picture-books of my childhood, which had painted just
such a profusion of vegetation. Far truer had they
been than the caricatures of tropical plants which,
seen later in conservatories, had proved so dis-
appointing. Every leaf of the green foliage was
quivering with life, and the love of light and heat was
distinctly apparent.
But the natives on the road demanded our con-
FRENCH INDO-CHINA 23
tinual attention. The majority of them were returning
home to a neighbouring village outside Saigon, after
their day's work. Amongst them we saw interpreters
with their hair cut short, wearing black turbans
arranged in absolutely equal folds around their heads,
black tunics, white linen trousers, and European
shoes and socks. It is a curious fact that the boots of
the Annamese, if they wear them at all, invariably look
quite new, as though they had just come from the
shop, and are also of the latest fashion.
Then there were the nha qut (peasants) in blue
tunics, often so patched that there was scarcely any of
the original blue left, and dirty unbleached linen
trousers. These walked along the side of the road
one behind the other. They were bare-footed, or if
occasionally one was the proud possessor of a pair of
Chinese heelless shoes, he carried them in his hand.
In the other hand he often had an umbrella, and even
when the sun had long disappeared, it was still care-
fully held up. The idea of a solitary individual
walking solemnly along in the semi-darkness with his
umbrella still above his head has never ceased to
amuse me. Instead of a turban, these coolies had a
handkerchief or dirty rag rolled carelessly around the
head, showing an untidy chignon below.
The women, like the men, never walked two
abreast ; we met little groups of five or six
hurrying homewards from some distant market. They
carried their round baskets of plaited cane suspended
to a bamboo over one shoulder, and in spite of the
weight being all on one side of the body, they kept up
a swinging gait. The free arm, bent sharp at the
24 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
elbow, swung vigorously to and fro to balance the load
on the other side. In order to change the bamboo
from one shoulder to the other, they slackened their
pace, bent the head forward, and slid it over the back
of the neck. I rarely saw a woman place her burden
on the ground and pick it up again.
Native women of the richer class dashed past in
rickshaws, some with a bright silk handkerchief tied
under the chin, others whose chignon, adorned by
native jewellery or pierced by a silver dagger, was too
elaborate to permit of any head-dress.
As the last glimmers of sunset shot obliquely from
the west, the little family groups of Annamese
assembled outside their huts, and, squatting round
bowls of fish and rice, partook of their evening meal.
In cases where all was not ready and the mother was
busy in its preparation, the father, or even the grand-
father, was to be seen taking care of the children,
rocking them in his arms or singing to them. The
dim light lent poetry and glamour to the little circle.
With the coming darkness, the altars to Buddha
inside the huts were lighted up, the rude sculptures or
highly coloured pictures representing their deity being
clearly distinguishable from the road. Bright specks
of light in front of the images showed that tapers were
burning, sending up fumes which were to give efficacy
to the prayers of the inmates. Occasionally the
incense was wafted across the road, and the scent
mingling with all the other strange and attractive per-
fumes of a tropical evening added to the pervading
feeling of enchantment. Little by little the family
groups broke up and disappeared within. Here we
FRENCH INDOCHINA 25
perceived a child rolling himself up in a mat for the
night, just his top -knot of hair protruding from one
side of it and his bare feet from the other, there we
distinguished the faint outline of a woman swinging in
a hammock, her baby in her arms. Finally, the man
squatting at the door of the hut, smoking his last
cigarette, would rise, remove the two bamboo poles
which raised the door upwards and outwards during
the day, and fasten it down. Thus in home after
home silence reigned, except for the crying of a baby
or the crooning of its mother. The darkness was
now complete and I felt as if I was lost in some
unknown world. It was a relief to drive back into
one of the brilliantly lighted streets of Saigon.
We dined on the terrace of the Continental Hotel
in the middle of the town, and though the dinner-hour
was long past, many tables laden with liqueurs and
cool drinks were still occupied. The street below was
silent, though by no means deserted, for the rickshaws
with their pneumatic tyres and the bare-footed coolies
made no sound on the smooth surface. The silence
was broken only by the orders shouted out to the
Annamese waiters or the rickshaw coolies, and by the
greetings or farewells of friends as they came or went.
There were all sorts and conditions of men, from
the official playing cards or criticising the Govern-
ment, to strangers like ourselves. But by far the
greater number were residents of Saigon. These
entered the hotel as if it belonged to them, moving
about and talking with a lack of reserve which bordered
on the insolent. They evidently lived far more in
such public resorts than in their own homes, and as
26 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
they lolled at a table or loitered outside in the street,
they coolly stared the passers-by out of countenance.
They were men and women who from the moment
they had set foot in the colony had thrown themselves
into the spirit of the not too moral town. Freed from
the restraints of a more conventional life at home, they
had taken full advantage of the greater liberty of the
Tropics, flinging themselves headlong into all the
pleasures to be found there, learning indolence and
extravagance, and heedless of any effort at self-
control.
A little later, as we sped swiftly and silently back to
the Institute, we saw the streets which in the daytime
had been so full of light and colour under a new aspect.
The trees were dark and black overhead and almost
entirely shut out the moon and stars. The electric
lights under the arch of branches sent fantastic shadows
flying backwards and forwards, and shone on the per-
spiring backs of our rickshaw coolies, changing their
dark skin to a gleaming white. During this short
ride, thinking over the events of the day, I felt
instinctively relieved, in spite of all the fascinations of
this town, that our destination was only a modest
little village beside the sea.
The next morning, my husband being engaged at
the military hospital, Dr. Noc, the Director of the
Institute, took some of the English passengers of our
boat, myself among the number, through the various
laboratories. We were shown the bacillus of plague,
the skulls of rabid dogs, the room where hydrophobia
is treated, and above all we witnessed the interesting
sight of the extraction of venom from a poisonous
FRENCH INDOCHINA 27
serpent. Dr. Noc performed the operation with much
skill, but it was a very dangerous task and one would
not desire to see it repeated. Calmette discovered
here his serum against snake-bites, by which so many
lives are now saved in all tropical countries.
We had intended doing some shopping after lunch,
but found that all shops, banks, and business offices
were closed between 1 1 A.M. and 2 P.M. This custom
must be a great pecuniary loss to the town and is
most inconvenient for those people who do not live in
the immediate neighbourhood. It also entails much
hardship on all shop assistants and clerks, who cannot
for this reason leave their work before six or seven in
the evening, when it is almost dark. Thus the day is
ended without exercise or sufficient open air. It is
true that the French in general do not care for exercise
in the form of games, and the small section who play
them, do so rather for the sake of health than out of
enthusiasm. Moreover, the day's arrangement pre-
cludes even riding and shooting, and the free Saturday
afternoon does not exist. The cause of the long siesta
comes from the French habit of eatingnothing for break-
fast, which necessitates a big midday meal, after which
in a ho.t climate one is indisposed for immediate work.
Directly after dinner on our second evening in
Saigon we started to explore Cholen, the Chinese
quarter of the town. As we approached it the streets
began to get more and more crowded, and when we
stepped out of the carriage into one of the central
squares the mass of hurrying pedestrians was quite a
wonderful sight. In Cholen, as in Canton and other
Chinese cities, there is but little change between day
28 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
and night ; work goes on almost without intermission.
At the moment of our arrival every Chinese merchant
was in the act of establishing a table or booth outside
his shop, and as he called out his wares and rattled
his drum there never seemed any lack of customers.
An ever-flowing stream of Chinese advanced in either
direction, the fat and comfortable-looking " Hausfrau "
with her basket, into which she popped one disgusting-
looking tart or sausage after another, the ragged
coolie still covered with the paddy husks in which he
had been working, or sometimes a whole Chinese
family — father and mother and five or six very young
children. In the case of numerous families like these,
the two youngest were carried by the parents, while
the others clung to their flowing tunics or wide
trousers, and were continually tumbled over by other
passers-by as they were dragged along. Then there
were occasionally rich mandarins walking along singly
or in groups, who simply glanced here and there at
the booths but never stopped to buy anything. Their
gorgeous tunics and silk trousers, their red-tasselled
satin toques, their richly ornamented slippers and long
well-groomed pigtails, often interwoven with a silken
cord, mark them as a distinct class, far removed from
their poorer compatriots. They move too in a leisurely
manner, in striking contrast to the busy rushing crowd.
There was very little bargaining round the booths,
the main object apparently being to "get on," and not
a minute was lost in useless chatter. The streets
were by no means silent however, for a continual low
hum was distinguishable beneath the shouts of the
salesmen. The Chinese are by nature great bargainers,
FRENCH INDO-CHINA 29
but in a foreign country they seem to practise their
skill in this respect on the natives rather than on
their own fellow-countrymen, who have come there
with the same aim as themselves. The hope of all is
to gain enough to return to their Fatherland and to
pass their last days in comfort.
The booths were illuminated by globe-covered
candles and Chinese lamps, on the chimneys of which
little papers were fixed to protect the flame from the
gusts of wind. This rather feeble light was improved
by the big isinglass lanterns swinging over the shop
doors. Most pedestrians carried a similar small one
in their hands.
The stalls were chiefly laid out with articles for
human consumption. We should have been ignorant
of their nature, had not undeniable proof been fur-
nished by the way the purchases were tried and tasted
on the spot, and by the eager eyes and pleading
whispers of the children as they pointed to some
highly coloured dainty. There were heads of rabbits,
feet of chickens, big jars of fruit in rainbow-tinted
syrup, vegetables which were touched and examined
by every passer-by, dog-meat sausages, and other
obnoxious-looking things hanging from strings just
above the table, about which I thought it safer to ask
no questions. It was impossible to see whether they
were animal, vegetable, or mineral. The smells at
some of these tables, moreover, were most unpleasant.
Cakes, jellies, and patties were also abundant, but in
spite of the large choice I could not conquer my
repugnance sufficiently to bring myself to purchase
anything. The Chinese, however, evidently had no
30 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
such reluctance again and again, as fast as the owner
of a stall could replenish the dish from the store under
the table, the contents were seized and devoured. At
last I thought I really had made a discovery of some-
thing fairly safe to eat — some pancakes turned out
before my eyes and untouched by dirty hands ; before
venturing to taste one, however, I cautiously peeped
inside the bowl from which the mixture was taken —
ugh ! the sight of some of the ingredients made me
quickly change my mind.
Walking along the roads soon tired us, so difficult
was it to avoid being jostled against the moving
crowd, one and all of whom seemed bent on some
purpose which admitted no delay. And space was
limited, for the streets were more than half taken up
with stalls and barrows. Yet by comparison with the
narrow tortuous alleys of Canton, which I have seen
since, Cholen comes back to me as a well-ordered,
hygienic, Chinese centre. In the former town it is
impossible to go in a rickshaw, as the streets are
barely a yard and a half wide; even in a chair the
difficulties are great, for, in spite of all the yells of the
bearers, many a passer-by carrying a heavy load has
a narrow escape of a fall in an unavoidable collision.
The abominable stinks rising from the pools of
stagnant water, the lack of light and air caused by the
roofs almost meeting overhead, as well as the much
denser crowd, make a stroll on foot such as we were
taking in Cholen quite out of the question.
When tired of walking we went into the Chinese
theatre. We had no interpreter, so could not gather
up the threads of the story, but were told that it was
FRENCH INDO-CHINA 31
the third day of the piece, and that the final scene
was eagerly expected.
By the time we once more found ourselves in the
street it was nearly midnight, but notwithstanding the
hour we made a hurried visit to a hardwood furniture
and silk shop. I found it difficult to admire the
famous furniture : it was too dark, solid, and heavy ;
even with cushions one could hardly imagine oneself
comfortable in such chairs, There was no display of
silk, and it needed persuasion before a merchant would
divest each roll of its paper wrappings and spread it out.
Chinese often seem to dislike parting with their wares
— at any rate they show them off most reluctantly ;
how different from our European salesmen, who dis-
play goods of every shade and colour, both to tempt
you and help you in your choice !
After a lovely drive back to Saigon, the cool night
air fanning our faces, we reached the local steamer,
which was due to sail in half an hour. Though we
were tired out we decided to sit on deck till we should
have started, for we were loath to shut ourselves up in
a cabin. After the bustle and clamour of Cholen, the
calm of the starry night, the noiseless movements of
the broad river, were most welcome. Near by the
outline of the quays could be distinguished by the
electric globes, and farther up the river little lights
shot out from the port-holes of a warship, making it
look like some fiery monster. The sampans, so active
in the day, were now tied together in even lines here
and there against the banks. Some of them still had
their fires alight, and occasionally we perceived a
native, lantern in hand, walking across the attrap
32 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
roofs of the sampans, jumping lightly from one to the
other till his own was reached. Not a breath in the
air, all Nature seemed wrapped in meditation, and
only from time to time the plaintive notes of a belated
Annamese, whose boat drifted slowly down the stream,
broke the stillness of the night.
CHAPTER II
LIFE IN AN ANNAMESE FISHING VILLAGE
Miseries of a coast steamer : An ungraceful landing :
Nhatrang : The native village : Fishing tactics : Our
new home : Choosing native servants : Beginning of
domestic worries : Fight with insects, damp, mould,
native habits, &c. : Catering of native cook : The mar-
ket : My neighbour's pigeons : Cooking practices : Daily
routine
As the steamer pushed off from the quay at Saigon
we left our quiet nook on the upper deck, more than
ready for a good night's rest. Slumber, however, was
not so easily gained. Before we attempted to undress
we spent a good hour chasing mosquitoes. The boat
was unprovided with mosquito curtains, and, having
been anchored in the Saigon River three days, she was
swarming with these torments. The cabins, unlike those
on the luxurious Salazie, were small and stuffy, and
there was no electric fan. My husband thoughtfully
hoisted two trunks on to my berth, and my mattress
on the top of them, so that, being on a level with the
port-hole, I should get more air. That my feet were
then raised higher than my head was a trifling matter ;
but it certainly was disappointing to find so little
benefit from the new arrangement, for scarcely a breath
came in from the port-hole after all, and my pillow was
33 c
34 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
soon wet with the perspiration running from my face
and hair. The mosquitoes having collected again, it
was necessary to keep one's arms under the sheet —
such a detail may seem of no account, but it is real
agony to anybody encountering great heat for the first
time. Having put cotton-wool in my ears to deaden,
if possible, the vibration of the engines and the noise
of the steering-chain, we settled down to rest. No
sooner, however, were the lights put out than I heard
a strange scratching noise on my pillow quite close to
my face. We turned on the electric light a.gain, and
saw a huge black-brown beetle about the size of my
thumb. With a shriek, I had tumbled off berth, boxes,
and all on to the floor. A hunt was instigated, and
we discovered not one but many more. The creatures,
besides being repulsive, were very agile ; they ran up
the curtains and into impossible cracks under the bed,
evading time after time our well-aimed blows, We
had armed ourselves with slippers, but it was not often
we succeeded in squashing our prey. For my part, I
preferred missing, for the sight of the white oozy mass of
the flatten ed-out creature on the sole of my slipper was
so disgusting. We soon found that as soon as one was
despatched another appeared, and that we were
engaged on an endless task.
It seems a silly thing for a woman to have to
confess, but so overwrought was I with fatigue,
heat, want of sleep, noise, and these obnoxious
insects, that I lay down and indulged in a thorough
good cry like a child. This somewhat relieved
my feelings, and at last I fell asleep. No — not
quite though, — for just as kind drowsiness was making
FISHING EXPERTS
FISHI11 G-EOATS IN 'HIE K1VER
BRINGING THE NETS TO LAND
A NOVEL MODE OK KISHING
AN ANNAMESE FISHING VILLAGE 35
me forget all my miseries, I was roused by a new noise
above my head — chairs were apparently being hurled
about the deck — and received a douche of cold dirty
water, with which I discovered the sailors were swab-
bing down the deck. I called out to my husband, but
he was already asleep, and I had not the heart to wake
him. In spite of damp and dirt, therefore, I lay still,
feeling quite unable to do anything for myself. Per-
haps it was as well, for my damp clothes must have
refreshed me ; for at any rate, in spite of the extra
noise, I fell sound asleep at last.
Our steamer was almost as unpleasant by day as by
night, the accommodation being so small ; one bath-
room had to serve for the ladies, we were packed
like sardines for meals, and there was no room to walk
up and down on the deck outside.
We decided to spend the next night on deck instead
of in our cabin, so soon after dinner we fetched our
mattresses and installed them in a corner where there
was little noise and a good breeze. We slept soundly
and felt entirely refreshed when we woke up after nine
hours of oblivion.
It was about five o'clock when I raised myself and
gazed around. A most glorious scene lay before me.
I have never forgotten the enchantment of that
awakening, the delight with which I realised that this
was the environment of our future home. We had
left the flat country of Saigon ; high hills and mountains
rose on all sides, for the most part covered with dense
forest. These looked dark and gloomy against the
bright green grass, and stories of Annam's tigers and
the mysteries of the jungle rushed to my mind. No
36 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
trace of humanity was visible ; the mountains stretched
for miles and miles inland, one chain behind the other
as far as the eye could see. The sun being still on
the horizon, there were long dark shadows across the
slopes, and the light had not lost the softness of the
first hours of the day. The glare which mixes all the
tints of green, blue, and purple into one hard tone was
not yet apparent. What excursions might we not
make into those silent woods ! Surely the discovery
of new treasures and fresh delights awaited us ! Alto-
gether ignorant of the difficulties of tropical jungle, I
imagined exploration could be carried on along shady
paths, with beautiful flowers and grassy spots on either
hand, such as one finds in English forests.
The water of the little bay which we were now
entering danced and sparkled in the first rays of
morning light ; the reflections, instead of being trying,
as they would be later on in the day, had the warm
azure blue tones of the Mediterranean. To our right
was a large hilly island, the " He de TreV' which pro-
tected the bay from the storms of the ocean; round
about it were many other little green islets, which
broke the monotony of the long line of sea horizon.
While I was still gazing enraptured at this scene, a
rolling, clanking sound warned us that the anchor was
being dropped ; at the same moment my husband
came on deck. He was as pleased as I was at the
outlook, but the hard work entailed by packing had
kept him all this time too hot and busy to enjoy it.
I gave him my place and ran down to dress and do
my share of packing. The last half-hour before
leaving a ship for good is not pleasant to remember.
AN ANNAMESE FISHING VILLAGE 37
You cannot pack your trunk while it is under the berth,
because there is no space to open the lid ; to pull it
half-way out is no better ; to pull it right out leaves
you no room to stand ; the small size of the cabin and
the weight of the trunk make it very difficult to lift
bodily on to the berth. Your conscience will not allow
you to leave your things behind or push them through
the port-hole, as you are tempted to do in the intoler-
able heat and aggravation of the moment.
By the time I got into the fresh air again our
luggage had been hauled up on deck and was ready
for landing. A boat was coming towards the ship
from the little yellow beach, and we now faintly per-
ceived, with the aid of glasses, a series of low huts
like ant-hills, apparently built on the very edge of
the sea.
No natives in sampans surrounded us, trying to sell
their fruit, eggs, and fish to passengers or crew, as is
generally the case when a mailboat anchors in port.
No women came screaming and gabbling to the ship's
ladder with offers to take us ashore, All was as silent
as in the open sea. On this particular occasion we
were the only passengers to land.
Soon the boat we had seen approaching came along-
side, and M. Schein, the veterinary surgeon of the
Pasteur Institute, introduced himself to us. Our lug-
gage was let down into a junk to go to Nhatrang by
sea, and we accompanied M. Schein to Cua-Be, from
whence we should have a five-mile drive to our desti-
nation.
Cua-Be does not even boast of the few planks which
act as a landing-stage in most fishing villages along
38 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
the coast, and to get ashore we had to be carried on
the backs of natives through the breakers. I was
seized hold of by a man not much more than half my
size or weight, and though he bore me with ease, I was
very thankful to find myself once more on firm ground
without having broken his back or taken an involuntary
bath.
As we struggled up the beach, sinking at every step
into the now burning sand, all the village came out to
watch us. From the low colourless huts proceeded
grave, wrinkled old men, women with open eyes and
mouths, and numbers of little naked children. Boys
as well as girls, over the age of seven, carried, as a rule,
a still younger brother or sister, not in their arms, but
on one hip. These wee mites had often to contort
themselves to one side in order to make their hips
large enough to seat the baby, who was frequently not
much smaller than his nurse.
The village appeared much less well-to-do than the
majority of those round Saigon. The squalid homes,
the sores and ophthalmia of the natives, were a proof of
misery and poverty, though their spirits did not seem
much affected by their deplorable condition.
The crowd did not venture too close at first, but
when I held out my bag, twenty pairs of small
hands were eagerly stretched forward, and it was carried
in triumph up the beach. Soon all our belongings
were seized, the very umbrella that protected me from
the sun was snatched from me. The children were
delighted with this new employment, and even those
who were nearly blind screwed up their eyes and
danced round as happily as the rest. But it was
AN ANNAMESE FISHING VILLAGE 39
pathetic to see them, and to realise the terrible results
of ignorance.
Two American cradle-carts were awaiting us at the
top of the beach. This type of cart is the most useful
for Annam, where the roads are often rough and little
better than bullock-tracks. The carts are suspended
on chains, so that instead of being jolted over every
stone or rut, you are simply rocked from side to side.
Their light weight enables the native ponies to drag
them through long tracts, where the wheels sink deep
into the mud or sand, and over plank and branch
bridges which would scarcely bear a heavier vehicle.
It is true that one never feels very safe in a cradle-
cart, and I found it difficult to mount to the swinging
platform and take my place firmly on the narrow seat.
The ponies behaved no better than at Saigon, and
before we reached Nhatrang I had discovered many of
their tricks.
Nhatrang (the white house) is a fishing village of
about three thousand inhabitants. It is the European
capital of the Province of Khanhoa, but the white
colony does not number more than twenty or thirty
persons. Besides the Resident and provincial officials,
the staff of the Pasteur Institute, and two or three
colonists, there are few permanent residents. The fort-
nightly mail service brings a good many Europeans
through the village, who stay a day or two before start-
ing for the interior — Government surveyors, agents of
the Public Works Department and of the Customs, &c.
There was little or no accommodation for travellers
when we "arrived at Nhatrang, the " Hotel and Res-
taurant," a broken-down bungalow kept by a Chinese,
40 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
offering no attractions beyond the words on the
board.
Nhatrang is situated at the opening of a valley ;
the land and sea breezes are permanent, rand cool
the atmosphere even when the temperature is high.
Good drinking-water is obtainable from wells, as
it filters through successive layers of sand. So
comparatively healthy is this spot, that my husband
never yet attended a case of malaria or dysentery
among the Europeans who remain constantly at the
post. Those, however, who are obliged to go inland,
even for a short time, often return suffering from one
or the other, sometimes from both. The healthy
condition of Nhatrang is due in great measure to the
segregation of whites and natives ; the importance of
this hygienic rule can never be too greatly emphasised
in a tropical climate.
The Europeans have built their bungalows along
the shore, quite close to the sea, while the natives
occupy the right bank of the river for a quarter of
a mile inland and a strip of land between the sea
and river. This strip of land forms a natural jetty
and is a site much envied by the fishermen. But
though it may be favourable for their trade, it is not
so for permanent residence, for while the area of
terra firmd varies, the population is ever increasing.
Just at the present time this jetty is about half a
kilometre long, twenty metres wide, and nevertheless
contains over five hundred inhabitants. During the
high tides of October and November, the sea often
washes right over the ridge into the river, and many
huts are carried away. This never deters the owners
AN ANNAMESE FISHING VILLAGE 41
from rebuilding ; they simply crowd into the huts left
standing, and, as soon as the tides subside, start re-
building on the old spot. The jetty runs to a point
where the river joins the sea. Here there is a ferry,
and numbers of natives, mostly women with their
goods for the different markets, are continually being
rowed to and fro at any time between sunrise and sun-
set. It is amusing to watch the boat coming to land.
The women squat at the bottom of the sampan, and
only a jumble of hats and baskets is to be seen. As
they lift their trousers and step gingerly into the water,
they look hot after their efforts to extricate themselves
and their goods. Half a dozen more women than the
boat will really hold usually squash themselves in at the
last moment before the start, in spite of the ferryman's
feeble protest, which they drown in a storm of abuse.
How can one poor man control so many women,
especially women who have such shrill voices and
extensive vocabularies as the Annamese ? All natives,
both men and women, can swim, so that, although
there may be many an unpremeditated bath, there is
seldom any fatal accident. But woe to the ferryman
who, by upsetting his boat, is the cause of their losing
an orange or a few handfuls of rice !
The sandbank swarms with children ; dozens of little
naked forms may always be seen lying at the edge of
the water, or swimming and splashing in the warm
sea.
The village displays its greatest animation in the
early afternoon, when the fishing-boats come home,
Profiting by the land breeze which blows in the even-
ing, the fishermen sail out to sea ; they fish all night
42 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
with torches and nets, returning the next day by
means of the sea breeze. There is always a plentiful
supply of fish. As soon as the boats ground
they are besieged by a chattering crowd of women,
who wade into the water, and baskets upon baskets
are rapidly rilled and carried away. It is not a rare
thing for a shark to be caught in the fishing-nets,
which is considered a great prize. It is dragged on to
the sand, and a woman is chosen with some ceremony
to cut up the carcass. She wields her long knife dex-
terously, delivering each slashing stroke with a
precision which shows she is accustomed to the work.
No sooner is the monster divided, than the various
pieces are seized by the women standing round, and
placed with other choice morsels in their baskets.
Most of the fish is conveyed inland, a great quantity
to the Citadel, which is the Annamese capital and the
residence of the great mandarins of the Province.
Both men and women act as bearers to this populous
native centre. They tear along the road at a pace
which appears extraordinary when one considers it is
maintained over a distance of twelve kilometres. They
never pause, never turn round, and we, even when
driving, have much ado to keep up with them for any
length of time.
But I have not yet described to you our entrance
into the European quarter of Nhatrang or into our
own little bungalow, which was henceforth to become
our home for two years and more. From afar we had
recognised the Pasteur Institute — a prominent land-
mark, for it is the only two-storied building besides
the Post Office and Dr. Yersin's house. Five
AN ANNAMESE FISHING VILLAGE 43
minutes' drive from the Institute brought us in
front of the little bungalow. It was small, but this
was more than made up for by its beautiful situation
on the sea-shore. We were unable to persuade our
pony to go through our gateway, so we alighted on
the road, crossed the garden and mounted the half-
dozen cement-covered steps on to the verandah.
The house was of brick with a red-tiled roof. It
consisted of three fair-sized rooms provided with a
large door in the centre of each wall, which took the
place of windows. A dressing-room at one end and
two tiny closets -for refrigerator, provisions and
groceries at the other, completed the building. The
whitewashed walls and white cement floors gave the
house a very clean, if monotonous appearance, but a
touch of colour was lent by the doors, which were
painted light green. The verandah round the house,
with the low, slanting roof, protected the rooms from
sun and rain, and enabled us to keep the doors con-
tinually open. My experience soon taught me to
choose as the most comfortable seat in the house, that
between opposite doors, for the perpetual draught
kept one comparatively cool. Ours is the typical
European dwelling of Indo-China, and is very suitable
for a tropical climate.
The kitchen, stables, and servants' quarters are
built away from the house, a few yards from the side
entrance ; this is for many reasons a convenient
arrangement ; all the doors being of necessity open,
the sound of servants chattering would otherwise be
a continual source of annoyance, and we were also
spared the smoke and heat of the kitchen.
44 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
The first few weeks were so taken up with insect
troubles, and the harm done to all our worldly posses-
sions by a hot damp climate, that I did not notice the
deficiencies of my native servants. Before we had
been in the house two days, ants ran riot in my sugar,
cakes, and in fact all my eatables ; and a week had
not passed before I found moths and cockroaches in
the cupboards among our clothes, a scorpion in our
bedroom, not to mention the common pests of mos-
quitoes and flies. I took my husband's advice and
set the four legs of our sideboard in tins of vinegar,
which prevents ants ascending them, but this did not
prevent the advance of thousands in a few seconds if
a little sugar happened to be spilt on the floor. Much
of my time was spent in following these ant-trails from
room to room in search of the object which had
attracted them ; if not sugar, it was some dead insect,
a beetle under the cupboard, or a fly in some crack in
the wall. The advantage of the whitewashed walls,
which enabled us to see our enemies so quickly, was
immediately apparent.
To prevent an inroad from snakes, we found it
necessary to transplant the bushes which grew too
close to the house, for they served as a hiding-place
for these reptiles. This measure was also very effec-
tive to keep out the scorpions. The damage done by
moths and cockroaches was minimised by packing up
all clothes not in use in tin-lined cases. I was
obliged to paste paper round the openings and over the
keyholes, or a small cockroach would assuredly intro-
duce itself, and when next I went to take out my best
dress, it would be one mass of holes and stains, the
AN ANNAMESE FISHING VILLAGE 45
creature having laid its eggs in all the most con-
spicuous places. The clothes in use have to be laid
out in the sun at least once a fortnight, and books
frequently wiped and shaken if their bindings are not
to be irremediably spoiled.
The greatest improvement we made was to protect
our bed- and dressing-rooms by placing wire gauze
across windows and doors. We were thus enabled
to dress and undress without being continually bitten
by mosquitoes. It had this further great advantage,
that we could sleep at night and lie down in the after-
noon without the need of a stifling mosquito curtain.
Meantime the difficulties with my servants were
increasing. When we had first entered the house, we
had been greeted by five natives. All had simultane-
ously gone down on their knees, placed the palms of
their hands on the floor, touched the ground with
their foreheads, stood upright again, and then repeated
the same movements again and again. I was rather
taken aback, but my husband told me that this was
the ordinary salutation to a European or a mandarin
of high rank. They were cooks, "boys," gardeners,
&c., who had heard of our arrival and wanted to place
themselves in our service. At first I had taken them
for young lads, then for women, and could hardly
believe they were grown men with wives and families.
They were dressed in short white cotton jackets and
trousers, as are all natives in European service.
Their soft eyes and submissive appearance inspired
me with the hope that they might prove easy to
manage, in spite of their sex. But I found I was
mistaken !
46 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
We chose out three, one as cook, another as boy,
and a third as gardener ; with a native soldier who
was to act as orderly to my husband, we thought we
should have sufficient. When there are too many, the
result is that the " boy " hands over all his household
work to some under-boy, while he sleeps or gambles,
and that the dinner is cooked by some little scrap of a
fellow merely engaged to run messages. Though my
knowledge of housekeeping was small, I nevertheless
felt confident of my capabilities and started my duties
with a light heart.
The first shock came when I discovered that all the
glass, tea and kitchen cloths that I had given them
from my nice new stock of household linen were
destroyed or in rags at the end of the first month.
The glass-cloth had been used for polishing boots, a
duster acted as turban on the head of my boy (this did
not prevent its being used for drying plates), and
many had been lost or sold. After that experience I
trusted each boy with two cloths only, which had to
be washed and shown to me clean every morning. I
prevented them from letting dirty buckets down into
the well from which our drinking water came, by
providing a pump and covering the well, but there
were some things one could not foresee and many a
surprise awaited me. If only I could have made them
understand me things might have been easier, but
I was quite incapable of turning my classic French
into the slangy language which was the only sort of
French they knew. Sometimes I felt desperate at
what I could not help considering their stupidity, but
fortunately the comic side of it all appealed to me
AN ANNAMESE FISHING VILLAGE 47
irresistibly, or with the heat and aggravation I really
think I should have gone off my head.
My cook was the cause of my greatest worries.
For instance, I found that my provisions from
England disappeared extremely fast ; being put
on my guard, I noticed that when I gave him out
groceries from my pantry in the morning, he contrived
to unlatch the window on the inside, and no sooner
had I carefully locked the door, than he as carefully
climbed in by the unlatched window. Every day it was
necessary to give out in small instalments the coal,
sugar, &c., wanted for the different meals, or I was
most audaciously robbed.
My cook went to market every day, but instead of
paying him for what he bought there, we found it
better to give him seven shillings a week and demand
three courses for lunch and the same for dinner. This
plan succeeded admirably, and from that moment I
never attempted to order our meals. The cook soon
found out our tastes, and I was saved a good deal of
trouble. Of the seven shillings we gave him, he
probably made a profit of half, for all the market
produce was ridiculously cheap. Soles in season cost
twopence each, a dozen eggs threepence, a big bunch
of bananas a penny, a fowl sevenpence. Besides
that, my cook hit upon many devices for supplementing
what I gave him. One day a lady, a neighbour of
ours, came to see me in great distress, saying that,
while she and her husband had been away, nearly all
her pet pigeons had disappeared. She had left twenty-
two, and only three were there to greet her on her
return. As she spoke, I remembered that pigeons had
48 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
frequently appeared on our table of late, and was
guiltily convinced of their fate ! In a later conversation
with this lady, she happened to mention her menu of
the evening before. It was, to my astonishment, the
same as my own, and on comparing notes we dis-
covered that for some time past one of our cooks had
operated for both households, while the other took a
holiday ! This, however, was a less tragic event than
the disappearance of the pigeons, as neither of us had
really suffered by the arrangement.
I tried to train my servants in good habits and
to teach them to do things in European fashion,
but it was very often a case of running my head
against a brick wall. They could never be persuaded,
for example, to wash up the crockery on the table in
preference to under it, or to clean the silver and mend
the linen any where but on the floor. A nice new table
offered them no attractions except occasionally to sleep
on. Their manner of ironing the linen scarcely bears
relation. Their custom was to fill their mouths with
water, and squirt it over all the parts that were too
dry. A bowl of water, with a leaf as sprinkler,
which I suggested instead, and indeed put ready for
them, they would utterly disdain. An Annamese was
never yet known to use a mechanical contrivance when
he could do without it. He will draw a cork out of a
bottle with his teeth rather than take a corkscrew, or
put coal on the fire with his hands in preference to a
shovel. In places such as these, where no carpenter
or plumber is available, these primitive methods are
often convenient, but sometimes the mania for them
exceeds all bounds. One day I happened to go into
AN ANNAMESE FISHING VILLAGE 49
the kitchen and surprised my cook forming his rissoles
by rubbing them up and down his bare body with the
palms of his hands ! Even when he saw me, he con-
tinued his work with the utmost complacency. Need-
less to say, rissoles were omitted from our menu from
that day forth. I had no appetite for several days, for
I did not know what similar methods might not be
practised. I had already heard of a worse discovery
being made about another cook. He had iced some
cakes, ornamenting them so artistically that his
mistress asked him how he had managed it. With
a smile at the compliment, he raised his hand and
pointed to his mouth, at the same time bending his
head and making a hissing sound through his teeth !
It was moreover rather annoying to have a cook
who would sometimes completely disappear, either for
one day or even for two or three. And when, as
occasionally happened, people dropped in to some
meal during his absence, my consternation may be
imagined !
However, most of these troubles occurred during
our first six months in the country ; before the end of
that time, I had changed all my servants and engaged
others, who were better trained and whom we still
have with us.
One day was spent in much the same fashion as
another at Nhatrang, varied only by surprises and
shocks such as I have suggested, which prevented
monotony. We used to get up at 6 A.M. and bathe in
the sea before the sun was too hot. With the water
warm, the atmosphere cool at this hour, it is one of the
delightful experiences of the Tropics ; very different
So ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
from that of a bathe on a fashionable crowded beach.
To wait an hour for a bathing-machine, to enter into a
dirty, stuffy, uncomfortable compartment, to shiver for
ten minutes in icy water, to dress under impossible
circumstances, to feel cold, sticky and wretched for
several hours afterwards, is an enjoyment difficult to
appreciate, having once tried sea-bathing in a hot
climate. Sharks only lend the necessary spice of
excitement.
After breakfast, I often used to accompany my
husband on his ride or drive to see some patient in the
neighbourhood. At 8 A.M. he went to the Pasteur
Institute, and I gardened, sewed, &c., till we met
again at 12 for lunch. At about 5 P.M. my husband
was home for good, and we went out driving, shooting,
or boating on sea or river. Happily we had plenty of
forms of exercise, for there was little society and we
had to depend upon ourselves for our own amusements.
Hobbies, moreover, soon sprang up, of which the chief
were photography and collecting, but both required
much patience under adverse circumstances. To
illustrate : You go into a terrifically hot dark room,
you are devoured by mosquitoes, you have a difficulty
to obtain sufficient running water, your ice melts too
quickly and drowns your developer, and you return to
light and air only to find that drops of perspiration
from your forehead have fallen into the middle of your
best plates. Worse still, the gelatine has sometimes
dissolved, leaving the plates clean transparent pieces
of glass. On such occasions, great self-control is
necessary.
In spite of the difficulties of making a collection,
AN ANNAMESE FISHING VILLAGE 51
we were able to enrich the Museum by two pheasants,
and with other new birds and mammals, which show
that our efforts in this direction have not been entirely
without result ; yet, here again, we have had dis-
appointments enough to damp the ardour of any
amateur.* A native engaged to shoot a certain
mammal goes off with the gun, and we see him no
more ; another entrusted to prepare a porcupine, steals
half the quills, or throws away the skull. . . . One
day my husband brought back some much-prized bird
at the end of a long and hot day's shooting ; after a
bath and a change he called for it in order to skin it :
it was brought to him — plucked ! The cook had pre-
pared it for our dinner together with the snipe and
quails !
* These are the new species determined up till now, the speci-
mens of which are at the Natural History Museum of London :
1 . Birds :
Dryonastes vassali, Ogilvie Grant.
Cissa gabriellce, Ogilvie Grant.
Gennceus annamensis, Ogilvie Grant.
Crocopus annamensis, Ogilvie Grant.
2. Mammals :
Hylobates gabriellae, Oldfield Thomas. (Gibbon.)
Presbytis margarita, Elliot. (Monkey.)
Nycticebus pygmceus, Bonhote. (Lemur.)
Tupoia concolor, Bonhote. (Tree- shrew.)
Sciurus leucopus vassali, Bonhote. (Squirrel.)
Funambulus rufigenis fuscus, Bonhote. (Squirrel.)
Lepus vassali, Oldfield Thomas. (Hare.)
Annals and Magazine of Natural History.
CHAPTER III
A TROPICAL PASTEUR INSTITUTE
Influence of Pasteur's discoveries on tropical medicine :
The origin of research work : One of Pasteur's pupils :
Yersin's discovef^ of the plague bacillus : His search for
a site and foundation of the present Institute : Its work
and organisation : Suoigiau : A rubber plantation :
Mosquitoes and malaria : The Institute's cattle : Natives'
distrust of European doctor : A shark's victim : Diffi-
culties in treatment of native patients : Escape of a one-
legged man : Expressions of gratitude after recovery : A
thanksgiving ceremony : Trials of research work in the
Tropics
THE name of Pasteur is connected in the minds of
many people solely with the terrible disease of hydro-
phobia, and Pasteur Institutes with its treatment.
It is true that the discovery of a cure for rabies
was one of Pasteur's greatest triumphs, and by it
he has saved thousands of people from a most horrible
death. Yet neither this, nor the arrest of the silkworm
disease, nor the cure of anthrax by vaccination, are his
only credentials to fame. He was above all the
pioneer of research work, and the marvellous results
now obtained from the study of microbes are due almost
entirely to him. The investigations which he began
alone are now being carried on by all nations in all
countries. Lister, Bruce,- Laveran, and Ross, whose
52
DOCTOR YERSIN'S HOUSE
THE VERANDAH OF THK PASTKUR INSTITUTE
A TROPICAL PASTEUR INSTITUTE 53
names will always be connected respectively with
the antiseptic treatment of wounds, sleeping sick-
ness, malaria — these men and numbers of others
acknowledge that their discoveries were stimulated
by Pasteur's example.
To these famous names should be added that of
Dr. Yersin, now director of the Pasteur Institute of
Nhatrang, who was one of Pasteur's first pupils. After
studying under the great master for some years at the
Pasteur Institute in Paris, he left for the East. While
in Tonking the terrible plague epidemic of 1894 broke
out in Hongkong and Canton. He obtained permission
from the French Government to go there and arrived
when the plague had already claimed thousands of
victims among the Chinese.
Dr. Yersin was allowed to establish a small
laboratory in a hut within the precincts of the
hospital, and in the very midst of plague infection
he set to work. The first thing that struck him when
visiting the wretched overcrowded huts of the natives
was the number of dead rats. He was told that this
rat mortality was a well-known forerunner of plague.
Yersin at once examined their blood under the
microscope and found that their disease was the
same as that of the natives. In the bubonic tumours
— the great characteristic of plague — he discovered
immense numbers of an unknown bacillus. This he
succeeded in cultivating. Healthy rats and mice were
inoculated with this culture ; they rapidly showed
typical plague symptoms and died. The bacillus of
plague was discovered.
Yersin had no sooner obtained this result than he
54 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
began to search for the probable medium of infection
between rat and man. Ultimately he found that the
infection was carried by fleas, of which there was an
abundance owing to the hot climate and the filthy
dwellings of the natives.
Now famous, he asked for funds to establish an
Institute in French Indo-China, where he might not
only prepare the anti-plague serum, but continue his
other bacteriological work. He was convinced that
there was a vast field open to research in the Tropics,
and that the study of microbes would lead to greater
results here than in Europe. His request granted, he
began to look out for a favourable site.
Annam is a narrow band of territory forming the
eastern boundary of Indo-China. It is almost entirely
made up of the eastern slope of the " Annamitic
Chain " which runs right through the colony from
north to south. Yersin had been one of the first ex-
plorers of the interior, and though he had discovered
the Langbian Plateau, which was favourable in many
respects, he deemed it too much cut off from civilisa-
tion till roads were made. He was obliged, therefore,
to confine himself to the plain. He might have joined
forces with Dr. Calmette, who had established a
laboratory at Saigon, but he realised that horses and
cattle, of which he would need a great quantity, would
be dearer to buy and to keep in a town.
This scientist therefore determined to settle in one
of the little villages along the coast, opposite one of the
beautiful sheltered bays of which Annam can justly
boast. Nhatrang answered his requirements. It was
a small village, healthy for Europeans, with plenty of
A TROPICAL PASTEUR INSTITUTE 55
cattle and horses, pasturage easily obtainable a short
distance inland, and with the mail-boats north and
south calling once a fortnight.
When we arrived there in 1904, the new permanent
building of the Institute was just finished. The first
story was devoted to the laboratories of Dr. Yersin,
my husband, and the veterinary surgeon, the ground
floor to the accountant's study and all the rooms for
weighing, bleeding, and treating of cattle. Close by
were the different sheds for the ice machine, photo-
graphy, and for the storing of serum ; also the cages
for the monkeys, guinea-pigs, and rats, and the stables
for the horses and cows used by the staff. Farther
away were those for animals under treatment. The
manufacture of anti-plague and anti-rinderpest serum
requires a far greater number of animals than can be
kept at Nhatrang, where, the soil being sandy, all
the forage for the animals has to be cut and brought
by coolies from some distance off morning and evening.
Large reserves are therefore kept in the He de Tre
and at Suoigiau, a spot fifteen miles inland, where
grass is plentiful.
Suoigiau (or, as it is called on maps, " Concession
Yersin ") is a large grant of land given to Dr. Yersin
by the colony on condition that it should be cultivated.
Yersin first grew tobacco, then coffee, later coca for
cocaine, and, although the results of each of these
plantations were very successful, all have now been
given up for the cultivation of rubber-trees (Hevea
bresilensis). They have already begun to yield, and
the plantation produces more than a ton of rubber a year,
and provides an income of about ,£500 for the Institute,
56 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
There are two Europeans living at this plantation,
M. Pernin, who is in charge of the cattle and horses,
and M. Vernet, a chemist who superintends the
cultivation of the rubber-trees. The house of the
latter is fitted up with large laboratories containing all
the newest appliances for the production and prepara-
tion of rubber.
Dr. Yersin, by these successive experiments, has
given undeniable proofs of the varied capacity of the
Annamese soil and climate. He has endowed the
colony with new industries.
Unlike Nhatrang, Suoigiau is extremely unhealthy ;
its reputation even among the Annamese is such, that
the chief difficulty of the plantation is a lack of coolies.
The whites suffered as much as the natives until three
years ago, when the two Europeans on the Institute
staff completely protected their houses with wire gauze.
The effect of this measure was immediate ; since then,
neither they nor their wives have had fever, though the
mortality among the natives remains the same as
before.
It is now almost universally acknowledged that
malarial fever is given by mosquitoes. There are
different species more or less dangerous, but the most
common in this district belong to the genus Anophelince,
which are the worst kind. All mosquitoes require
water in which to lay their eggs, and as they never fly
a long distance, an absence of water means an absence
of mosquitoes. It is very difficult in general to get rid
of all water, but the situation of the Europeans at
Nhatrang along the sea-shore, where there is a sandy
soil, little vegetation, and no ponds or fresh water in
A TROPICAL PASTEUR INSTITUTE 57
the near neighbourhood, should enable them to be
entirely free. Great care must nevertheless be
exercised, for an uncovered well, a tank of water-
cress, or even the earthenware basin under a flower-
pot, is sufficient breeding-ground for any number of
mosquitoes. At Suoigiau all such precautions are use-
less; the surrounding rice-fields are continually filled
with water, and the luxuriant vegetation makes the use
of petroleum or of any system of draining impracticable.
Other means of protection against mosquitoes must be
found.
The Anopheles, as a rule, only come out after dark,
so all that is necessary is to avoid being bitten after
that hour. Still one can hardly expect a man to have
dinner at 5 P.M. and to be in bed under a mosquito
curtain at 6 all the year round. Therefore the only
reasonable solution is to have the whole house protected
by wire gauze. It is astonishing that people do not
adopt this system more frequently ; the through
draught is not diminished, the irritation from bites is
avoided, and above all, it is the only way of being
preserved from the worst disease of the tropics.
The cattle are transferred to Nhatrang and back
again as they are wanted for the different laboratory
purposes. Those for the serum can only be used for
a few months at a time ; they must then go back
to be fattened up again. The cattle which provide
milk for the staff have also to be changed frequently,
as native cows give very little milk after their calves
are three months old, and even during that time not
more than a pint a day. It is difficult to obtain
that. The Annamese neither drink milk themselves
58 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
nor give it to their children, and have therefore to be
taught the art of milking. They do not think it
necessary to put the milk in a clean pail, nor to wash
their hands. The cows for their part resent the treat-
ment and have to be firmly tied up before it is possible
to milk them. When my two bottles arrive in the
morning I have to see the milk is well boiled before I
dare use it in tea or coffee.
The cattle on the island of Tre\ allowed to roam at
will over its large and mountainous surface, return
almost to their savage state. No European lives
there, but from time to time Dr. Yersin or my husband
visits the island to check their numbers. The Anna-
mese herdsmen, warned a day or two beforehand, will
then collect them and drive them down to the shore.
So wild are they, that their transference to Suoigiau
or Nhatrang involves a certain amount of risk for the
coolies. Many contrivances and precautions are
necessary in order to ship them. They are not
brought the whole way by boat ; about a mile from
the shore they are pushed overboard. The long
swim to land so tires them that when they at last
arrive panting and blowing they stand quite still on
the beach and are driven into their sheds fairly easily.
Sometimes they are so exhausted that they can hardly
drag themselves out of the water.
My husband was the first doctor to practise at
Nhatrang. The Europeans naturally hailed his
arrival with great thankfulness, but the natives,
whose diseases were likely to be of more scientific
interest, were loath to take advantage of his services.
For many months only those on the verge of death
A TROPICAL PASTEUR INSTITUTE 59
were brought to him, that is to say, when the Anna-
mese or Chinese doctors had given them up.
But a change came at last. A man from Cua-Be
was brought to my husband bleeding to death and in
terrible agony. He had been out fishing at night as
usual, and towards morning he and several companions
jumped into the water to help with the net. Astride
on bamboos, as the custom is, they distributed them-
selves at different points to drag it towards the boat.
Suddenly they were terrified at the sight of a huge
shark coming swiftly towards them. It was chasing
some fish, and both pursuer and pursued swam full
tilt against the net. The shark, baffled of his prey,
turned at right angles, passed the first two men with-
out touching them, but darting at the third, caught
him by the leg. The man struggled and fought
desperately, while the shrieks and yells of the men in
the boat evidently frightened the monster, for after a
few seconds it let go its hold and disappeared. But
the jaw of the shark had already done its work. When
the injured man was hauled into the boat, it was found
that two enormous pieces of flesh had been torn off
his leg. With all haste he was rowed to land and
carried to the medical authority of the village. The
Annamese doctor gave no hope ; he had seen many
such cases and was fully aware that even if he suc-
ceeded in staying the flow of blood, the victim of the
tiger and the shark always succumbed later. He
knew nothing of blood-poisoning, and sought no such
explanation ; the superstitions connected with these
monsters were sufficient to account for the death of
any individual who came into contact with them. The
60 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
wounded man was therefore laid on a palanquin, and,
accompanied by his mother and some of his comrades,
was brought to Nhatrang.
My husband saw that the leg must be amputated
at once. Such a proceeding had never been heard of
by the Annamese, and they were in consternation.
The mother, quite overcome, threw herself down on
the ground in front of my husband, imploring him to
save the life of her son but not to cut off his leg. She
would listen to no explanations, weeping hopelessly
and continuing to prostrate herself in despair. Such
behaviour was quite extraordinary in an Annamese
woman, for even in the face of death the natives
always maintain their sang-froid ; in cases where there
is really cause for agitation, they move and speak as
monotonously as ever. It was pitiable to see her, but
there was no time to be lost ; my husband was at last
obliged to bundle her out of the room. As she would
not consent to the operation, and declared that she
was the only relative of the patient, my husband was
obliged to ask the consent of the patient himself, who,
understanding that it was a case of life and death,
acquiesced.
Meanwhile the two Infirmary boys, affected by
this impressive scene, the terrible stream of blood,
the cries and screams of the mother, and by the
helpless and hindering dismay of the coolies, quite lost
their heads. One pressed the chloroformed handker-
chief nearly down the patient's throat and almost
suffocated him ; the other began to finger the sterilised
cotton-wool, and was forthwith kicked out of the
Infirmary. In spite of all these adverse circumstances,
A TROPICAL PASTEUR INSTITUTE 61
the operation was carried out successfully. I happened
to arrive on the spot when it was just finished. I had
waited lunch for my husband for two hours, and at last
I thought I would go to the Infirmary and see if he
was there. Through the open door I perceived a
little crowd round the operating-table, and natives
holding the limbs of a naked form stretched out on it.
My husband called out to me cheerfully to come and
see a hard piece of work — the amputation of a leg —
but I retired still farther at his words. As all was
finished and the bandages were being placed, I sat
down on the verandah steps to wait until we could
return home together. It was the first time I had
been brought into contact with a serious operation,
and shudders went through me at the little I could see
and hear. I was quite shocked at the cheerful voice
of my husband, only understanding later the triumphant
satisfaction of a successful fight for life. At last the
patient was carried across the room to his bed and I
went in to see him. He was only twenty ; it was
pitiable to think of a youth like that being maimed for
life. The bed was without pillow or mattress, only a
bamboo mat being between the patient and the bare
planks. It seemed so hard and uncomfortable for a
man who would have to lie there in pain for many
days, but I recollected that no native was accustomed
to any greater comfort. As soon as he began to
recover consciousness, we left the Infirmary.
The same evening I accompanied my husband when
he went to have a look at his patient after dinner. We
found two women attending to him ; one was his
mother, who had again recovered her composure, the
62 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
other turned out to be his wife. Contrary to all
declarations, he was married. His mother had denied
it in order to prevent the wife consenting to the
amputation of the leg.
The return to health and strength of this man was
known and talked of with wonder all over the province.
Not only had the Annamese known of few recoveries
where the shark had been concerned, but they had
never seen the amputation of a limb, and their aston-
ishment knew no bounds.
The doctor's reputation was made.
A coolie bitten by a dangerous snake, who recovered
after being inoculated with Calmette's serum, spread
my husband's fame still farther, and never again did
he lack native patients.
Their superstitions and love of independence, how-
ever, make the Annamese most aggravating in hospital.
Time after time a native has gone off with his arm still
in splints, or before the stitches have been taken out of
a wound. The doctor is thus deprived of the satisfac-
tion of seeing a perfect recovery. In the middle of
the treatment, and often at the critical moment of the
illness, patients disappear. Sometimes, after treating
an interesting case with the greatest care, and visiting
the patient a dozen times a day, he would go to the
Infirmary to find an empty bed and all his investiga-
tions rendered incomplete.
One evening we were discussing how we might
procure a wooden leg for the man whose leg had been
amputated. My husband had given him some crutches
that very day, and his manner of using them showed
how strong and well he was. The leg would only cost
TROPICAL PASTEUR INSTITUTE 63
from fifty to sixty francs, and would be an inestimable
boon to him for the rest of his life. The next morning
we learned that our discussion of ways and means had
been futile ; the little present of crutches had enabled
our friend to vanish, leaving no trace behind. We
ought to have become accustomed to this finale, but
this man of all others . . . and without a leg . . .
There are many natives, however, even among
those who have disappeared so suddenly, who, though
they have not seemed grateful at the time, have some-
times come back bringing a present of bananas or
eggs. In some cases my husband has been presented
with some little offering long after the patients have
recovered their health. Once I saw a wrinkled old
man come tottering in at the garden gate. His rags
and his dishevelled grey hair betokened extreme
poverty. He brought two eggs, which he placed with
many " lai's " at my feet. My husband did not even
recollect his case. On opening my boiled egg at
breakfast the next morning, I was horrified to find a
young chicken inside. I discovered it was one of
those given to me by the old man : usually I distributed
the fruit or eggs which were brought to me to our
boys as soon as the donors' backs were turned. That
does not mean we do not appreciate the gifts ; on the
contrary, they cheer us up in the midst of much work
which is very disheartening. Even when neither
words nor gifts convey any sense of gratitude, we have
had proofs that the benefits received are not always
forgotten.
An instance of this came in rather a startling man-
ner. Just after we had gone to bed one night, I heard
64 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
dreadful screams, which seemed to be coming nearer
and nearer, from the direction of the village. I wanted
my husband to find out the meaning of the noise, but
he was too sleepy to move. The shrieks at last be-
came so frantic and piercing that I lay trembling all
over. Suddenly I was convinced that they proceeded
from some one in the garden, then from the house
itself. My husband finally awoke, sprang out of bed
and hurried on to the verandah. He ran straight
into the arms of a lady who was staying with us that
night, and who exclaimed : " Oh, there's an animal in
my room." They went there together, but instead of
an animal at bay, as she supposed, they found a poor
woman lying flat on the ground half under the bed.
She was bleeding profusely and still uttering inter-
mittent screams and gasps ; it was evident she had
been very much injured. My husband was obliged to
accompany her to the Infirmary, not a very pleasant
task in the middle of the night, after a hard day's
work. There he recognised her as a woman on whom
he had once performed an operation. Though she
had never said " Thank you " at the time, she
immediately returned to the doctor when she was
again in trouble.
The superstitions of the natives afford too many
an unexpected and disconcerting surprise for the
medical practitioner.
An Infirmary boy fell ill, and as he was a good
servant my husband took much care and trouble,
going to see him morning and evening for several
days. The fever at last began to subside, and his
recovery was only a matter of days. One evening
A TROPICAL PASTEUR INSTITUTE 65
when I accompanied my husband, we were surprised
to see a large number of people inside the little house.
The room was in almost total darkness, the flickering
light of two candles on an altar erected at the far end
being the only illumination. We made our way
through the natives to the corner where the boy
habitually lay. For the first time he was sitting up
on the plank bed, and appeared very excited. His
cheeks were flushed, his eyes bright. He explained
that a great sacrifice was taking place, and the bonze
who officiated was a most famous man. As our eyes
grew accustomed to the semi-darkness, we made out
the altar with its little copper incense-burners, its vases
filled with sand in which tapers were stuck, its blue
jars of alcohol, and its offerings of fruit, flowers,
roasted fowls, ducks, &c. &c. The bonze was an
oldish man, with hair cut short, dressed in a long
green silken robe. Every now and then he threw up
his arms and gesticulated wildly, then he stood abso-
lutely still, muttering prayers in a guttural tone.
Suddenly he began making " lai's " before the altar,
alternately prostrating himself and standing up, fervour
in every movement. Finally, at a sign from him, he
was handed a little jar of water ; he raised it to his
lips, filled his mouth, and then with much dignity
he bent forward and — squirted it over all the fruit
and roasts.
The movement in the room after this final rite (was
it the priestly blessing ?) proved to us that the cere-
mony was at an end. Complete silence had reigned
hitherto, but now the awestruck audience began to
talk in whispers and to change their positions. The
66 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
priest meanwhile removed his silk tunic and turban,
and donned his ordinary brown garments. As he
moved towards the door he said something in a low
voice to the natives standing near. These imme-
diately rushed up to the altar, and each seizing a dish
followed him out. We saw the fruit, eggs, fowls, and
ducks vanish, a little roast pig bringing up the rear.
The stripping of the altar broke the last charm,
and the boy turned to us, saying : " Me well now.
Priest cure me." Then, in a confidential torte, " He
eat all." This information upset me altogether. I
recalled all my husband's attention and care, the
medicine and food we had sent the lad, and I did not
know whether to be angry or laugh. And this was
a boy trained in the Infirmary too! My husband's
philosophic, " That's all right then, you'll be back at
work soon," checked the words on my lips, and we left
the hut.
Incidents such as this have a comic side which saves
the situation, but in research work the doctor and
bacteriologist are without even that consolation. The
escape of a patient is not so irritating as a temperature
inaccurately taken, or the washing of microscopic films
which preserve valuable specimens of blood. There
is no compensation when you find that the dead
animal, whose disease you have been studying for
months, has been buried by a stable-boy before the
post-mortem examination has been made, or when the
troughs of two animals whose food must be kept
entirely separate have been interchanged, or when
your carefully bred mosquitoes have been allowed to
escape. The Annamese makes a skilful and fearless
A TROPICAL PASTEUR INSTITUTE 67
laboratory boy ; catches and holds the animals adroitly
while their temperature or a drop of blood is being
taken, but child-like, does not understand the great
importance of details, and discovers ingenious methods
for getting through the routine work in the least
possible time.
However, for the enthusiastic investigator, difficul-
ties exist only to be overcome ; he who works in the
Tropics under more arduous conditions than in Europe
must be ready to exercise more perseverance and
patience. The greater the obstacles the greater the
reward, when a new discovery can be announced or a
new theory proved. To Pasteur this was the truest
joy a human soul could experience.
Thus, notwithstanding the climate, the isolation, the
want of sufficiently trained and French-speaking assist-
ants, the work of this little Pasteur Institute continues.
It is doing the noblest of all work, alleviating the
sufferings of humanity, and it is to be hoped that in
future, deaths from cholera, tuberculosis, cancer, and
yellow fever will be as infrequent as are now those
from diphtheria.
CHAPTER IV
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG
Lessons in riding and shooting : Configuration and out-
look of Annam : Want of communications : Comparison
with Cochin China : Beauty and attractiveness of the
country : A native village : Pagodas and tombs : Water
buffaloes : Red ants : A brickmaking village
As soon as I arrived in this country my husband
began to give me lessons in riding and shooting, and
it was not very long before I ceased to be terrified
and to clutch on to my saddle at the slightest move-
ment of the mare's ears or at the sound of my own
gun. I rode astride, as my husband thought it was
safer in this rough, roadless country. At first I had
missed the games which I had enthusiastically played
in England, but if I had continued to play them I
should never have turned to these pursuits which
alone have brought me into contact with the natives
in the neighbourhood and enabled me to gain any
knowledge of the country. Our continual excursions
took us into many a remote corner.
Annam is very different from Cochin-China, where
road, rail, and canal make communication easy. The
latter colony has been occupied much longer, and its
latent resources caused the first French settlers im-
mediately to organise rapid means of transit. There
68
THE KETUKN OF THE FISH ING- BO ATS
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG 69
are now good services of motor-cars, canal steamboats,
and trains, as well as tram-lines round Saigon.
Annam has none of these advantages. The sea is
its only convenient highway, and though there are
safe harbours for shipping, yet there is so little com-
merce that it is all carried on by junk. But a junk is
only practicable for those Europeans who have plenty
of time, and at periods when monsoon and weather
are favourable. On land there is the mandarin road,
which follows the coast from north to south, but even
in the best seasons it is impossible to drive over the
whole length of it.
Forty miles to the north of Nhatrang, for instance,
the road degenerates into a narrow path, which runs
up a steep hill-side. It forms a natural staircase which
you can neither ascend nor descend on horseback.
Even native ponies led by the bridle, though they can
climb like goats, risk a broken leg. This pass, known
as the " Col du Deoka," is one of the wildest and
most picturesque spots in Annam. During the troubles
in 1908 its defence saved the province of Nhatrang
from the rebels.
After the rainy season even the best parts of the
road along the coast are impracticable, as numbers
of the bridges are broken down or even entirely
swept away by the floods. To reach a neigh-
bouring village you must either ride or be carried in
a palanquin.
At present the country is under survey for the
Saigon- Hanoi Railway, but though the lines are laid
and trains are running for some distance from either
terminus, except for a section between Tourane and
yo ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
Hue" the embankments laid are scarcely begun in
Central Annam.
It is natural, however, that little money should be
spent on the communications of a country which is
poor and which can barely feed its own population.
The flat strip of land between mountains and sea is
fertile, but with a few exceptions so narrow that it will
only just support the coast villages. The population,
however, has few needs and is content with little ;
famine such as is sometimes experienced by richer
countries is unknown.
Besides rice the Annamese grow a little maize,
tobacco, sweet potatoes, and the castor-oil plant, but
cultivate nothing in sufficient quantities for serious
exportation.
If, however, Annam is not rich, it is extremely
picturesque ; the prettiest spots in Indo-China are to
be found there. Her jagged coast-line, her rough
uneven surface, her wild virgin forests, are the most
striking features ; and not only is the scenery very
varied, but there are many regions still untrodden by
the foot of the white man. No country could be more
interesting to explore, and for our part we determined
to make as many excursions as my husband's work
would allow.
On our evening rides we used to visit the surround-
ing villages and pagodas, but on Sunday we took our
guns and went farther afield.
The Annamese village straggles over a large surface ;
there is no plan or order, the favourite position for
huts being round the market. It presents an appear-
ance very different from that of the Tonking village,
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG 71
which is compact and surrounded by a thick high
bamboo hedge. These hedges, which are veritable
fortress walls, were originally planted to protect the
village from the raids of pirate bands which at one
time were a scourge to all the northern part of Indo-
China. As one travels from Haiphong to Hanoi,
right through the Tonkinese delta, these villages
dotted here and there alone break the monotony of
the rice-fields, which extend as far as the eye can
reach. There is not a single isolated hut on this
immense bright green plain ; the only buildings to
be seen are the pagodas, which have been erected
wherever the rare promontories cannot be levelled
for the cultivation of rice. No huts or dwellings are
visible, for the inhabitants still cling to their thick
hedges, though no hostile tribes are now to be feared.
This gives the villages an air of mystery which those
of Annam do not possess.
Though the Annamese village is not surrounded by
hedges, yet it may be recognised from a distance by
its mass of green trees, bamboos male and female,
cocoa-palms sixty to eighty feet high crowned by a
tuft of waving feathery leaves, and thick-foliaged
mango-trees. The fruit of this last is generally pre-
ferred to any other in the Tropics. Areca-palms (Areca
catechii] are also never absent near any native dwelling.
They resemble the cocoa-palm, but the trunks, instead
of being gracefully curved, are as straight as a wand.
The areca-nuts grow like the cocoa-nuts, just below
the crown of leaves at the top. They are chopped up
and chewed with the betel leaf. For this reason the
areca-palm is always in request, and is said to be
72 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
worth a dollar a year to its owner. We Europeans
eat the soft stem from which the leaves spring ; very
finely sliced it makes a delicious salad.
It is only when you are in the midst of these planta-
tions that you perceive the little native dwellings scat-
tered here and there, looking all the more diminutive
by comparison with the high, luxuriant vegetation.
We often disturbed the inmates by our sudden
appearance ; little naked brown children sitting in the
shade of the trees would in their fright throw away
the pieces of sugar-cane they were intently sucking
and begin to cry. The women, who were mutually
assisting one another in the removal of the vermin in
their long black hair, would look up a minute and
then continue their task. Unlike the pious Hindoo,
who places each insect in safety on the ground, the
Annamese kills it between his teeth. There were
often several couples thus engaged, or perhaps three
or four women squatting one behind the other all
rendering the same service.
Nearly every dwelling possessed a little garden of
marketable produce, a patch of maize, tobacco, or
sugar-cane, a few rows of sweet potatoes, some
enormous-leaved caladiums, the tubers of which are
food for swine, cucumbers and pumpkins, and here
and there a tuft of manioc (tapioca plant) with its
palm-shaped leaves. Along the barricade are planted
fruit trees, shaddocks (Citrus decumana), whose fruit
resembles a magnified green orange, banana-trees
and jaks, whose fruit is as big as a man's head. A
few flowering plants are generally cultivated also.
The owner tends them carefully and trains them
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG 73
symmetrically ; a bougainvillea is often trained in the
form of a dragon or cock.
Every habitation, including the village school and
communal house, has the same bamboo walls and
thatched roof ; a rich proprietor, however, often lives
in a house of brick, though such a luxury is rare in
small hamlets. Brick and stone are reserved almost
entirely for the pagodas and tombs. The Annamese
are content with some low hovel for themselves, but
for their dead and their altars they prefer something
better. While their own dwellings, too, are grouped
round some mosquito-infected pond, the pagodas and
tombs occupy the best sites in the neighbourhood.
Every hill round Nhatrang has its temple on the
topmost summit, from which a beautiful view may be
obtained. In districts where there are obviously no
suitable spots above the ordinary level, these temples
are situated in such a manner that the background is in
harmony with the general plan of the edifice and are
thus shown off to the best advantage. The tombs
are scattered about in carefully chosen sites, and
are generally shaded by some beautiful tree. The
most common form of the tomb in South Annam is
that of the tortoise, one of the sacred animals of the
Annamese. Others represent the bud of the lotus flower
either upright or lying down, but both are probably
derived from the emblematic stone of Brahmanism.
We often dismounted from our horses and climbed
the little hills round Nhatrang for the sake of
the view from the different pagodas. As soon as
we passed through the stone wall or bamboo railing
with which the temple was surrounded, the bonze and
74 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
guardians would come running out of their shelters
close by. Though they would smile and bow, they
kept their eyes fixed on us the whole time, and per-
haps did not like the intrusion. Not that there was
anything of value in these poor little temples: the
ritual emblems of red painted wood, some earthen and
porcelain vases on the cement altar for burning tapers,
and a few bronze bells and gongs usually formed their
entire wealth. Occasionally we discovered a big bell
finely carved, valuable on account of its age, but that
is not an article you can carry away in your pocket.
Even when hanging from a beam, it does not sway an
inch under the heavy strokes dealt upon it by the
bonze with a wooden-headed hammer.
The caricatures of Buddha and the sacred animals,
both sculptured and painted, were of great interest to
us. The stone slab in front of the chief door was
always a work of art in itself. Every temple has this
kind of screen a yard or two from its entrance, so that
you cannot look into the edifice from a distance.
One day we came upon a pagoda in a most curious
place. We were snipe-shooting round some pools
quite close to the river about three kilometres inland,
when, passing at the foot of some huge boulders of
granite, I noticed a recently made well. There was
no village in the neighbourhood. Who had dug it ?
I was still more surprised on moving forward to see a
little patch of maize. Suddenly a bonze appeared,
squeezing himself between two enormous boulders,
and after many smiles and remarks, none of which I
understood, made signs for me to follow him. I called
to my husband, and we in our turn squeezed ourselves
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG 75
through the opening by which the bonze had again
disappeared. On the other side was a little path
which mounted upwards right between the rocks. It
was like a tunnel, and cut into steep uneven steps.
At first we followed our guide without difficulty.
Light filtered through interstices here and there, but
it was impossible to guess from the outside that there
was any hollow place for a passage. After mounting
about a hundred metres, twisting and turning, crawling
under one rock, scrambling over another, we suddenly
found ourselves in a little open space directly under a
huge rock which is a landmark for a long distance
round. This grotto had been furnished as a pagoda.
Altar, tapers, bell, all was complete — there were even
two little nooks on either side arranged as sleeping
apartments for the guardians and our guide. We
entered one of these, a wee hole containing a mat,
an earthen drinking vessel, and a saucepan of rice,
but the other required a gymnastic performance of
which I did not feel capable.
I then wanted, for the sake of the view, to climb on
to the top of the rock which formed our ceiling, but the
bonze shook his head ; either it was really impossible
or there were other secrets which he did not wish to
divulge. By craning our necks and contorting our-
selves we had little glimpses up and down the river
from the interior of the room, and we had to be
content with that.
The bonze reaccompanied us down his curious
staircase ; he was evidently delighted with all our
exclamations of surprise at his ingenuity. He
was like a child with a new toy, and we were
76 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
again struck with the simple disposition of the
Annamese.
One of our favourite evening rides was to a place
near here where it was possible for the water
buffaloes to ford the shallow river. At sunset different
herds might always be seen as they were driven
across on their way home. The huge size of
these animals, their enormous horns, which some-
times measure one and a half metres from tip to
tip, and above all their defiant attitude, strike one
with terror. In Annam they are specially dangerous
to Europeans. I have often felt paralysed when I
have come upon two or three suddenly ; they look so
monstrous and savage that it seems futile to run away.
Probably they are frightened, too, at the sudden
encounter, but they never show it. They always
move forward or back simultaneously, ready to stand
together for defence or attack. If you stand still, they
will snuff the air and come a step nearer, or a male
being among them, he will lead the way and the
others will follow close behind. By the time, how-
ever, they are upon you, a call for help summons their
guardian, a little naked brat of eight or nine, who has
sprung out of space, and with a whack of his little
bamboo cane has sent them flying to join the rest of
the herd. The management of these beasts by such
children is wonderful. They hold them in submission
with their shrill little voice and bit of stick. Familiarity
breeds contempt, they have lived with these animals
since the time when, at the age of three or four, they
have been put in charge of the little herdsman, a
brother or friend not much older than themselves.
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG 77
From the shade of some trees they have seen their
herd graze till the sun grew hot, watched them then
lumber one by one into some miry pool and roll them-
selves in it till covered with a thick coating of mud.
When once the animals have settled themselves in the
deepest part, they lie stock-still, blinking their blue
eyes under their long straight lashes, and giving little
snorts and sighs of satisfaction. There is henceforth
no fear that they will stray, and the children have only
to sleep, eat, play, sleep again, or lie on their backs
gazing at the green branches above their heads the
livelong day. Sometimes the animals penetrate so
deeply into the mud that a passer-by does not notice
them till he suddenly hears noises like pistol-shots, as
each heavy mass heaves itself out of its mud bed.
As it gets cool about five o'clock, animals and herds-
men bestir themselves. The great event of the day
has arrived. The herd is collected and driven towards
the river. But the animals take their pleasure more
soberly than the children. They walk with slow steps
into the water till they are almost out of their depth,
and then stand with just their snorting noses and long
horns above the surface. An inexperienced eye would
say that a crocodile or some strange serpent was pro-
truding out of the water. The children meanwhile
dance about on the bank ; if any one is the proud
possessor of a garment, it is put aside while they run
in and out of the shallow water, chasing and splashing
each other. When it is time for the herd to cross
they swim out to the nearest buffaloes, mount their
backs by means of their tails, and from this exalted
position drive all on to the farther bank. If the water
78 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
is deep, the buffaloes must swim, but the children are
all the better pleased, and stand erect in triumph.
Sometimes the animals refuse to leave the water ; the
piercing cries of the minute driver and the brandishing
of his cane are of no avail. He then guides his steed
to the back of the herd, and passing from one to
another sets them in motion with a deft stroke here
and there.
We were so fascinated by this scene that it was
often late when we turned our horses' heads home-
wards. But the darkness gave us another delightful
and entirely novel spectacle. The road from Cho-
Moi to Nhatrang was lined on either side with thick
bamboos, which grew half in the water of the rice-
fields, half on the embankments of the road. Occa-
sionally these bamboos were one mass of fireflies,
which in their millions outlined exactly the form of
each tree. We were even able to recognise any other
kind of bush or tree which grew among the bamboos.
If only the lights had been bigger and more constant
it would have been like an avenue of Christmas trees.
The flashes were, however, intermittent, but the fire of
all the flies on one and the same tree shot into flame
simultaneously. Tree followed tree in quick succession
and it was almost as though they were signalling to
one another. There were about sixty flashes a minute.
It was a most wonderful sight. I do not know if
scientists have explained this extraordinary and instan-
taneous obedience of so many millions of flies to a
common impulse.
The picture of these fireflies recalls to my mind the
croaking of frogs. As soon as darkness falls, the
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG 79
rice-fields seem alive with them ; their monotonous
chantings never cease or pause, When we had passed
along this road in the sunlight two hours earlier, the
rice-fields, like the bamboos, wore their ordinary
appearance; there was no hint of the intense life
hidden beneath the still leaves and silent water. Now
by the evidence of sight and sound we are taken into
two realms of teeming life undreamt of a short time
before.
On Sundays, however, with our guns to the fore,
we were glad of this intense tropical life. We
never went out at dawn without coming across
some game worth having — peacocks, jungle-fowl and
cocks, snipe, quail, barking deer, hares, and pheasants
of various kinds, and other birds. There were, too,
many beasts which we did not see (nor did we want
to), though they probably often saw us. The shock
of hearing a tiger or panther scuttle out of a bush, or
of stepping suddenly upon the quite recent traces of a
wild elephant, was emotion enough, especially when
we reflected that only shot for snipe was in our
guns. The hunter hunted is not so rare in this wild
country.
Less than five years ago the bursar of the Residence
at Nhatrang left the village one afternoon to meet a
friend. He was warned to be back by sunset or to
remain near some village, for the tigers were at that
time even more dangerous than at present Twenty
kilometres from Nhatrang, on the mandarin road,
while riding round a dark corner overshadowed by
trees, a tiger and tigress sprang upon him. Either he
lost his head, or his arm was knocked up, for he shot
8o ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
his revolver into the air. As soon as his boy, who
was riding behind him, saw him dragged from
his horse, he turned round and galloped back
to Nhatrang nearly mad with fright. A party
immediately set out, but by the time they arrived
on the spot the poor young fellow was dead and
half eaten.
There is hardly a man who has lived long in
this part of the country who has not seen the
tiger. The stories of this animal's habits, his
misdeeds, his encounters, are continually on the lips
of the Europeans. Many of them are as thrilling
as the superstitious narratives of the natives are
ludicrous.
There are other inconvenient encounters during
shooting expeditions, which, if less dangerous, are by
no means agreeable. One day on our way up
the river to see the brick-making industry at Logoum,
I got out of the boat to shoot a cock on some rocky
ground above the bank. I clambered up, hiding
behind one boulder and then another, till within twenty
yards or so, when I stood still to take good aim. But
the shot was never fired. As I raised my gun to my
shoulder I was stung on the eyelid, and before I could
brush the insect away I felt myself being fiercely bitten
all over. Instinctively I threw my gun away and tore
off my clothes without a second's hesitation. Under-
neath my dress I was literally red with enormous red
ants, which were doubling themselves up in order to
penetrate into my skin more deeply. It was real
agony. Happily my bathing-dress was in the sampan,
and I got into that while we cleared my garments
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG 81
from these terrible insects. My husband happened to
have a bottle of menthol in his pocket, which so greatly
diminished the pain of my bites that we were able to
resume our journey.
Our sampan was that day in charge of a man
and his wife who evidently took as much interest
in us as we in them. For the tiniest bird that
caught their eye they would stop the boat, being
anxious to see me shoot something. But soon the wind
dropped, and they could sit idle no longer. Directly
the matted cocoa-palm sail began to flap in and
out both seized it and with great dexterity rolled
it up. Then the woman, going to the bow, took
the right-hand oar, and having loosened the rope
with which it was attached to a raised peg (this
peg takes the place of the rowlock on our rowing-
boats), in order to be able to swing it more freely,
she placed her two feet on the left edge of the
sampan and began to row. The edge of these sampans
is by no means broad — about an inch — but with her
bare feet she took a firm grip, and in spite of the
heavy oar swayed backwards and forwards with well-
balanced movements. Her slight but vigorous young
figure was distinctly visible every now and then as her
long tunic first clung round her and then floated out
on the breeze. Her husband rowed at the stern,
keeping time with her, one of his feet thrust out
behind him to steer the heavy rudder. Two of their
children were also in the boat ; the elder one from time
to time placed himself beside his mother, his little
palms on the thick oar. He did not help the work
in the least, but at any rate he was accustoming
82 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
himself to a movement by which he would later earn
his living.
Between times he came and stirred a saucepan of
rice which was boiling at the bottom of the boat. I
had noticed steam and smoke coming from between
the planks on which we lay, and had feared for a
minute that the sampan was on fire. But, no : the
child raised a board, and we perceived the family meal
being cooked. It is astonishing how the Annamese,
with their continual fires in hut and boat, manage to
avoid a conflagration. They seldom extinguish a fire,
and though from neglect it sometimes goes out, there
generally remain enough smouldering ashes to enable
the householder to light his pipe or the wife to fan up
a flame at a moment's notice. The smoke from the
present fire in the sampan came in our eyes, and was
most disagreeable, but as our destination was at hand
we had not the heart to make them put it out and thus
spoil their meal.
We were soon alongside the group of high cocoa-
and areca-palms, which was all we could see of Logoun.
Clouds of smoke issued from the tree-tops. This little
village makes all the bricks for the province. The
river constitutes its only highway ; there is no road
leading to it, but ,the inhabitants seem to like their
isolated position.
As we stepped ashore, a number of dogs came
rushing towards us barking furiously. If it had not
been for one of the children who had followed us from
the sampan, we should certainly have been bitten.
Just as the European's dog flies at a native who tries
to enter his garden, so the native's dog flies at the
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG 83
European, though the beasts are often of identical
breed and family.
The barking and noise brought the inhabitants to
their doors. They neither looked surprised to see us
nor curious as to the reason of our visit, but all the
children collected together and followed us at a safe
distance. Wending our way between the huts, we
came to an open space where three young Annamese
girls were mixing the clay with their feet. For such
a purpose feet are certainly more convenient than
hands, but Europeans would never have managed to
raise and twist the sticky earth so easily and deftly
without any loss of balance. When the clay had been
brought to the right texture, they cut it into bricks
and tiles with a piece of string and put these out in
the sun to dry, pushing them into place with their
feet. They were left there till the mud oven was
ready to bake them. The most interesting process is
that of the lathe, which was just then being worked by
the oldest woman I have ever seen. Her hair was
completely white, her eyes dim, her teeth gone long
since, her face one mass of deep furrows, but in spite
of this, neither wrinkled hands nor feet had lost their
cunning. With a sharp movement she set the turning-
board in motion, and her hands moulded one pot after
another ; she produced quite a number while we
stood there. They were taken into the sun by
children who stood round her, and whenever she
mumbled something, they all crowded round and
listened attentively. She seemed to be treated
with the greatest reverence and devotion. She
deserved it, for she had handled that lathe for
84 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
years and years, enriching the village by her toil.
All the pots were of the same shape, but of different
sizes, and when baked were of a dirty red-brown
colour.
While the women worked thus, the men were
engaged in digging clay from the banks of the river
and cutting timber for heating the ovens. The logs
of wood were placed all round the village and formed
a veritable barricade. From time to time the bricks
and pots are taken to neighbouring markets to be
sold, or sent to the Residence instead of taxes. It was
surprising that with such a flourishing industry not one
of the inhabitants of this village had thought of building
himself a home of brick ; all lived in the ordinary
bamboo hut.
On our way to the boat I tried to buy two pretty
little shrubs which I noticed in a garden near the
water's edge. I addressed a man standing near them,
who seemed to be the owner. As we began to discuss
the price, there appeared an old woman, who un-
ceremoniously brushed the man aside and took up the
argument. I saw at once that I had to deal with a
more formidable adversary, and sure enough a sum
nearly twice that originally asked was gradually
extracted from me. This incident is very typical of
the influence of the older woman in the house, whether
she be mother or mother-in-law of the real master.
Though unable to read or write, it is she who is the
most capable in business matters, and who manages
all money affairs. Men recognise this quality in their
womenkind and give it free play.
When we regained our sampan, the little family
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG 85
were just finishing their meal. There was such a
variety of dishes that we wondered how they had been
able to prepare them all at the bottom of a boat. I
only became aware of the ingenuity of the Annamese
cook much later, when, on just such a sampan, he had
turned out meals of five courses three days running.
His difficulties were even greater on that occasion, for
there were more occupants in the boat, and his every
movement was hampered by the legs of the rowers all
round him.
This incident happened during an excursion we
made higher up this same river, where it wound
through a virgin forest. The journey was not wanting
in distraction, for every few hundred yards we had to
mount rapids. The rowers would suddenly fling
themselves out of the boat, and some towing a rope,
others pushing, pulling, and dragging the sampan
itself, they would succeed in getting us into smooth
water and safety. They gave vent to yell after
yell during these exciting moments — even when they
slipped and floundered over the stones and took an
involuntary header they never ceased. If they had
made more use of their muscles and less of their lungs,
we should have got along more quickly, but they
seemed to think noise essential to the boat's move-
ments.
I wondered, as each rapid came into view, what
would happen if the boats were broken up. There
were no paths through the jungle that surrounded us,
except those made by wild elephants. Where herds
had passed, the grass had been trampled down,
branches of trees broken off and small trees uprooted
86 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
altogether and thrown on one side. Numbers of
heavy hoofs had sometimes flattened the surface so
effectually that it would have been possible to drive a
pony-cart in their wake. It was an awe-inspiring
sight. In any case these curiously made paths would
not have led us to a village, for we were beyond the
range of the Annamese, who always cling to the coast,
and the Moi villages were few and far between. So
inextricable was the undergrowth that the eye could
not pierce beyond the water's edge, and even above
our heads the branches from the trees on either side
were so thickly interwoven that occasionally they
almost shut out the sky.
Fortunately we arrived at our destination, a Moi
hamlet, safely, and our downward course was made in
something like three hours instead of three days. The
most expert native of our crew posted himself in the
stern of the boat, and with a long pole steered us
dexterously down the rapids. His quickness of eye
and hand were amazing ; he pushed off a rock to the
right, then off one to the left, in swift succession, and
conducted us into calm water each time without
accident. We had many an exciting moment as we
dashed along with the rushing water between the huge
boulders.
In fact we have met with many adventures on this
river, but the most common was that of finding our-
selves stranded, the tide having gone down too quickly.
On these occasions we have had to wait till rescue
came in the shape of a very small sampan. We could
thus be pushed along the deeper channels by the
natives, who waded knee-deep in the water. The
IN AND ABOUT NHATRANG 87
sampans into which we were transferred were often
not much bigger than a clothes-basket, and the slightest
movement overturned them. Thus have we often
arrived at the crowded market-place — safe, if without
dignity.
CHAPTER V
DAILY ROUTINE IN THE LITTLE CAI-NHA *
The awakening at dawn : The rush into light and air of
the cai-nhds occupants : Tidying up and arranging the
house for the day : The ba-gia : The baby's meal :
Occupations of the children : The market : The rice-
fields — irrigating, ploughing, sowing, and planting out :
Occupations which bring men and women together :
Evening leisure
ALMOST simultaneously with the rising of the sun,
there is a stir in the sleeping Annamese village. No
sooner have the first horizontal rays of dawn struck a
small hut than the bamboo door is pushed outwards,
supported on two sticks, and a man emerges, stoop-
ing down to avoid the low rafter. He rubs his eyes,
pushes his fingers through his hair to drag it back from
his forehead, and re-twists his chignon. His toilet is
then apparently complete. As he stands at the door,
the dog, the pig, the fowls, those with chickens cluck-
ing loudly to their little ones to follow, all scuttle
quickly between his legs, glad to be out in the light
and air again. Then come the children, scarcely yet
awake, stumbling through the narrow opening, the
elder ones each carrying a younger one on the hip.
When they catch sight of us sitting on the beach
* Cai-nha equals " the house," but also means " home."
88
OUR HEST KOAI) IN NOVEMIiKR
ON 'IIIKIK WAV TO MAKKKT. T1IK BASKKTS
AUK CARKIKD LIKE A PAIR OK SCALES
PLOUGHING UNDErf \VATEK
PRIMITIVE METHOD OK IRRIGATION
ROUTINE IN THE LITTLE CAI-NHA 89
waiting for a sampan to cross the river, there is a
series of little screams, and all disappear again in or
behind the hut, tumbling over one another in their
hurry to escape. I never can make out how a child
carrying another nearly as big as himself can scurry
away so quickly. After a moment, finding we remain
still, they venture into sight again, and if we take the
trouble to talk and to encourage them, they will soon
become quite friendly, They run in and out of the
water, diving, swimming, rolling each other over in the
sand, and if we laugh at one of their antics they will
join in boisterously, repeating the joke again and
again.
Clothes, except for an occasional little cotton coat,
which comes down to the waist, are regarded as
superfluous in a fishing village, both for boys and girls,
till about the age of ten. The coat is to protect them
from the hot rays of the sun. For all ornament they
have round their necks a piece of string, to which is
hung a little black cotton pocket about an inch square,
containing a charm against disease or some other
misfortune. The charm consists of a paper on which
signs are made by a bonze, who uses the blood of some
bird or animal instead of ink. Many of the children
also wear a copper or silver ring round ankle and
wrist.
After the children an old woman (ba-gia) appears,
industriously sweeping all round the home. The
Annamese never think of brushing out the corners or
thoroughly cleaning their one-roomed hut, but they
make it an absolute rule to clear away all twigs, dried
fruit-skins, &c. &c., for a yard or two around it. This
90 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
neat smooth surface in front of every native dwelling
strikes the eye ; it is swept at least twice a day, and
when I peer through the semi-darkness at the dust and
dirt inside, I find the custom rather amusing.
While the ba-gia is thus occupied, two younger
women, the wife and sister of the fisherman, are busy
rolling up the mats on which the family have slept.
They cover the camp bed — a trellis- work of bamboo
raised a foot from the ground on four legs — with bowls
and pots. Why should not that which serves as a bed at
night make an excellent shop during the day ? Native
lentils, haricots, bunches of bananas, are spread out ;
a jar of white lime and a flat basket containing betel
leaves neatly arranged in a circle, are placed conspicu-
ously for the betel chewers ; tablets of cut tobacco, a
packet of matches, and some cigarette papers await the
smokers. Finally, a touch of colour is given to the
stall by a few yards of differently dyed cottons, some
packets of squibs, or else some tapers wrapped up in
red paper. The two women regard their stock with
pride, and when all is in place whisper a few words to
the ba-gia about the sale of the goods, for they them-
selves are going to market. When all else is ready,
the mother calls for her youngest born, in order to give
it a last meal before starting off. A baby of about ten
months is immediately brought to her by a youngster
of eight or nine. She holds it to her breast with her
right arm, while with the left she gives some last
touches to the stall. Then finally, after sniffing and
smelling the infant all over its little body, for the
Annamese never kiss their children in any other
manner, she entrusts it to the charge of the ba-gia.
ROUTINE IN THE LITTLE CAI-NHA 91
The younger women till now have been wearing the
usual wide indigo blue cotton trousers, their breasts
being simply covered with a diamond-shaped piece of
cotton. This scanty garment, which is only worn in
the house, is fastened tightly round the neck at the
top and round the waist at the bottom with strings,
leaving the arms and back bare. Now, however, they
don their long blue tunics and put on their latania-leaf
hats. The bow-like bamboos are taken from a corner
and given a last polish with a tab of their tunics. The
women are very proud of these rods, on which they
carry their baskets hanging like scales to a beam, and
those with metal ends are sometimes bequeathed as
heirlooms. Dried fish is the commodity to be carried
this morning. The smell of it pervades indeed the
whole village, but we have an extra whiff as the two
women with their light and springy gait move past us
and the baskets are swung under our noses.
On our return from a day's shooting expedition, we
again peeped into the hut. The younger women were
still absent, but the ba-gia was there squatting peace-
fully on the camp bed, her feet on the extreme edge,
her chin almost touching her knees. A customer had
just come up. He took one of the green round betel
leaves, laid it in the palm of his hand, and with the
stick, placed inside the jar of lime for the purpose,
pasted the white gluey substance over the leaf, rolled
it up, and stuck it in his mouth. Not a word was
spoken, but I observed the keen glance of the old
woman as he deposited two sapeks on the edge of the
bed, before continuing his way. As we talked to her,
at cross-purposes as usual, the youngest child began to
92 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
cry and was brought to her. His grandmother, stretch-
ing out her legs among the pots and bowls, took the
baby and laid it flat on its back across her knees.
Then she drew near her a bowl of cooked rice and with
the aid of chopsticks raised a little to her mouth.
After chewing and masticating it well she spat it
mouthful by mouthful between the baby's lips. This
is the common method of feeding a young child, and in
cases where the mother must absent herself from home
it is begun within a week of its birth. That a mother
should feed her child thus is bad enough, but the
custom seems even more deplorable when carried out
by a dirty old woman, whose lips and broken teeth are
discoloured with betel chewing.
The fisherman sat in company with several others,
mending his net. When our horses and guns arrived
in another sampan, and the children, who were still
playing on the sand, discovered that we had shot a
peacock, there was great excitement. They clustered
round, shouting with glee, and when I held out the
bird so that one of them might carry it to the house,
a number of hands clutched it eagerly. There was a
battle royal, in which feathers flew in all directions, but
at last a little youngster, not much bigger than the
peacock, secured the prize and bore it in triumph
homeward. He was followed by a band of small
friends, but the little girls drew back as soon as the
end of the village was reached. The boys, however,
followed as far as the gate, and when he rejoined them
with ten cents it was very apparent that he was the
hero of the hour.
Children lead a very happy and joyous life during
ROUTINE IN THE LITTLE CAI-NHA 93
their first years. Crying is very rarely heard, except
in cases of illness, and the peevish whimper of the
European child is unknown. Parents are very devoted
to their children, but they generally have such large
families that spoiling is impossible. The Annamese
are very prolific ; if there was less infant mortality the
race would increase a great deal faster than at present.
The love'and care of the'mother are not proof against
her terrible ignorance, the most elementary rules of
hygiene being unknown. In difficult confinements, the
ba-gia who acts as midwife resorts to superstitious
ceremonies. The Annamese doctor is forbidden to
see his patient, and if consulted must give his advice
through the closed door. In these ^circumstances one
may conjecture how utterly against all principles it is
to call in a European doctor. My husband has, how-
ever, occasionally penetrated to such cases, and has
been horrified at the spectacle. As a rule the woman
has lain in agony three or four days, and it is quite
impossible to relate all the ba-gia has done to bring
the baby into the world. During the whole of her
suffering a charcoal fire has been kept alight under the
bed, the door of the hut has scarcely been opened, and
the patient has been covered with all the rugs and tunics
her friends could lay their hands on.
The ignorance shown in the treatment of children
during the first year, the critical period in all climates,
is not less than that displayed during a confinement.
Babies are suffered to be bitten by mosquitoes, their
little bodies are not washed, nor even their eyes, so that
they are often partially blinded from this neglect. Scabs
on the head are considered a healthy sign, and many
94 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
are the superstitious treatments to which the babies
must submit. Their childhood is happy all the same,
because of their freedom. If their parents are able to
send them to school they consider themselves extremely
fortunate. Never is a child more proud than when he
walks along the road with a dirty copy-book tucked
under his arm. It is only at the age of twelve or
thirteen that he joins his elders in the toils of every-
day life.
The little boys about that time accompany their
fathers fishing, work on the rice-fields, fetch firewood
from the forest, or look after the buffaloes. The little
girls go to market or help on the rice-fields, or are
occupied at home. Every morning and evening one
sees them running to and fro with a rapid light step to
the nearest well to fetch water. From the bamboos
over their shoulders are hung large jars instead of
baskets, and, when full, these heavy vessels press the
rods into their flesh and bend them down with their
weight They seem to like the task, however, for at
the well they meet their young companions and do not
always hurry home again. Chattering and laughter
may always be heard round the wells during the last
hour before sunset. To pull up the water the girls
have little square baskets made from a banana-leaf,
which they let down with a thin cord into the well.
The first water, however, that they draw up is not
destined for their jars ; they drink, then raise the
basket in their upstretched arms and pour the rest over
themselves, clothes and all. They repeat this two or
three times, and only when their garments are clinging
to their slight little forms and they feel cool and re-
THE NATIVE MARKET
THE MARKET FLOODED
ROUTINE IN THE LITTLE CAI-NHA , 95
freshed, do they fill their jars. A few more laughing
remarks, and they shoulder their burdens and trot off
again.
Going to market is certainly the favourite occupation
of the Annamese girl and woman, She likes the inde-
pendence of the day spent in the company of her
acquaintances and friends from other villages, and
above all she rejoices in the opportunity of exercising
the cunning and smartness over a bargain, of which
she is a past mistress. In the smallest transaction she
concentrates all her energies to make every sapek she
can, and if she is able to introduce a rotten mango
among the good ones that she is selling to a cook, or
persuade her friend to give her another handful of rice
for nothing,, she absolutely glories in her astuteness and
business capacity. She will always ask twenty cents
for a cocoa-nut when she is willing to take five, and it
is only when the would-be customer is in the act of
leaving the market or of seeking elsewhere, that she
will lower her price.
Not that I often go to the market. The spectacle
of all these women sitting on the ground with their
goods spread on the bare earth does not induce appe-
tite, nor is the smell of the dried fish, nuoc-mam * and
choum-choum\ mixed up with that of fruit and vege-
tables, agreeable. The noise, too, is appalling. None
of the women stop talking for a single minute, and to
be heard above the conversation going on close to them
they have to employ the full force of their lungs. The
voice of an Annamese woman is never musical, so that
• Condiment, made of fermented fish-water.
t Rice alcohol.
96 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
shrill accents and high notes are the rule, and a dis-
cussion with an angry woman is more to be avoided
here even than elsewhere. Their menfolk are fully
aware of this fact and are careful never to raise a
storm unnecessarily, or if they accidentally do so, they
absent themselves from the homestead until it has
spent itself.
At the market the only masculine forms to be seen
are those of the Europeans' cooks who are catering for
their next meal. Except for these men and an occa-
sional child whom a mother has been unable to leave
behind, the market is entirely given up to women.
A mother carries her child in one of her baskets,
where it makes weight against a sucking pig or a few
kilogrammes of rice.
Nhatrang has lately been able to boast of a covered
market with a cement floor, but as the sellers have to
pay one or two sapeks to establish themselves and
baskets there, many prefer to remain on the dusty or
muddy ground outside. In November, in the midst
of the rainy season, nearly all use the building, for a
lake sometimes two feet in depth covers the space
around it. Yet there are always a few women who
persist in establishing themselves along the edge of
the water as near their usual position as possible.
It is a most curious scene. Some of the women
have almost had to swim to get to Nhatrang, others
have to come by boat, lifting their light craft over the
places where the road was not submerged. The bad
weather never seems to deter anybody from coming,
in fact at such times the market is often more crowded
than ever. The women probably enjoy the novelty
ROUTINE IN THE LITTLE CAI-NHA 97
and excitement as children would, and keeping their
goods dry appears to be their only preoccupation.
They roll up their trousers to their hips, draw the
lappets of their tunics over their shoulders, and wade
through the water courageously.
Certainly it can be no great pleasure for them to
stay at home, for in some of the villages, at the rainy
season, the huts are all flooded. Their owners remain
in possession, however, as long as possible ; after
dragging everything on to the camp bed they all
cuddle there themselves, or if the water rises still
higher they erect another edifice on the top of the
bed and climb up another story. We have often
ridden out to one of these flooded villages, and when
I have heard voices and laughter coming from under
some thatched roof under which a high stream is flow-
ing, I have not been able to believe my ears. That
inmates should still remain there when only a foot or
two separates the roof from the level of the water
passes my comprehension. At any moment the whole
dwelling may be carried away. Sometimes they have
lighted a fire and then from lack of space they risk
being burnt as well as drowned. None seem dis-
tressed at their situation, they look at and talk of the
rising water with as much interest as we who have a
watertight roof to return to.
Two markets are held at Nhatrang every day, one
in the morning and one in the evening, but the hours
are elastic and no sooner has the last comer arrived
than the first is taking her departure. The women go
off as heavily laden as they came, for if they have sold
their goods they have bought others. Their prepara-
98 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
tions for the long trudge home are soon made. Rising
from their squatting position, the dust is shaken from
their long-suffering tunics, the corners of which again
serve to give a last polish to the treasured bamboos.
Then the rods are lifted several times to see if the
baskets are of equal weight, the pointed mushroom
hats are secured firmly on their heads by pushing the
red bands which hold them well under the chin, and
all is ready. They move off singly or in groups. If
several women start together they always walk one
behind the other, never two abreast. As they always
keep within an equal distance, they can still talk, and
the one right in front will carry on a running conversa-
tion with the last of the line without ever turning her
head or slackening her pace. As their gait is more of
a run than a walk, their heels never touching the
ground, one would think they had sufficient exertion
without wasting their breath in conversation.
It is amusing to watch a woman who makes the
purchase of a pig. She cannot carry it home alone
and is obliged to ask assistance from one of her friends.
The two have hard work to place the struggling animal
in the bamboo lattice-work basket which is the usual
means of transport for pigs. Notwithstanding its
struggles and efforts to get away, it is at last intro-
duced into its narrow cage and the opening made fast
with a piece of bamboo string. The poor animal
pokes its paws through the holes of the basket, and
is powerless to make a movement. It is not powerless
to squeal, however, and makes the most of its only re-
maining resource. The noise is deafening, but the
women continue their conversation calmly above the
ROUTINE IN THE LITTLE CAI-NHA 99
squeals of their charge, and soon he is safely slung to
a pole which they place between them over their
shoulders. If the Annamese only adopted the same
method with their ducks, they would save themselves
much time and trouble.
In South Annam it is not rare to meet a herd
of ducks. The first time we saw any number driven
together was one evening by moonlight. We were
preparing for bed in a tram* where we had to
pass the night, when we heard the soft patter of
waddling feet on the dusty road, accompanied by
such a quacking as might announce the assemblage of
all the ducks of the universe. We went out, and there
beheld perhaps a thousand or more ducks being driven
in serried ranks by three or four natives. The latter
held long canes, and while one directed the foremost
duck, the others kept its followers in place. The
outlines of the herd were even, its form symmetrical.
Suddenly the leading duck was led off the road into an
open space near us ; the army followed suit, and to
our disgust we found that they, too, were going to
spend the night at the tram. However, they were too
tired with their march to quack long, and when they
fell asleep, we were allowed to do likewise.
We made inquiries as to how the Annamese came
to possess so many ducks at once, for it was impossible
that they had been hatched out in the ordinary way.
It appears that the eggs are incubated by being laid
in flat round baskets and covered with warm paddy,
which is frequently changed. It is a business which
* Tram — post of relay, where the mail changes hands ; postal
officials and mandarin travellers can find shelter here.
ioo ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
needs close attention and an accurate sense of tempera-
ture by touch, for no thermometer is used. Very few
natives can manage it successfully, and the whole
industry seems limited to certain villages.
When the ducks are old enough, they are distributed
over the country. They must be driven very slowly
and carefully and only in the early morning or late
evening. During the hot part of the day they are
led into water, and it is curious to see a pond or
a corner of a rice-field literally moving with ducks.
They are brown-black (earth colour), so that one is
struck by the bobbing and flapping before being able
to distinguish what they really are.
Besides the market, work on the rice-field has its
charm for the young girls and women, but this only
occupies them for short periods and at stated times.
In Annam it is the men who are chiefly employed. If
the natural irrigation has been insufficient, it is they who
bale the water over the banks which separate one field
from another. These dikes are constructed as much
as possible at right angles with the stream, and the
openings are so arranged that the water is distributed
evenly over the rice-fields, but a slight accident may
leave one dry, and then the natives must repair the
mistake. For this purpose three stakes are planted
on the dike of the unwatered field. These support a
cord, to which is attached a basket or a bale with a
long handle made of plaited, bamboo. The instruments
are primitive. To work the basket, strings are attached
to either side, and the weight resting on the stakes,
two men by a twist of their wrists transfer the water
comparatively easily from a lower to a higher level.
ROUTINE IN THE LITTLE CAI-NHA 101
Only one man is necessary if the bale is used ; by
means of its long handle he swings the water upwards
without any exertion. But when the field to be thus
supplied is of any size, the process, as may be imagined,
takes a good deal of time.
After the water has soaked well into the ground,
making the surface soft, the process of ploughing is
begun. Two buffaloes are yoked to a wooden plough
and are driven by a man or boy, who cajoles them by
a series of shrill squeaks, turning them to right or left
with little taps from a long slender cane. The driver
is up to his knees in the soft mud, and, like the
buffaloes, splashed with it from head to foot, but he is
so intent on keeping control over his clumsy animals
that he never pauses to wipe his face.
The stubble and roots of the preceding harvest have
not yet been removed, but now that they are loosened
and that the usually hard dry surface is like a slushy
pond, a harrow is run through. This is also drawn by
two buffaloes, but the boy who drives in this case
stands on the low instrument, his feet just above the
level of the mud. He balances himself by holding on
to the tails of his steeds.
The rice is now sown closely in a corner of the field,
and only when it is four or five inches above the
ground are the women summoned to plant it out.
During the whole of its growth, till ready for cut-
ting, it is a very bright green, of a shade seldom seen in
Europe, and never over such a large surface. But the
young shoots before being separated out are of a still
more vivid colour. They form emerald green patches,
the brilliance of which is enhanced by contrast with the
102 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
muddy water extending all around them. When the
women arrive the young men dig up the shoots, tie
them into bundles or sheaves, and carry them over to
one end of the field. Here the women await them,
standing in a long line, with trousers already rolled
up and the ends of their tunics fastened round their
waists or tucked into: their trousers, so that they shall
not dip into the water. They have also pushed up
their sleeves as far as the narrow cut of the wrist-
band permits, but not far enough to prevent them from
being caked with mud before the day is over. They
keep on their hats, which hide a great part of their
bent figures, for they are up to their knees in mud,
and from a distance they look like a line of giant
mushrooms.
As soon as the men give them the bundles they undo
them and plunge the shoots one by one a few inches
apart in the soft mud. They work very steadily, seldom
raising themselves or looking around ; but I have
caught sight of many a roguish glance from under the
big hats when the men bend down to place the rice in
the girls' hands. It is true that, notwithstanding their
ungraceful attitude and miry task, there is something
fascinating about them at this moment. Perhaps the
attraction lies in their tucked-up trousers and raised
tunics, perhaps in the difficulty of seeing their faces
under their mushroom hats, or perhaps in the cheeks,
rosy with exertion, which one sees when standing up-
right for a second they undo a lappet of their tunic to
wipe the perspiration and splashes of mud from their
faces. It may be, too, that as men and women are
seldom together this work furnishes a favourable oppor-
ONE OF THE TOWEKS OF THE TCHAM
TEMPLE AT NHATRANG
HE BALANCES HIMSELF ON THE HARROW BY
MEANS OF HIS BUFFALOES' TAILS
ONE OF THE TRICKS FOR FLOODING
A RICE-FIELD
WOMEN PLANTING OUT THE RICE
ROUTINE IN THE LITTLE CAI-NHA 103
tunity for love-making. Even a husband and wife never
walk close together in the village or in any public place,
still less do men and women speak to each other when
they meet by accident on the road. Besides the fetch-
ing of firewood from the forest, work in the rice-fields
is the only occupation which draws the sexes together.
Even in returning from the jungle with their stacks of
wood, custom separates them by at least a hundred
metres, though it is not likely that in the thick under-
growth and under the shady foliage they have kept
that distance apart all the time.
The day's work done, men and women return to
the homestead, to find the supper prepared by the
housewife, and the water fetched by the elder children.
At last they are at liberty to squat on the ground, their
elbows resting on their outspread knees. This is the
woman's favourite position in her leisure moments.
The male members of the family will often devote
themselves to their education, poring over dirty little
books or scraps of paper on which are a few Annamese
characters. The women, having seldom had the first
elements of instruction even in childhood, rarely care
to acquire any later in life.
When twilight deepens, the big saucepan of rice is
brought to the fore and the contents divided into a
number of little bowls, one for each member of the
family. Other bowls contain broken-up fish, little
pieces of roast pork, and one or two native vegetables.
Each person picks up from these common dishes with
his chopsticks a little morsel here and there, and, after
first dipping it into the nuoc-mam, without which no
Annamese meal is complete, flavours his own little
104 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
bowl to his liking. The Annamese never eat with
their fingers ; if they have no chopsticks at hand any
slender pieces of wood picked up on the ground will
do instead. They never drink while eating, but wait
till the meal is finished.
Supper ended, the family generally retires at once ;
first the chattering of the children ceases, then the
murmur of voices dies away altogether. Only the old
man (png-gid) does not sleep, but sits at the hut door
in contemplation. After a time he too raises himself,
and after choosing out a taper from a little red packet
in a corner, lights it at the dying fire, and places it
upright in the sand-filled vase on the altar. This last
act of devotion accomplished, he lets down the bamboo
door and complete silence reigns.
CHAPTER VI
THE MANDARIN AT HOME
How to become a mandarin : The esteem with which
education is regarded in Annam : The mandarin's house
and furniture : The Citadel : Visit to the Quan Bo of
the province : Shaking hands : Refreshments : His
family : Nicknames of the children : Respect due to the
family name : The Quan Bo's return call : A brother of
Thanh-Thai : Illness of one of his wives : The princess :
A royal infant : A Chinese pipe : Snapshots
THERE is no permanent Annamese aristocracy, except
in the Royal Family. Titles are not hereditary; they
drop one degree with every generation, so that if the
members of a family do nothing by personal effort to
deserve a renewal of their former distinctions, the
family soon loses its honourable estate. Any man in
the kingdom may become a mandarin or high Govern-
ment official, as all public offices are open to competition.
This rule admits of a few exceptions. Those who render
signal services to the country are entitled to similar
honours. The citizen, for instance, who has succeeded
in developing a certain amount of uncleared land, trans-
forming jungle into rice-fields, is ennobled ; even in
this land of literary examinations, agriculture is rightly
honoured. But yet it is the " literary " mandarin who
of the two is held in the higher esteem. This demand
106 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
for efficiency should be of good omen for the future of
the country, but it must be remembered that education
in Annam is not progressive. The examinations of
to-day are identical with those of many centuries ago.*
The subjects are literature, language, the doctrines of
Confucius. If they could be altered, and some of the
energy now spent on letters could be devoted to
science, the nation would make rapid progress.
The mandarin almost always lives in a brick-built
house with verandahs running round, after the fashion
of the European bungalow. The tiled roof is in many
cases much ornamented, and the crest, instead of being
a straight line, curves to form the profile of a dragon.
Butterflies, bats, or lotus flowers are frescoed into the
lime above doors and windows. As on the tombs, this
is done by means of broken fragments of blue and
green porcelain, but it is only on close inspection that
one can see the hundreds of chips which have been
required to complete a single design.
The house is generally whitewashed inside, but in
spite of this the rooms do not have a clean appearance.
All the Annamese, rich and poor, chew the betel-nut,t
which makes a red saliva in the mouth, and this they
spit out on floors and walls. The red stains are, of
course, much more noticeable here than on the mud
floors in the huts of the poorer classes, and give one
a greater feeling of repugnance. Surely, if civilised
enough to use whitewash, they ought to have learnt
* Lately attempts have been made to modernise the programme
of study.
f This is really the nut of the areca-palm, cut up and wrapped in
a leaf of the betel (Piper betle\ which is first smeared over with lime.
I'RINCESS THUVKN IIOA OUTSIDE HER HOUSK
THE MANDARIN AT HOME 107
not to spit on it ! On the contrary, they are proud of
the distance they can project their saliva, and one often
sees small children competing with each other at this
sport. The habit of chewing destroys any claim to
beauty which the women might be said to possess, for
it discolours their lips, and, together with the black
lacquer used to preserve their teeth, makes the mouth
a most repulsive feature.
My first glimpse of a mandarin's house was obtained
the day we returned the visit of the Quan B6> the
chief Annamese administrator of the province. Annam,
unlike Cochin-China, is at present only a French Pro-
tectorate, and in theory the Annamese officials have
as much to say in the government of a province as the
French Resident. They take their orders direct from
the Ministers of the King at Hue. Nevertheless in
practice they are ready to sanction any reform that the
Resident proposes.
The Quan Bo's house, like those of most of the
other great mandarins, is situated inside the Citadel,*
fifteen kilometres from Nhatrang. When we came in
sight of the walls, I recalled incidents which I had just
been reading in the history of the region. It seemed
astonishing that such walls and moats could ever have
successfully withstood an attack. Yet there had been
fought many a bloody combat in which the Citadel
had been taken and re-taken — events had left their
mark. The walls were still broken down in places,
never having been reconstructed after the last assault ;
* The " citadels " of Annam are rarely fortresses, but towns or
villages, surrounded by ramparts, which become the centres of
resistance in time of war.
io8 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
the stagnant water of the moats was now covered with
dirty green moss, except where beautiful lotus lilies
hid the dank vegetation. The general appearance,
though miserable and dirty, was still picturesque.
On the narrow bridge over the moat, we came to a
standstill ; the heavy Citadel door was shut. Some
youngsters off the roadside had heard the horses' feet,
however, and came running up, only too pleased to be
of service to us. When the massive portals had been
pushed back on their creaking wheels, we found the
doorway only just wide enough for the passage of our
cradle-cart. It reminded us of the entrance to a fort-
ress of the Middle Ages, and as the doors swung back
behind us, I felt rather like a fly entering a spider's
web. Above the brickwork of the door was a sentinel's
tower large enough to hold twenty or thirty men.
Along the walls five men could walk abreast.
I was rather disappointed with the appearance of
the village inside. We had been looking forward to
the sight of something quite new, but at first discovered
few novel features. The four roads which led towards
the four gates of the ancient Citadel were symmetrical;
they were also broader and in better repair than the
stony, straggling paths of most villages ; a huge building
used as a granary in times of siege, and a vast prison,
stood out conspicuously, but apart from these nothing
exceptional arrested our attention. The same dank
ponds, grass, bushes, trees, native huts with gardens,
the same general disorder, in fact, met our gaze here
as elsewhere.
The Quan Bo's house was off the principal road ; as
we drove into the courtyard in front, the silence and
THE MANDARIN AT HOME 109
solitude gave place to life and babble. Coolies ran
here and there, heads peeped out from the windows,
and children slid through the doors watching us open-
mouthed and open-eyed. Many of these little mites
were in coloured silk tunics, the soldiers wore the
scarlet coat and little round hat of the bodyguard of
a high Annamese official, so that touches of bright
colour made a pleasing contrast to the everlasting
indigo blue of people on the road.
By the time we had mounted the verandah steps the
Quan B6 had made his appearance and was waiting to
greet us. He gave his hand to my husband and then to
me. It was the first time I had shaken hands with an
Annamese, and a shudder went through me when I felt
in my own the uncanny dry-skinned fingers with their
long nails. This simple and natural action brought
home to me more strongly than ever the natural
antipathy that exists between white and yellow races.
In theory, I do not mind shaking hands with any of the
mandarins who will condescend to do me that honour,
but I can never do so without this consciousness.
It is true that the Annamese never shake hands
among themselves, so that the gesture is an unfamiliar
one ; if equals, they simply bow with arms hanging
down ; for a respectful greeting they join their hands,
open palm over closed fist, shaking them slightly up
and down. The lai, which I have already described,
is the salute of an inferior to a superior.
The Quan Bo was dressed in a brilliant sea-green
tunic, a present from the King. It was a piece of silk
unique both in dye and pattern, like those sometimes
made for royalty. This was the only bright spot in
i TO ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
the room. All else was sombre and even slovenly.
The furniture consisted of a very ordinary European
table and a dozen chairs placed in two lines opposite
each other. There were a few lacquered trays and
round boxes, whose dark-coloured, highly polished
wood was entirely inlaid with gleaming mother-of-pearl,
some ancient blue porcelains and one or two Annamese
pictures. These last were painted on strong flexible
Chinese paper and were hung like kakemonos against
the wall without frames. The subjects were the same
as those on the tombs and pagoda walls, representations
of Buddha either walking up a hill-side or sitting under
a tree, or riding on a buffalo. He held the eternal fan
in his hand, and an eagle, more resembling a swan or
a peacock, followed in his footsteps. There were also
pictures of the dragon, the unicorn, and the tortoise,
the other three sacred animals. All the drawings
were primitive and out of proportion.
I was very disappointed at not finding more Anna-
mese ornaments, though my husband had warned me
we should see nothing of any great interest or value.
All the mandarins of Annam are poor, or, if not, they
pretend to be so. The native governors of a province
are not entitled to any fixed official salary ; they are
considered as the "father and mother " of the popula-
tion they govern, and the "children " are supposed to
provide the "parents" with all the necessaries of life.
This arrangement is far from perfect, for the
"parents" often take advantage of their position to
extort large sums of money from their " children."
But not the most well-to-do native governors, nor
even the Ministers of Hu6, can boast of wealth or
AT THE QUAN BOS HOUSE
TilK QUAN HO I.KNT MIC HIS OHTU IAI. KOHKS
THE MANDARIN AT HOME in
houses like those of the rich mandarins in Cochin-
China or Tonking.
The Annamese are notoriously hospitable ; we
were offered champagne, but finally accepted tea. I
was very thirsty after my long drive : my pleasant
anticipation of a drink was slightly thwarted when I
saw the tactics of the eldest son, who was doing the
honours of the table. Finding the little Chinese tea-
pot did not pour very well, he took it up, placed the
spout in his mouth, and blew lustily down. To drink
or not to drink, that was the question !
We asked our host after his wife and family, and
though he did not offer to introduce us to his wife, he
at once proposed to show us his children. Six little
boys were brought into the room, all appearing to be
between the ages of two and eight. I was ruminating
over this fact, till I remembered that polygamy was
both lawful and laudable in Annam. " All boys ? " I
said, with wonder. " I have four little girls, too," was
the answer given me through the interpreter, and when
I asked if they were not coming too, he had them
fetched, but was evidently surprised at my taking any
interest in them. Women cannot maintain the cult of
ancestor-worship ; the birth of a boy is therefore hailed
with much greater delight than that of a girl. Polygamy
is the direct result of this faith, for, if a man has no
son, the link in the chain which binds generation to
generation is broken. Such a disaster would not only
affect the childless man, but all the former generations
of the family.
I asked the children their names through the inter-
preter, and found that they were called hai, ba, bon
ii2 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
(two, three, four), according to the order in which they
were born. Number one is always reserved for the
mother. I remembered that I also had a hai and a ba
among my servants, and realised that these names were
thus given in every family. They had nicknames
as well, but all of a most uncomplimentary character,
such as dirt, slug, snail, pig, manure, &c. This seems
strange until one remembers that in Annam one can
never express admiration for a baby without causing
its mother great anxiety, for if the " Ma" and " Qui "
(devils) should overhear your remarks, they might
covet the child and steal it. The congratulations to
the proud mother on her newborn infant are therefore
very different from those we are used to in England.
The family name of an Annamese is never mentioned
either in speaking of a man or to him. It may be
written for business purposes on a deed and on the
ancestral tablets, but never in any ordinary correspon-
dence. Even students in their examinations are not
allowed to call a king by his proper name ; it would
be considered an act of Ihe majestd. They must
pronounce or spell it wrongly, or explain whom they
mean by many periphrases.
When one man quarrels with another, he calls him
by his proper name, or as the direst insult, he utters
with contempt all the names of his ancestors. This is
far worse than to call him a scoundrel, an assassin,
a blackguard, or dog, and can never be forgiven.
All conversations between Annamese contain hidden
meanings ; every expression has a double sense. In
this art the mandarins excel. The greatest ingenuity
is displayed, and is highly appreciated by a nation
THE MANDARIN AT HOME 113
which denies any virtue to frankness. Indeed, they
have a superstitious fear of the truth. In trials for
theft, men will tell lie after lie, and even when
obliged to confess by torture, it is not of the crime
itself that they are ashamed, but of the acknowledg-
ment of their guilt. A woman was once brought to
my husband's infirmary dying from suffocation. She
had stolen some jewels, and, to prevent herself reveal-
ing their hiding-place, whilst undergoing a severe
beating she had bitten her tongue right through. It
had swollen so much that it was impossible for her to
take nourishment, and she could only breathe with
difficulty. She obstinately refused all the doctor's aid,
preferring to die rather than to live and be forced to
divulge her secret. She recovered in spite of herself,
and had again to be delivered into the hands of native
justice. We never knew her fate.
When the children of the Quan Bo had been dis-
missed, we rose to take our leave. As we mounted
the dog-cart, I saw our host look round for our
servants ; he was evidently surprised that we had come
unattended. He himself on his visit to us had brought
six or seven followers ; in fact, when I had seen the
little group coming in at the garden gate, I had
wondered how I should seat all my visitors. How-
ever, the native bodyguard who had drawn his rick-
shaw remained outside, and only his interpreter and
boy entered the house. The latter is an individual
much to be pitied. He must always be at hand ;
wherever his master goes he must follow, often on foot.
It is not uncommon to meet a mandarin riding or
driving, his wretched boy running behind with all his
H4 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
might, often in a great state of exhaustion. It is he
who carries his master's smoking materials, which do
not consist of a mere pipe and tobacco-pouch. No
mandarin travels without a big, oblong, lacquered box
fitted with trays divided into different compartments,
in which, besides pipes and tobacco, visiting-cards,
Chinese pen and ink, betel leaves, lime, and all the
materials for chewing are carried. The mandarin
keeps the key of this precious box on his person, and
from time to time during conversation he calls to the
boy, opens the box, and provides himself with what he
needs. It is often said that Europeans are too exact-
ing with their native servants, but I have seen no task
imposed by them so arduous as this.
A short time ago we paid a call on the brother of
the ex-king, a mandarin of much higher rank. When
Thanh-thai was deposed in 1907, he and most of his
family were obliged to leave Hue" and the Court.
Thanh-Thai himself was sent to the Cap St. Jacques,
where the residence of the Governor-General was put
at his disposal till a new palace could be built for him
in Cochin-China. His family and adherents did not
fare so well. His brother, Prince Thuyen Hoa, till
then the highest and most influential mandarin in the
country, after the king, was brought to Nhatrang. In
such an out-of-the-way spot he naturally found no
friends or companions of his own standing, and not
having been allowed to bring away his horses and
motors from the capital, he was cut off from the rest of
the province. His stipend from the Government
probably does not permit him to buy new ones, he
feels it beneath his dignity to ride in a rickshaw, and
THE MANDARIN AT HOME
he is therefore practically a prisoner in his house at the
Citadel. It is said that he has scarcely enough money
to keep up the large retinue of wives and servants
which he brought with him.
It was in connection with one of their number that
we became acquainted with him. He wrote to my
husband asking him to call and medically attend her
for a slight illness. Such a demand, even from a
member of the Royal House who had mixed freely
with Europeans, surprised us. It was a marked sign
of progress, as it was for his own wife that he asked
assistance.
I accompanied my husband on his second visit to the
patient, and was introduced to the Prince. He was an
intelligent-looking youth of about twenty-six, with
manners almost European and a good French accent.
His hair was cut short and parted at the side, but he
still wore the black Annamese turban. He was in
white cotton trousers and a black openwork tunic,
something like a very fine black silk mantilla. He wore
a little thin gold plate indicating his title in Annamese
characters ; such ornaments in ivory are worn by all
mandarins. On his breast was also pinned the red
ribbon of the Le"gion d'honneur. This reminds me
of a story which illustrates Annamese wit. The same
honour had been conferred upon the ex-king. When
the French were taking an inventory of all the valu-
ables of his palace upon his departure, the king hold-
ing up the order exclaimed sarcastically, " Here is a
valuable you have forgotten to include."
After a few minutes' conversation, his wife (wife of
the first rank) entered the room, and his little two-year-
ii6 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
old daughter. Clearly intercourse with Europeans was
frequent ; it is not Annamese etiquette for a mandarin's
wife to appear when any but a lady visitor is present.
The Princess was pretty, with a clear and a very
white complexion, in fact, as regards colouring, she
might have been mistaken for a European. Her hair,
very smoothly brushed back, was done up in a waving
chignon at the back of her head, in the same manner
as other Annamese women, but with much more care
and chic. She wore several tunics one over the other,
but as all were of light feathery silk, they must have
caused no inconvenience, and the colours, as perceived
through the slits up the sides of the tunic, harmonised
admirably. The top one was a glorious shade of opal
pink. It was fastened by means of tiny round gold
buttons instead of the ordinary stuff ones. The sleeves
were in the height of Annamese fashion, and so
narrow at the wrist that I could not imagine how the
Princess had managed to get her hands, slender though
they were, through them. Her gold bracelets were
fastened over the sleeves and clung tightly to the arm.
Her trousers were of black satin, and the tips of her
toes were slipped into tiny ornamented Annamese
shoes. A woman's feet are one of her chief attractions,
and she is careful not to hide them too effectually ;
though the richer class of women possess slippers, their
feet lie on them rather than in them. The "carmine
heel," so much admired, can thus display its full
charm.
The little girl, though very shy at first, consented
after a time to come up to us and say bonjour with the
quaintest little bow imaginable. Her name, " Bai,"
A MANDARIN IN HIS GARDLN
TWO MANDARINS WITH THKIR HOUSEHOLD AND RETAINERS
THE MANDARIN AT HOME 117
meaning " Little Worry," was truer than most nick-
names. Bai's head was shaved as clean as the palm
of one's hand, except for two little triangles at each
side, where the hair had been allowed to grow and
hung down to her neck. Though curious, this coiffure
was not ugly ; in fact it gave her a piquant and rather
attractive look. It was much tidier than the tuft of
hair left at the crown of the head of the peasant child.
She was dressed entirely in yellow, the royal colour,
which till lately was prohibited to all subjects of the king-
dom, and indeed is never worn even now. Her nurse
brought her into the room. Though the child was over
two years old, she was still being fed from the breast.
My conversation with the Princess was carried on under
difficulties, as I could seldom understand the inter-
preter, and, unlike her husband, she spoke no French.
The entrance of tea was therefore a welcome interrup-
tion. Little stands of finely carved wood had already
been placed in front of us as we sat solemnly round the
table, and now two more servants appeared, one of
whom held a tray on which were little blue bowls of
steaming tea. These were put on the little wooden
stands. The tea was, I believe, of an ancient and
priceless blend, but alas ! its charm was lost for me ;
I cannot enjoy tea without sugar.
Between the sips of tea, a Chinese pipe, a most
complicated instrument, made up of a jar containing
water, a little receptacle above for the tobacco, and a
long thin piece of bamboo, was brought to the Princess.
The jar was of jade, very valuable and over two
hundred years old. As the pipe could not hold more
than two pinches of tobacco, the Princess was never
ii8 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
able to take more than one whiff at a time, and was
therefore constantly requiring the pipe to be brought
to her. I found it most fascinating to watch the
servant sliding noiselessly up to her, kneeling down,
and dexterously putting a match to the tobacco the
instant that the bamboo touched her lips.
These interruptions made the process of tea drink-
ing somewhat slow, but the ceremoniousness of the
occasion was happily interrupted by the baby Princess.
She suddenly began talking volubly and emphatically to
her nurse, and as she had been quiet and shy up to
that moment I asked the interpreter what she wanted.
" She demands that her trousers be removed," said
that official promptly, but with great seriousness. I
was so taken aback by the unexpected reply that for a
moment I did not know whether to laugh or be shocked.
However, I remembered on reflection that the child,
like her poorer compatriots, generally ran about the
house without that garment, and had had enough of it.
Her request, however, could not be granted owing to
our presence. I had brought my camera with me in
the hope of getting a few snapshots. All tea-time I
had anxiously watched the sun getting lower and lower.
I knew, however, that etiquette is of the greatest
importance in the eyes of the Oriental, and having
never seen an Annamese hurry I curbed my impatience
as best I could. The light was very bad by the time
the Prince and Princess at last posed themselves
stiffly on high-backed chairs on the verandah for the
operation. When they had been taken in several
positions, the Prince turned to my husband and asked
him to take a photograph of the whole household. It
THE MANDARIN AT HOME 119
had never entered my head that we should have a
chance of seeing the other wives, and I was very grateful
for the opportunity. But I was a little disappointed
when they gathered on the verandah to find that it was
impossible to distinguish the wives from the servants.
They were all young and rather nice-looking, but none
had the distinguished air of the Princess. From the
short glimpse we had of them, they seemed to be a
happy and united family — no doubt far happier than in
the days when they lived amid the intrigues of the
Palace.
CHAPTER VII
RELIGIOUS RITES AND SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS
Religious systems of Annam : The scepticism of the
native : Spirits arid genii : Countryside shrines : The
shrine to the tiger : Superstitions concerning the tiger :
Ancestor-worship : The benefits to family life of this
cult : Its ceremonies : The death and funeral of a
believer : The practice of polygamy
RELIGION and superstition are so intermingled in the
mind of the Annamese and in his performance of all
rites and ceremonies, that it is impossible to speak of
one without the other.
Different religions are recognised in the country, but
none has a distinct body of adherents : an Annamese
will worship indifferently at a Buddhist orTaoist pagoda,
the distance or a pecuniary consideration alone guiding
him in his choice. It is not, indeed, rare to find on
the same altar, side by side with the image of Buddha,
a statue of Confucius and of Laotseu, the founder of
the Taoist religion. This illustrates the confusion
which reigns in the religious systems of Annam ; their
original distinctiveness lost, superstition and sorcery
have had no difficulty in introducing themselves.
Europeans can hardly understand this attitude of mind,
which makes no effort to reconcile conflicting theories.
It is in a great measure this eclecticism which has
120
RELIGIOUS RITES 121
enabled missionaries to convert such large numbers
to Christianity. Toleration, a good trait in a nation's
character, is here so wide as to lead to scepticism and
apathy. The Annamese is often Buddhist, Taoist,
Confucianist, all in one, while quite incapable of dis-
tinguishing the creed and ceremonials belonging to
each faith. The precepts of Confucius are those
which make the strongest appeal to his intelligence,
but none influence his daily actions or call forth
anything beyond an ignorant veneration. It is the
worship of the various spirits and genii, which,
as he believes, hover about him at work or in sleep,
and still more ancestor-worship, which guide and con-
trol his whole life. These two creeds embody all the
hopes and fears of the mass of the population. The
first regards the elements and all natural phenomena
as endowed with a living spirit, and assigns not only to
men and animals, but even to things and places, a rank
and gender. The spirits commonly worshipped in
Annam may be divided into three classes : the Celes-
tial, or those in space, from one of whom all the great
dynasties declare themselves to be descended ; the
Genii of the Waters (it is in the depth of the sea that
the land of departed spirits is placed) ; and the Genii of
the Earth, who protect certain portions of the country
as well as the village and the home.
Every trade again, with the particular tools belong-
ing to it, is under the protection of some supernatural
power. The peasant makes a sacrifice not only to the Ce-
lestial Genii, but to the spirit of his buffaloes ; the fisher-
man not only to the Genii of the Waters, but to those of
his nets ; the merchant to those of his baskets, &c. &c.
izz ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
Small shrines are erected in every conceivable corner
to these spirits, so that, including the pagodas, where
Buddha, Confucius, and Laotseu are promiscuously
worshipped, it requires all the goodwill of the credulous
Annamese to perform his religious duties properly.
The number of altars belonging to a single village is
sometimes very considerable. Moreover, in the large
pagodas, bonzes officiate who live solely by alms. The
faithful must therefore bring food for the priests as
well as their gifts for the altar.
Shrines are not necessarily in the neighbourhood of
a village ; indeed, as one wanders through the country,
one comes upon them in most unexpected places, and
often quite out of the beaten track. Just as the pagodas
are generally situated on some hill where there is a
beautiful view, so the sites of these shrines are never
wanting in attraction. Sometimes they are right in
the midst of some bushes, or on the lower branches of
a tree, so that the halo of green all round sets them
off to advantage. They never seem neglected ; the
poorest little edifice can boast of a taper or two, a
faded flower, or some silver and gilded paper.
When out hunting we have sometimes lighted on
one of these small temples in some far-off lonely spot,
and have suddenly been reminded that we are tres-
passing on " my Lord Tiger's" domain, for, represented
on a screen inside, is " Ong Kop " himself. The
elephant, silkworm, and rat enjoy a real cult, but the
animal which is most venerated and which inspires
the greatest number of superstitions and traditions is
the tiger. He is never mentioned without his title,
and within the forest the coolie will no longer mention
RELIGIOUS RITES 123
him at all ; he makes a clawing sign with his hand if he
wishes to indicate that the dreaded monster is near.
More than once the population of a village has libe-
rated a tiger caught in a trap. When, in the early
morning, the presence and plight of His Majesty have
been made known, all the Annamese in the region
collect round him, and after making lais to him and
praying him not to take revenge on them for the insult,
they make a deafening noise with their tom-toms, open
his prison door, and let him escape !
As may be imagined, the organised tiger hunt is
almost an impossibility in Annam, the few individuals
who, having no personal fear, might consent to act as
beaters, being prevented by the rest of the villagers.
For, even if the tiger was not killed, the mere attempt
would be such an act of disrespect that later, not only
those who took part in the hunt, but the whole village,
would assuredly suffer. There is also another thing
to be considered. A man caught and eaten by Ong
Kop would remain unburied, for in all probability his
family would be unable to find his bones. Such a
disaster would be worse than death itself, for souls
abandoned and deprived of burial suffer such terrible
agony that they become spirits of the most injurious
kind, revenging themselves on generation after
generation.
This anxiety for the funeral ceremonial has some-
times been known to cause the premature death of a
sick man. My husband's infirmary boy once arrived
in the middle of the night, to say that a native patient
was dead and that his family had come for the body.
My husband was slightly surprised, as he expected
124 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
this man to live another few days, but as he is obliged
to let patients come and go as they please, it was use-
less to make a protest. The next afternoon a friend
told us that he had met a procession of natives carry-
ing the unlucky patient — who was then still alive, but
suffering agonies with every movement of the palan-
quin. His relations were so desirous of having the
body, that they could not curb their impatience to
wait till he was dead ! They preferred taking away
his last chance of life !
But to return to the tiger. He, like other animals,
undergoes transformations under different circum-
stances and at different times. For instance, at the
age of fifty he can change into an old woman, at the
age of a hundred into a young and beautiful maiden,
though one who is dangerous to her admirers. There
are numbers of popular stories of this sort. It is
natural, therefore, that all the little temples dedicated
to Ong Kop should be honoured by sacrifices, offered
rather in the hope of appeasing the deity and winning
his favour than from any feeling of devotion. In the
same manner, the evil Genii are revered far more than
the good Genii, for every misfortune, great or small,
is attributed to the neglect of one of them.
All this worship of gods and spirits holds, however,
a subordinate place in comparison with ancestor-wor-
ship, upon which is concentrated all the real religious
fervour of the people. This is the basis upon which
all morals and customs are founded, and it governs all
social and domestic life. In the East it is said that
" the dead rule the living," and there is much truth in
the statement. Happily the influence of this religion
RELIGIOUS RITES 125
is almost entirely good. One of its chief dogmas is
the care, consideration, and respect due to the older
members of a family. However old and feeble the
head of the household may he, he rules with a rod of
iron. His wish is law. The woman, even, as soon
as she becomes a ba-gia, enjoys an influence far greater
than in her youth. A man takes advice from his
mother more readily than from his wife.
It is not only in the family that this devotion and
submission are noticeable. Any individual on the
road with grey hair or other indication of age is ad-
dressed by a title denoting great respect.
Another result of ancestor-worship is a love of chil-
dren. The Annamese are most devoted parents, and
if it were not for their ignorance of hygiene, they
would be model fathers and mothers.
Children are brought up not only with the idea of
what is due to their parents in old age, but of what is
due to them after death. They must strictly observe
all the rites of ancestor-worship when, on f£te days,
their father performs the ceremonies, for later one
of them will take his place. The chief ceremonies are
held just before the Tet (the Annamese New Year)
and on the anniversaries of the deaths of the parents.
No member of the family must be absent on this occa-
sion ; punishments can even be inflicted by law for such
an offence. The offerings placed on the altar at this
time are more important than at any other season during
the year, and in rich families they are increased daily.
On the day of the ceremony, the head of the family
dons his best robes, lights the tapers on the altar, and
before the assembled family goes through a ritual
126 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
which is punctilious in all its forms. He opens the
service by pouring wine into three glasses on the
altar and saying : "I respectfully invite your presence,
great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, uncles, and
aunts, to this reception, which your descendants
humbly offer you with all their heart," or words to that
effect. He then prostrates himself before the altar.
A pause follows during which he and each one of the
assembly must endeavour to think that he is in the
presence of his ancestors, who have come to the altar
to take part in the banquet. The service then con-
tinues, more wine is poured out, other words are pro-
nounced, and more prostrations follow, in fact, a strict
ritual is enjoined.
We see, therefore, that the immortality of the soul
is firmly believed in by the Annamese ; other cus-
toms show how death is his constant preoccupation.
Soon after middle age his chief desire is to provide
himself with a coffin ; it must be the best that his
means can procure. When he has found one that
pleases him, he carries it to his home, where it forms
the most prominent and richest article of furniture. A
mandarin of Nhatrang once asked my husband to
attend his brother in a serious illness. When he heard
that the patient could not possibly recover, his distress
was most acute. On a later visit, however, my hus-
band found him in such a happy, serene frame of mind,
that he thought a miracle must have happened. The
mandarin, in joyous excitement, led him to his brother's
side, and there, at the foot of the bed, was a finely
carved, brilliantly painted coffin. The patient, though
ery weak, raised himself to have one more look at
RELIGIOUS RITES 127
his treasure, and evidently felt that death had now
lost all its terrors. He was full of gratitude to the
donor. The mandarin's distress had been due not
only to the knowledge that he must lose his brother,
but to the fact that his coffin was not ready ! Now
that it had been finished in time, and all preparations
for death made, he could await the end with calm.
The death of an Annamese gives rise to a very
curious custom. It is necessary to capture the soul as
it leaves the body, in order to place it inside the tablet
which is conspicuous on every altar. For this purpose,
when the dying man is about to breathe his last, a
piece of silk is placed on his breast, into which the
soul is supposed to pass. As soon as the man is dead,
the silk is hung inside the " chariot of the soul " which
in every funeral precedes the coffin. After the funeral
the silk is taken out and rubbed over the tablet, which
has meanwhile been inscribed with the names, titles,
and occupation of the deceased ; the soul by this
means passes from one to the other. This tablet is
generally kept in a red lacquered box, and is the most
revered object on the altar. Rich families carefully
preserve the different tablets of the family for five
generations, but it is considered no breach of respect
if only those of the parents are kept. When the soul
is safely deposited in the tablet, the piece of silk is
buried in some spot indicated by a sorcerer, never
beside the coffin.
Many are the superstitious rites of a funeral when
the family can afford to observe them all. It is not a
very mournful affair, for though the women weepers
cry and wail, one never forgets that they are paid for
128 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
the work. The colouring is gay and the discordant
music has not a melancholy effect. Tom-toms, clari-
nets, and three or four Chinese violins generally
precede the procession. Each fiddler scrapes away
without ceasing, apparently taking no heed of the
time or tune of his fellows. Then comes the "chariot
of the soul" borne aloft on poles by half a dozen
coolies. It is a kind of paper tabernacle. On each
side are drawings and brilliantly coloured designs,
dragons and other sacred animals as well as many
Annamese characters. Behind this come one or
several altars, on which are placed all the family heir-
looms, bronze ornaments, porcelain vases, and often a
picture of the dead person painted by an Annamese
artist.
The coffin is carried on a sort of catafalque, which
is borne by a mass of coolies ; the richer the funeral,
the greater the number. Each coolie has in his
mouth a piece of wood, which is supposed to be a
help to him in carrying his burden. The movements
of the bearers are directed by a native, a master of the
ceremonies, who stands on the catafalque itself. From
this elevated position he can see and be seen by every
one. In front of him is a glass of water, and his
whole endeavour is to keep the coffin so level that not
a drop shall be spilt. From the moment the coffin
leaves the house till it is safely deposited in the grave,
he does not cease gesticulating or screaming orders.
When the ground is uneven or a slope must be
mounted, he watches the glass at his feet with in-
creased intensity, and works himself into a frenzy of
excitement. As a last resort, when all his vocabulary
RELIGIOUS RITES 129
is exhausted, and the coolies seem no longer to listen
to his ejaculations, he offers ten cents, then twenty, then
a dollar, to each bearer, if not a drop of water is spilt.
Behind the catafalque walk the bereaved relatives.
They are dressed in white, with white turbans. Their
trousers are without a hem round the ankles, for the
frayed ends of white cotton are a sign of mourning.
They maintain a grave and dignified attitude, very
different from that of the hired women weepers who
follow them. Occasionally they are provided with
sticks or supported by coolies on either side ; they are
so bowed down with grief that they can no longer
walk alone.
The period of mourning for every relative is pre-
cisely indicated, and in general faithfully observed.
The rules of conduct during that time are strict, and
any disregard of them is punishable by law. Some
are very severe : for instance, the sons of the deceased
man are not allowed to marry for three years after
his death, or, if already married, they must not have
a child.
When the head of a family dies, he does not leave
his money in equal portions to all his children ; the
eldest son has always the largest share, so that he may
be* in a position to continue the ceremonies of ancestor-
worship. Sometimes a large sum of money is be-
queathed expressly for this purpose, and goes from
eldest son to eldest son for many generations. The
law of the land sees that this money is not perverted
from its original purpose. If a man leaves nothing,
the family often subscribe a sum which is put into the
hands of the eldest son.
I
130 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANN AM
To die leaving no son is therefore a terrible
catastrophe to the Annamese, for the acts of devotion
of a lifetime are rendered void. Though the richer
classes practise polygamy willingly, it is this necessity
alone which causes a poor Annamese to take a second
wife. He probably cannot afford to have two, and if
he is not rich enough to please both, the quiet of his
home is destroyed. Jealousy and discord reign; the
calm, placid tenor of his existence is ended. There
is an Annamese proverb, " More than one wife, no
peace," and not long after my arrival in the country, I
had a personal proof of the truth of the saying. I was
taking my siesta in the hot part of the afternoon, when
I was startled out of my doze by fearful shrieks coming
from the direction of the kitchen. I jumped up and
rushed there, supposing that at least a kettle of boiling
water had scalded two or three individuals. I think
my boy would have preferred that to the actual fact.
His wife and the woman he had told me was his sister
were in violent altercation. Beside themselves with
fury, their hair down, their tunics torn, they had just
fallen apart after a hand-to-hand scuffle. At the
moment of my arrival, their rage had turned on my
boy. He would have escaped altogether if I had let
him. With my hands to my ears, I shouted to him to
make them stop screaming and yelling, but he was
quite unable to do so. My efforts to drive them both
out of the garden were vain, so I returned to my bed-
room, though too agitated to resume my siesta. I
dreaded lest anybody, attracted by the noise, should
come and see my helplessness. Fortunately it was
my husband who was the first to approach the house ;
RELIGIOUS RITES 131
in a minute he had put a stop to the disturbance, and
I saw two coolies carrying the women out of the
garden gate. Their screams and oaths did not abate
during this treatment, and I imagined them continuing
their duel on some isolated spot on the sands till one
or both dropped from exhaustion. The two coolies
looked even more dishevelled than usual as they came
back later, wiping the perspiration from their faces
with their dirty turbans before replacing them round
their chignons. They required a big tip after that
feat!
There was no need to ask my boy the reason of the
quarrel. It was apparent. His legal wife, who
brought him his lunch, had, by mismanagement, met
his "sister," who brought him his supper. Not only
had his wife not been invited to choose for him the
secondary wife, as is the usual custom, but she had not
even been informed of his intention of taking one. I
uttered no reproach ; his punishment had begun, and
who could say where it would end ?
CHAPTER VIII
THE SOCIAL POSITION OF WOMEN
Marriage laws : Betrothal and divorce : Betrothal and
marriage ceremonials : Polygamy : Social situation :
Education and occupations : Peculiarities of Annamese
beauty : Generalities
ACCORDING to Annamese law, which is of earlier date
than the French Civil Code, a woman is the equal of her
husband. The law says literally, " the wife is an equal "
(The* gia te ra) ; but in practice this is not quite true.
The Annamese woman at her marriage does not
necessarily take her husband's name, but may keep
her maiden name.
In Annam, as in China, marriage is considered too im-
portant a matter to be left to the chances of inclination or
love. It is the parents' business to make the arrange-
ments and settle the affair, often without consulting those
most interested. There is good reason for this custom.
Marriage takes place at a very early age. Advice is
surely needed between the ages of fourteen and sixteen ;
and the marriageable age for boys is sixteen, and for
girls fourteen years. According to the Annamese mode
of reckoning, these ages may be in reality much less, for
a new-born baby is reckoned a year at its birth, and two
at the next T£t, the Annamese new year.
132
SOCIAL POSITION OF WOMEN 133
A long engagement is, however, allowed. The
betrothal constitutes the first legal contract. It is
consummated as soon as the fiancee accepts presents.
Should the young man break off the engagement, he
loses the presents he has given to his fiancee. Should
the girl be the defaulter, she can be claimed by her
first fiance, even though married to some one else.
Marriages with blood relations are punished with the
greatest severity. For instance, a man marrying his
paternal aunt is liable to immediate decapitation. He
may marry his deceased wife's sister, which appears
natural enough to all Western nations except the
English, who have only just managed to pass a Bill in
its favour. He is even allowed to choose wives from
among the sisters of his first wife. On the contrary,
he may incur the sentence of strangulation should he
marry his brother's widow.
All sorts of unions are prohibited because they
might upset the hierarchical basis of the family. The
primordial authority of the husband must never be put
in question.
If the Annamese, with their reserved and sceptical
nature, do not attach great importance to the cere-
monies and dogmas of Buddhism, they show at least a
profound respect for all those relating to ancestor-
worship. So it comes about that paternal authority
and tradition constitute the fundamental principles of
the family. There is in each home an altar and
a priest, but it is the male only who is qualified to
officiate. Here is the source of great social inequality.
As is often the case in other countries man has made
use of religion to increase his privileges.
134 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
The birth of a son not only confers a celestial bene-
diction on an Annamese, as on the Brahman of India,
but it also imposes on him a stern and sacred duty.
If Nature is not propitious in granting him a son, the law
has infinite resources for helping him. In fact, this is
in every case the excuse for polygamy and adoption of
heirs. The childless wife may be restored to her
parents : she who is the mother of girls only may be
replaced by another wife.
It is common in Annamfor a man who has only one
daughter to adopt a son-in-law, as the Hebrews did
of old, but as a son-in-law cannot be held responsible
for the ancestral cult it is necessary to adopt a second
son who will take his place as the head of the family.
While the Chinese is able to choose whom he will for
this purpose, the Annamese is limited to paternal
nephews and cousins, as in Greece and in India.
In the matter of inheritance, " the portion for the
incense and the fire " is always provided for ; this con-
stitutes a sort of tithe which benefits the eldest or the
adopted son. This arrangement made, the widow
inherits the estate of her husband. According to the
letter of the law, daughters are excluded from inherit-
ance, as are their Chinese sisters, but in practice there
is an equal division of property irrespective of sex.
According to the " Dick Kink'' marriage is indis-
soluble. More modern laws, however, make provision
for divorce. There are seven permissible excuses for
divorce, differing only slightly from those prevailing in
China. They are : sterility, misconduct, theft, jealousy,
excessive garrulity, want of respect towards parents-
in-law, and incurable diseases such as leprosy and
\ ,V1. v.
i •»
kdi i
A WEDDING PROCESSION
THE WEDDING PROCESSION ENTERING BRIDE'S GARDEN
SOCIAL POSITION OF WOMEN 135
epilepsy. However, there are certain exceptions which
show wisdom and humanity in the law-makers. It is
impossible for a man to divorce his wife should they
have started their married life in poverty and should
later have become prosperous ; neither can he reject
her if she no longer has relations to whom she can go.
No excuse is admitted for adultery; a flagrant
delit proved, the husband is allowed to kill the guilty
couple. Formerly a guilty wife was exposed in a
public place to be trampled to death by elephants.
She was bound in a kneeling position to a post and
covered with a black veil. The elephant was then let
loose, rushed on the unhappy woman, and tore her
limbs asunder with its tusks. The punishment was
later reduced to ninety strokes with the cane, and at
the present time a man sells his wife or even keeps
her. In Indo-China cases of savage vengeance are
becoming rarer and rarer, but not long ago a guilty
couple might be seen bound to a raft and abandoned to
the current. They were even sometimes crucified one
against the other, hands and feet nailed together, and
their mouths united by filling them with melted resin.
To-day custom admits of divorce by mutual consent.
The Annamese wife is married under the law of
community of property. Thus the husband never fails
in buying or selling land to mention his wife's name.
The Commune inscribes her personal rights on the
scroll and the trader does not forget her in important
transactions.
The precepts relative to marriage are to be found in
the " Ly-hi" or memorial of rites, inspired by the
136 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
doctrine of Confucius. " The marriage rite completes
a union between two persons of different names, in
such a manner that they may serve their ancestors of
the past in their temple and train future generations
in 'their traditions." Thus we see that Annamese
civilisation, after borrowing from and being mingled
with Chinese civilisation during many centuries, tends
at present to follow an original track.
The Annamese marriage is, according to Luro, a
free contract between those desiring it. It is rather
an agreement between two families. Public authori-
ties interfere very little. The go-between is not an
official, but he is legally responsible. The details of
all marriage ceremonies may be found in the Chinese
Codes of the twelfth century B.C. They at first com-
prised six rites, but these have been greatly reduced,
and few people observe them faithfully.
The go-between is generally a friend of the two
families, but in big towns he is often a professional
and has a big practice, knowing a great many people
and being well versed in all ceremonials. The man
first sends him to the home of the girl, where a pro-
posal is made to the parents, and if the answer is
favourable, the family of the young man sends them
his name, age, day of birth, on a red card. The agent
receives the same notifications from the girl's parents.
Soothsayers are then consulted in order to know if the
families and ages of the couple suit each other. This
ceremony is omitted if the parents of the couple are
very anxious for the marriage and fear an unfavour-
able answer. The go-between fixes the wedding-day,
and meantime the parents redouble their sacrifices and
SOCIAL POSITION OF WOMEN 137
prayers to their ancestors. The young man's duties
then begin. Followed by a procession of relations of
village chiefs, he presents himself in due course to
the family of the girl and offers her presents, such
as betel- and areca-nuts, and choum-choum. If
these are accepted, the aspirant is from that moment
considered as a son-in-law. In the case of poor
families he then lives under the same roof as his
fiancee. In more prosperous families the young
man returns to his own home, and does not visit
his fiancee again till the day fixed for his be-
trothal.
This is the second great function. On this occasion
he again offers betel- and areca-nuts, also bracelets,
coloured silks, two red tapers, two little cups of rice
alcohol, and a little roasted pig.
The procession is very gay and picturesque. All
are dressed in their richest costumes, many carrying
parasols, the flute-players playing vigorously. On
arriving at the dwelling of the fiancee, the presents are
placed on the altar, the red tapers are lighted, and
the alcohol is poured into the cups. The two fathers
get up together and prostrate themselves before the
altar, afterwards the two mothers. A feast, at which
all details of etiquette are strictly observed, ends the
ceremony.
The wedding-day is even more imposing. The
father of the young man assembles all the relatives
of the family in front of the ancestral altar, and there
presents to them the child he is going to marry. He
then for the third time directs his steps towards his
fianceVs home. He is preceded by servants carrying
138 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
presents and surrounded by a crowd of friends and
relations. After a parley outside, all enter the house
and range themselves round the altar. The fianc£
prostrates himself before the altar, and then goes up
to his parents-in-law and offers them wine and betel-
nuts. His own father meanwhile reads the inventory
of the presents.
The couple are then taken into the room reserved
for them, and standing before the altar dedicated to
the divinities of marriage, on which tapers are lighted
and incense burning, the parents wish them a long
posterity and exhort them to remain united till death.
This is the most solemn moment of the whole cere-
mony. Formerly it was then that the young wife
raised her veil and the husband pretended to see her
for the first time. The wife now prostrates herself
four times before her husband, he once before his wife.
They exchange cups of alcohol, and the ceremony is
terminated. A banquet then takes place in which the
young couple join.
Marriages among the poor are much less com-
plicated, and those of wives of a second rank often
consist of a simple contract of sale.
The practice of polygamy among the Annamese
differs widely. The King of Annam has a great
number of wives, but even the greatest mandarins
rarely have more than four or five. The poor of
necessity possess only one, for it is mere worldly for-
tune that regulates the number of wives. A travelling
merchant or official generally has a family in each of
his principal business centres, the wife acting as his
commercial agent and steward. Some authors say
SOCIAL POSITION OF WOMEN 139
that polygamy is due to the preponderance of female
births, but it is also on account of the desire to secure
to the richest and most gifted the largest posterity.
The legal wife is called the wife of the first degree :
" vo chanh." She takes an important position in the
household. She is the queen of the hearth. All the
secondary wives, servants, &c., owe her obedience ;
all the children respect and honour her. At her death
mourning is worn for three years, while for the death
of any of the other wives it is only worn for one
year, and then only by her own children. At the
death of the father all the children of the different
wives receive the same amount. The first legal wife
retains a life interest in her husband's property. The
possessions of each mother are divided among her
own children.
It may be observed that the social condition of
the Annamese woman has attained a high standard.
Many Western civilisations have not recognised the
rights of women to a greater extent.
Knowledge is much appreciated by the Annamese,
who only choose their officials from among their
scholars. Every degree obtained by examinations
corresponds to a hierarchical office, so that Annam
may be quoted as an ideal democracy, in which power
only belongs to the best educated. Even the very
poorest peasant is capable of writing some hundreds
of characters and of wording a petition. In every
Annamese Commune an elementary school exists, but
for little boys only. The little girl does not go to the
village school. This is an important fact to remember
i4o ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
in studying the life of the Annamese woman. There
seems to be no law to prohibit it, and indeed the law-
makers of Annam, liberated from Chinese influence,
have evinced a progressive tendency in the matter of
women's rights, and would never have committed such
an injustice. It is simply a question of custom,
but more than anything it hinders the progress of
women.
The little Annamese girl is therefore obliged to get
what instruction she can at home. If her parents are
poor and have not time to teach her, she grows up in
the most complete ignorance. The study of the
characters is long and difficult ; the memory of youth
is necessary, as they are not easily acquired after
childhood. There are some little girls who pick up
enough characters to enable them later to keep
accounts or help in a business.
There are, too, a few women belonging to the noble
and rich classes who have received a thoroughly good
education. These are able to read, understand, and
discuss Confucius.
Before the French occupation there was not a single
school for girls in the whole of Annam. Missionaries
broke through this tradition by educating their girl
orphans. There are at the present moment women
in the position of station-masters at Saigon and Hanoi,
and in the latter town several large silk and incrustation
manufactories are managed exclusively by women.
The wives of artisans are noted for being as keen
and clever in business as their husbands, and it is for
this reason that it is no uncommon thing for Chinese
merchants to choose Annamese wives.
SOCIAL POSITION OF WOMEN 141
The chief wives of the mandarins do no manual
labour, as that would be considered below their dignity.
They occasionally make cakes or sweets for amuse-
ment, but the daily duties of the household, such as
the preparation of meals, sewing and cleaning, are all
left to the other women of the harem. They never
weave or embroider, in fact, how could they possibly
do it ? for their nails are allowed to grow to ten or
fifteen centimetres in length ! They spend a good
deal of time in music and singing.
It is rather surprising to find that among the Anna-
mese women, who are naturally such good and healthy
mothers, those of the richer classes never nurse their
own babies, but allow them to be reared by a paid
wet-nurse. A mandarin told me that only one in a
thousand nursed her own baby.
The flowers are arranged by the mistress of the
house, who is also responsible for the dwarf trees and
miniature artificial gardens. Another of her principal
duties is to fill and arrange the box of betel-nuts.
Much time is also devoted to her toilet, and there
seems no end to all its details ; her ablutions and all
sorts of massage, her lips and eyebrows to paint, her
nails to polish, different costumes to try on, her head-
dress to change, the different perfumed pomades to
choose for her hands, and last but not least, the
smiles to practise in the glass. She smokes numbers
of tiny thin cigarettes. The wife of a mandarin is by
no means a recluse, and she often pays visits to the
wives of other mandarins. But her principal pastime
is cards, and it is no exaggeration to say that more
than half her life is spent in games.
142 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
The numerous wives of the Emperor of Annam
employ their time in much the same way. These all-
powerful monarchs have always liked to surround
themselves with a Court in which the feminine element
predominates. Men writing on Annam have attri-
buted hundreds of wives to the king. As a monarch
has only right to three wives of the first-class rank,
princesses of the second rank are numerous, for all
the powerful mandarins wish to have one of their
daughters in the royal harem. But it would be an
error to count among the Imperial favourites the
dancers, actresses, singers, and mimics who frequent
the Court. The monarch is served by his wives on
their knees.
An Annamese proverb says, " Where is the pimento
that is not peppered ? Where is the woman who is
not jealous ? " The competition and rivalry among
the women of the harem is sometimes unbelievable.
Many are the plots formed, the deceits and tricks
practised within the Court. In this bevy of young
women reputed to be the most beautiful in Annam,
all the resources of intelligence and craft, all the
artifices of attire, come into play. A certain woman
is confident of her beauty and charm, for she has been
chosen out from among her companions for months.
Efforts, however, are not relaxed, the aim of every
woman being to please the royal master, to please at
any price.
In order to appear in Court ceremonies, costume is
by no means left to chance. Ancient edicts regulate
the colour of the silks and the richness of the brocades.
There is room, all the same, for personal ingenuity.
SOCIAL POSITION OF WOMEN 143
When the toilet is finished, cards are brought out, or
the more intelligent among them ask for the palace
readers and listen enraptured to tales of adventure or
love-stories. Cigarettes are smoked continually, while
at the same time they drink tea and feast on cakes
and sweetened ginger. The wives of the king arrange
the flowers in the royal apartments and replenish the
betel-box. The Imperial favourites are hardly ever
seen outside the palace gates, or in public.
Before describing to me the general characteristics
of beauty peculiar to this country, a mandarin was very
careful to explain that " moral qualities and virtues
are of far greater importance than physical beauty
when it becomes a question of choosing a wife."
These were his own words. " Besides," he added,
" it is not the young man who has the most to say in
the matter."
All the same, the poets and lovers of this country
have evolved an ideal somewhat as follows :
The size of waist must not be conspicuous, for if
it is too large or too small there will be a lack of
harmony.
The blackest and the longest hair is the most
beautiful.
The face should be a long oval, and must have
complete regularity of feature. The Chinese prefer a
round face. For masculine beauty the Annamese
demand angular features and projecting cheek-bones.
To quote, or rather paraphrase, a native poet, " The
eyes of the beloved one are as brilliant as those of an
eagle, her eyelashes with their beautiful fine curves
144 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
spring forth like a silkworm's. Her heel is as red as
ink." This has become a popular proverb, perhaps
one of the best known among the Annamese.
Mat-phung Eye of an eagle.
May-tarn Eyelash of a silkworm.
G6t-son Heel like red ink.
No great imagination is needed to gauge the beauty
of a deep dominating glance, powerful as the eagle's ;
but Asiatics alone thoroughly appreciate the ideal
curve of an eyelash ! And what shall we say of the
pink heel, the carmine heel, the little foot red-tinted
by the light brush of a fairy! This admiration, so
typically Annamese, is somewhat surprising to us.
Such a point in aesthetics would have escaped a
European, whereas to this whole race it is a charac-
teristic of first-rate importance. This is the reason
why the Annamese woman who can afford shoes goes
barefoot, or wears so tiny a sandal that it only just
covers the tips of her toes.
Can there possibly be any connection between this
peculiar taste of the Annamese and that which has
urged the Chinese to deform the feet of their women ?
But it is noteworthy that in China women are ex-
tremely particular as to the foot. It would be con-
sidered indelicate for the women of the Celestial
Empire to show their feet, and artists always repre-
sent them as hidden beneath the dress. The Anna-
mese do not possess this particular kind of modesty,
and, as I said before, frankly admire the red heel.
The hand should be small, the fingers thin and long.
A round and white wrist is essential.
SOCIAL POSITION OF WOMEN 145
The Annamese are critical, too, as to the voice —
they admire soft and harmonious tones.
The walk and bearing of the Annamese woman is
most graceful. From an early age she practises
walking, head up, chest out, without stiffness or
ostentation, and the arms swinging freely with a
rhythmic motion.
The smiles which bring dimples into play are as
attractive to these people as they are to us.
History and literature hand down to us the names
of very few celebrated women. Among the most
remarkable must be mentioned the heroine of Ton-
king, Queen Trung-vuong, who, after delivering her
country from Chinese oppression, reigned from 39 to
36 B.C. She was helped by her sister Trung-nhi.
When China again took possession of the country, the
two Tonking heroines together put an end to their
days by a glorious suicide.
In times of distress or famine, or during some great
national calamity, women of the richer classes have
often distinguished themselves. Some of the Dowager
Empresses, whom the Annamese call " Queen-
Mothers," have taken part in politics. For instance,
the mother of the King Tu-Duc made a point of
studying every edict before it was signed. On the
stage and in poetry, women are often represented as
exposing themselves to danger and undertaking warlike
exploits in order to deliver or revenge their husbands.
There is very little crime among the women, much
less than among the men. It seems, too, that there is
less prostitution in Annam than in China. Chinese
146 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
women are never seen on the stage, the women's roles
being always taken by men. In Annam, however,
women take an active part in performances, but never-
theless both actresses and dancers are looked upon as
standing very low in the social scale, and are frankly
despised.
Annamese women never smoke opium, and it is a
curious fact that although the man who has acquired
this habit is treated with indulgence, a woman would
draw down upon herself the greatest opprobrium should
she imitate him.
Infanticide is excessively rare, the natives from
whom I asked information even considering that such
a thing could not exist.
The women pay calls on each other, but never
receive a visit from a man. Though they are not
excluded from public ceremonies, they do not take a
very prominent part in them.
Not even on her wedding-day, nor at any future
time, was the wife permitted to eat at the same time
as her husband. It is natural, therefore, that she
should never take part with other men in any public
meal. In the lower classes this severe etiquette had
perforce to be relaxed, but only then in the face of
necessity and circumstances.
Women are allowed to go to the theatre, for which
they show the greatest enthusiasm ; their seats, how-
ever, are always separated from those of the men.
A European visiting an Annamese mandarin is
unable to ask him after his wives. Unless an intimate
friend or relation, such a question is regarded as an
insult.
SOCIAL POSITION OF WOMEN 147
In their confinements the women are nursed by
midwives. A doctor would visit patients for other
illnesses, but never for this. He does not do much
more than feel the pulse, and even then he is careful
to interpose a piece of his tunic between his fingers
and the skin of his female patient. For an Annamese
to call a French doctor into the bosom of his family
shows a great sacrifice of prejudices, and is a proof of
extreme confidence.
Thus we see that the Annamese woman seems to
differ from Western women more in her manners and
customs than in her social condition. Respect and
filial piety are assured to her in her home and the law
recognises her really extensive rights ; when one
remembers the mutilation sometimes inflicted on
Chinese women, one realises how much better off the
Annamese woman is than some of her neighbours in
the extreme East.
The Annamese family, governed by such principles,
should have a prosperous future before it.
If ancestor- worship has greatly contributed towards
the solidity of family life and to the greatness of the
nation, it has also tended to make them exaggerate
tradition. This religion is not necessarily opposed to
ideas of progress, as the Japanese have proved. If
we wish to know the possibilities of the Annamese
race and realise their moral worth, we have only to
look at their home-life and the respectful treatment of
their women.
CHAPTER IX
THE ANNAMESE COMMUNE AND THE
ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANISATION OF THE STATE
The Annamese Commune : Its independence and its
functions : Mayor and deputy mayors : Notables and
the Municipal Council : The Public Hall, goods in com-
mon and their redistribution : The canton, the district,
and the prefecture : The Ministers and the Comat : The
Emperor
AMONG the social institutions of the Annamese, none
is more worthy of note than the Commune. This is
a collection of families, an association possessing a
portion of the national soil, self-supporting, self-
governing, and claiming the right to settle the pro-
portionate amount of taxes due to the State.
It is called Xd in Tonking, Thon in Cochin- China,
and consists of one or several hamlets (lang).
One commune takes its rise from another on account
of a natural need of expansion. When the family
increases, new clearings are made and put into cul-
tivation. The new occupants receive their title-deeds
from the mandarins of the Superior Administration,
and are inscribed in the Government Survey Records
under a new tribal name. Exempt from taxation for
three years, they become possessors of the soil on
payment of a sum proportionate to the number of
148
A HIGHLY ORNAMENTAL PAGODA DOOK
THE ANNAMESE COMMUNE 149
adult males and the cultivable value of the soil. They
choose one of their number as a representative, whose
duty it is to transact communal business with the
Government. He is more a delegate than a chief.
He is called Ly-trtiong (the mayor). He is assisted
by Ph6-ly (deputy mayors). The mayor is not, as
elsewhere, the most important municipal councillor
As it is his duty to serve as intermediary between the
commune and the different functionaries of the pro-
vince, both native and European, his patience and
diplomatic skill are put to the severest test. He will
have many disagreeable duties to perform during his
long year's term of office. His may be an unenviable
lot indeed, judging from the case of a worthy mayor
in the neighbourhood of Nhatrang, whose fate was a
prison. I saw him from time to time on my visits to
the sick in prison. In spite of his wooden collar, he
retained a dignified manner and appearance which
quickly distinguished him from the criminals who sur-
rounded him. His story was simple enough. One
evening, a European in search of salt had anchored
his boat close to the village. The native sailors
landed and wanted to carry off young village girls
and take them on board. A fierce quarrel arose,
accompanied by great noise and disturbance, and the
villagers hastened to the help of the young girls. The
tumult became general, the owner of the boat, the
European, who had himself taken no small share in
the struggle, was seized, gagged, and bound. The
weaker sex had found brave defenders, but to the
detriment of " European prestige." The punishment
for this offence was visited on the poor mayor, who,
150 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
needless to relate, profited by an exemption from hard
labour every time he asked me for it.
The Annamese Commune is, says Luro, "a moral
being in the full enjoyment of civil rights, having the
power of purchase, sale, and free access to justice."
Nevertheless a royal ordinance from Gia-long forbade
the sale of goods held in common and only allowed
the disposal of the usufruct. The Commune managed
its home affairs as it chose, distributed the revenue,
levied taxes, dispensed justice, and secured order,
undertook useful public works with no interference
from a higher authority. When once the ordinary
taxation has been settled with the State, the whole
payment must be made, but no discussion as to the
means of raising it is permissible. According to the
importance of the Commune there must be officers
responsible for the preservation of order, finance,
public works, &c. There must therefore be police,
accountants, land - surveyors, &c. But the real
authority is vested in the "notables" forming to-
gether with the old men the Municipal Council. The
notables (elder brothers) are the mandarins, the literary
class, the soldiers, the ex-mayors, and, of course, the
mayor and his assistants. They are distinguished from
ordinary citizens (younger brothers), being exempt
from all statute labours.
The Municipal Council meets in the Common Hall
(Dink), which according to circumstances serves as a
temple, market, or theatre. It is made as a rule of
bamboo and straw, but some proclaim the power and
wealth of the inhabitants by the large size of the
building, the tiled roof surmounted by dragons, and
THE ANNAMESE COMMUNE 151
massive pillars of costly wood. The communal
officials are all elected by their fellow-citizens. The
mayor is invested in office by the high provincial
mandarins, and by the French Government, and he
receives a diploma and seal which is also that of the
Commune. His duties are merely honorary. Some-
times the revenue from a rice-field is allotted to him
for secretarial expenses, whence the name " rice-field
of the pencil."
The Commune in fact possesses goods — such as
meadows, forests and rice-fields. It distributes them
every three or six years according to the regulations,
which, though clearly defined by law and custom, are
none the less fully discussed in practice. Portions of
land are never drawn by lot but given by selection.
The old men are given first choice, then the notables,
and last of all the ordinary citizens according to the
order of inscription on the rolls. Needless to say
injustices easily arise. Communal property, however,
is so constituted that it assures a safe refuge for old
men and for the disinherited. Every citizen possesses
the minimum of land to ensure a livelihood. When a
spendthrift or a gambler has squandered his fortune,
there always remain to him a few acres which are
inalienable. Thus begging becomes impossible. In
fact, beggars are never seen on the roads of Annam.
The village makes provision for every one, even lepers
and incurables.
The Empire of Annam has always maintained an
army. Recruits are raised by means of one conscript
to every six adults. As it was the prerogative of the
"notables" to name the candidates, the children of
152 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
their neighbours did not fail to be chosen before their
own. The soldier, being but poorly remunerated by
the State, remains dependent on his village, which
grants him an allotment of the common rice-fields.
The profession of arms has become more and more
unpopular. What sight could be more pathetic than
those unfortunate nhaqut* taken to the infirmary for
the medical examination. They looked more like
victims going to execution than future warriors proud
of serving their country. Home-sickness came over
them almost before they had taken leave of their
rice-field and their buffaloes, for in many cases it was
their first exile. Now they stand bewildered between
a corporal on the one hand, who yells at them in
Annamese, and a doctor on the other, who speaks
more gently but in an unknown tongue. Those unfit
for service could not contain their joy on learning their
near return to their homes ; they were new men. The
others look at the doctor with eyes so full of entreaty
that it overwhelms him with compassion. But when
they have worn the khaki uniform and the flat cap
for a few months, their fear will depart, and, if not too
badly treated or beaten, they will become excellent
linh,"\ and will soon lose all dislike of their profession.
Public appointments are in as great request in Annam
as in other countries — less, it is said, for the honour
attached to them than for the material advantages
derived from them. However, the Annamese Com-
mune may be taken as a model by many nations — a
splendid little republic, falling not far short of the
ideal conception of philosophers.
* Nhaque = peasants. f Link = Annamese soldier.
THE ANNAMESE COMMUNE 153
The union of a certain number of Communes —
generally ten in number — constitutes a canton (tong).
At its head are the chief of the canton and under-
chiefs elected by the delegates of the Communes, and
nominated by the French Government and the high
provincial mandarins. After a period of six years the
canton chief may bear the title of "chief functionary
of the canton, ninth degree, second class." He is the
intermediary between the central power and the various
Communes he represents. Several cantons constitute
a district (huy£n), and two or three huyens a prefecture
(pku) governed by the chiefs of the district (quan
huyen), and of those of the prefecture (quan pku).
The quan huyen is entrusted with the administration,
as well as with judicial authority over minor offences.
He is an important official, for all civil and criminal
matters are first brought before his tribunal. The phu
exercises authority over one or several huydn deprived
of any nominal head. He is an official who could
easily be dispensed with. The sentence he pronounces,
as in the case of the huyen, can only be carried into
execution after receiving the approval of the provincial
authorities. The chiefs of the districts and of the pre-
fectures are chosen from among the mandarins or from
among the literary classes.
The province (tink) is the largest of the territorial
divisions of Annam. At its head is a governor (t6ng
doc], or simply a quan bd, head of the executive
administration, assisted by a quan an, head of the
judicial administration, and a lank binh for military
purposes. The lanh binh has had no effective authority
since the French occupation. Indeed, the " Militia,"
154 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
a kind of local police, is under the orders of
"inspectors," all Europeans, whereas the native regi-
ments are commanded by officers of the colonial
army.
It may be remembered that at the head of the
province, the French Government is represented by a
" Resident." In the capital of the province, besides
the Resident, may be found recorders, tax-collectors,
clerks ; the doctor, heads of the postal and telegraph
service, officers of the militia, inspector of customs
and excise, engineer of public works, &c. In the chief
towns' of the district, and of the prefecture, native
teachers are busily occupied in the supervision of the
government schools. No hamlet is without its school.
The Annamese are very anxious to improve them-
selves. Moreover, public appointments are open to
all classes of society, and can be obtained in open
competition.
There is no national representation in Annam. The
Commune, so powerful in itself, appoints its chiefs of
the canton, it is true, but these pass into the pay of the
provinces, and owe their promotion to the State alone.
Between the Emperor and the people there are only
the mandarins. Otherwise no aristocracy exists. Titles
of nobility are sometimes granted for some brilliant
action or distinguished service, but these are no longer
hereditary. As in each generation the degree of
nobility is lowered, the privileges conferred are of
very short duration. The Emperor is at the same
time supreme head in religion, supreme judge, and
chief of all civil and military powers. He is the only
being who has the right to offer sacrifices to Heaven
THE ANNAMESE COMMUNE 155
and to Earth. He must be addressed by his people
on their knees, and no one may look at him. At
one time the Emperor only left his palace for pur-
poses of ceremonial ritual, and heralds went before to
announce his coming, so that the inhabitants might go
home and shut their doors.
It is needless to add that these practices have for
many years fallen into disuse. It would be difficult to
bring them into harmony with the present government
of Annam, which is a Protectorate.
The monarch bears the title of Koang de (emperor),
but he is usually called vua (king). It is also the title
he employed in his relations as vassal to China.
Next to him in authority come the "four pillars of
the Empire " — that is to say, the high chancellors ; and
the six Ministers of State — i.e., of Home Affairs,
Finance, Rites and Ceremonies, War, Justice, and
Public Affairs.
CHAPTER X
THE TET
Preparations for the Tet : Gambling propensities of the
Annamese : Baquan : Festivities during the Tet : Sports
on water and land : Procession of the Dragon : A thea-
trical performance : A curious play : An enthusiastic
audience
THE Tet is the greatest fete in the calendar ; it is the
Annamese New Year. It takes place during the new
moon in February, and extends over a period of ten
days. There is not a single native in Annam who
does not celebrate this event ; however rich or how-
ever poor he may be, he will manage to break his
daily routine and take part in some sort of merry-
making.
The preparations for this occasion are manifold, but
chiefly of a religious character. All the graves must
be tended, the dwellings thoroughly cleansed, es-
pecially around the altar, and the red papers with
black characters which adorn the inside and outside of
the house must be renewed. Money is imperatively
necessary. At this season, therefore, the Annamese
collect any outstanding debts, drive hard bargains, or
even steal, if the offence can be committed without
detection. Every sapek is of value. All the savings
of the last few months, or maybe those stored up since
'56
THE TET 157
the last Tet, are now expended — some on gifts for the
altar, some on new tunics and turbans, a certain
amount on squibs and crackers, and all that remains
on gambling. On the last day of the Tet the whole
family will be penniless. Indeed they will be fortunate
if they have not to hand over the clothes on their
backs, their newly purchased tunics, to pay their
gambling debts. Gambling is the greatest defect of
the Annamese character ; they seldom drink, nor are
they quarrelsome or violent, but their love of this
vice is inherent in their natures. It is this which
prevents thrift and results in a hand-to-mouth ex-
istence, even among the regular and skilled workers.
The Tet festivities tempt those who do not habitually
gamble to give themselves up to it. And the un-
fortunate part about it is that the Chinese outsiders
reap the benefit of this deplorable habit ; they are cool-
headed and always manage to empty the pockets of
the more excitable Annamese. In these few days the
Chinese often make a greater profit than during all the
rest of the year. They always trade on the native
weakness, for though public and private gambling
is prohibited by the French except during the Tet,
the Chinese by setting up gambling booths encourage
the Annamese to evade the law. In other dealings
also they show the same money-making propensities.
It is the Chinese, and never the Annamese, who are
the shopkeepers of Annam, and who make it their
business to cater for the needs of Europeans. They
lend money at usurious interest, and have a hundred
little tricks for extorting any hard-earned cash that
the happy-go-lucky Annamese may happen to have.
158 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
Whenever a peasant has cut and brought in his paddy
he is invariably visited by his Chinese neighbour, who
sits and chats and accepts the drinks so hospitably
offered him. He is careful, however, to keep his own
thirst within bounds, and finally proposes a game.
Towards dawn, when the visitor takes his departure,
the poor peasant has probably lost every grain of his
harvest.
The most common form of gambling is baquan.
This game is played on a camp bed, or even on the
bare earth. A square divided into four compartments,
marked one, two, three, and four, is drawn in the
dust, and the players stake so many cents or sapeks
on one of them. The banker takes a handful of
sapeks from a bowl and throws them on the ground.
He then withdraws them again four by four. The
number left on the ground at the end naturally corre-
sponds to one of the numbers in the square. The
lucky individual who has staked his sapeks in that
compartment sees them quadrupled ; the other stakes
are pocketed by the banker.
The best regulated European household is devoid
of servants during the Te% for no member must be
absent from the great family gathering at the festival,
nor will he miss, when that duty is accomplished, any
of the fun and merrymaking which follow. A friend
of mine was painting a poor Annamese cripple who
used to beg on the roadside not far from her house.
She gave him twenty cents a day, a sum which was
wealth for him. She fed him, moreover, whenever he
came, and good meat had probably never passed his
lips before. The first day of the Tet he did not
THE TET 159
appear, and she sent her boy to the miserable hovel
where he lived to ask after him. His answer came
back that as it was the Tet he could not sit, but that
as soon as it was over he would return. He evidently
considered that during such an important season his
liberty was of greater value than the shelter, food, and
payment of his benefactress.
The Tet ceremonies are not only of a domestic
character. In towns all sorts of games, sports, races,
&c., are organised, but in a village like Nhatrang
they are naturally on a small scale. Owing to the
close proximity of sea and river the greater part of the
sports takes place on the water, and we witnessed
many an amusing event. Some of the races between
fishing sampans were very pretty ; their huge sails
of cocoa-palm fibre were all outspread as they swiftly
bore their cockle-shell of a boat towards the shore.
But these races were of too quiet a nature to arouse
much enthusiasm in the onlookers ; the following
events revealed the excitement and hilarity of which
the placid Annamese is capable. One was a fight
between a number of men, all of whom were
sitting or standing in little round bamboo-plaited
basket-boats placed at a certain distance from each
other.
These baskets were held steady on the water while
the combatants scrambled into them and found their
balance. Each was then given one oar to manoeuvre
his craft. When the signal to start was given, the
friends of each competitor released the boat. No
sooner had they done so than many of the baskets
turned turtle and their owners vanished silently below
160 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
the water. A burst of laughter came from the shore.
Many others, as soon as they began to use their oars,
followed suit. At each fresh disappearance there were
shrieks of uproarious laughter ; he who made the most
frantic efforts to recover his balance, and therefore
went under with the greatest splash, caused most
mirth. When two men got close enough to attack
each other, it was always the one who stood on the
defensive who remained master of the situation, for
the act of raising and swinging his oar always upset
his opponent. A man would see his enemy vanish
before he attempted to parry a stroke or had his boat
touched. The last struggles and contortions to regain
equilibrium when they felt themselves going were
sometimes most ludicrous. In the end the water was
strewn with overturned baskets, their owners having
forsaken them to swim ashore after their involuntary
dive. Naturally the man who remained last on the
surface was he who gained the prize.
Another race in which sampans were rowed by sets
of ten men showed us some magnificent types of
natives. The rowers were chosen entirely for their
strength, and they were all, without exception, big and
brawny, quite unlike the light wiry build of the ordi-
nary Annamese. We had had no idea before that day
that the province could produce such men. An unre-
served burst of excitement greeted each boat as it
arrived at the finish, but changed into a real tumult
when the umpires confessed they did not know to
whom to award the first prize. The sampans all
resembled each other, being of the same size, and
having no distinctive marks. Like all sampans in
A SAMI'AN HACK
THE TET 161
Indo-China, they were tarred black and had an eye
whitewashed on either side of the stern — a certain
charm against the dangers of the deep. The rowers
themselves looked alike, as they were all naked to the
waist. Directly the crowd perceived the hesitation
amongst the judges, opinions and advice were shrieked
from all sides ; the difficulties were increased by some
of the boats having passed inside instead of outside
the posts, and being thus disqualified ; each crew natu-
rally denied this, and claimed that they were first, or
at least second.
After this there were swimming races and diving
and wrestling matches ; but it was as much the aspect
of the onlookers as the feats of the competitors which
interested me. Till I witnessed the first Tet, I had
never seen an Annamese smile frankly, much less laugh
outright, and I certainly never believed him capable
of such enthusiasm. It is true that the children who
made up half the crowd were chiefly responsible for
the excitement, but over and over again their elders
heartily joined in.
In the afternoon Europeans and natives assembled
near the village on an open space which had been sur-
rounded by a palisade. The native school had been
arranged as a pavilion for the Europeans, and this
building was the starting-place and finish for the races.
Nhatrang itself boasts only about thirty Europeans,
but on this occasion many had come from the sur-
rounding country, and the assembly was quite a large
one. There were Custom-house officers from isolated
salt-fields and from small islands off the coast, men
from lonely lighthouses, railway superintendents on the
162 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
projected line from the middle of the tropical jungle,
and colonists who owned plantations or were timber-
cutting in the interior. Men, and even women, ap-
peared from regions we thought entirely uninhabited.
We, who considered ourselves isolated and far from
the comforts and distractions of civilisation at Nha-
trang, began to realise what real isolation meant.
Some of these people had been months without seeing
their nearest neighbour, so difficult were the means of
access ; and they were sometimes a long distance
even from an Annamese hamlet. A visit to Nhatrang
would never be made except to see a doctor, or for a
rare festivity such as the present. Their timidity
alone made it clear what a lonely life they led. Many
of these men were married, and their wives had either
braved the sea in a sampan, or the jungle in a palan-
quin, perhaps even a night in a native hut, for the
sake of a little society. Their difficulties were not
always ended on their arrival, as Nhatrang boasts of
no suitable hotel or inn, and the rooms that a Chinese
lets out are not all that could be desired in the way of
cleanliness. They were not difficult to please, how-
ever, for to them our little village was a centre of
civilisation.
The races on land were as varied and numerous as
those on the water ; there were races on horseback,
on foot, with rickshaws, with live frogs on native
wheelbarrows, &c. &c. The horse-race was the most
amusing ; the Annamese always experience great diffi-
culty in sticking on their ponies, though their animals
are generally so small and ill-fed that one would think
them incapable of offering much resistance. Very
THE TET 163
few of the competitors, it is true, had saddles, and
many not more than a piece of old rope as bridle.
The ponies were excited at their own numbers, and in
consequence the Annamese found it harder than usual
to mount and keep their seats. Many were thrown
soon after starting, but others kept on manfully, catch-
ing hold of the mane or clasping their steed round the
neck and righting themselves after slipping nearly to
the -ground. Those who did get safely to the goal,
their bare legs swinging up and down with the gallop
of the pony, fully deserved prizes.
One of the items on the programme was rather
gruesome. The children were made to squat in front
of the pavilion and compete for prizes to be given to
those who made the worst grimaces. The Annamese
are by no means a good-looking race, but the children,
with their round faces, dark eyes and serious expression,
are sometimes almost pretty. Happily it needs the
incentive of a reward for them to make themselves as
hideous as they were on that occasion. There were
naturally differences of opinion as to the ugliest gri-
maces, and the competition had to be repeated again
and again.
The great feature of the afternoon's festivities was
the arrival of the native Governor's elephant, a magni-
ficent beast with huge tusks. He was led in front of
the pavilion, and there performed lais to us. The
Annamese cornac, looking like a little monkey on
his neck, tapped him on the head when he was in
position, and forthwith the elephant bent his fore-
legs till he was on his knees. Then, curling up his
trunk, he lowered his head and touched the ground
164 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
several times, making a very good imitation of the
Annamese lai.
In the evening there was a reception for Europeans
at the Residence. From the verandah of the house
we witnessed the great procession of the Dragon, the
culminating ceremony of the T£t, and one which is
never absent from any important Annamese or Chinese
fe'te. It is a very effective spectacle. The enormous,
brightly coloured head is rather startling in the day-
time, but at night, when lighted up by torches inside
it, and when flames literally spout out from its mouth
and nostrils, it is truly weird and terrifying. The man
who carries it is so well hidden that even his feet are
indistinguishable ; he is always well versed in the
traditional movements, and the dragon tosses his head
up and down and from side to side as he walks along.
The body is borne by a number of men, who walk
inside it, a yard or two apart ; they are of unequal
height, so that the curves of the scaly back are most
realistic. The torches in their hands bring out well
the designs and colours painted on the transparent
skin. The dragon I saw was about forty yards long,
but they are sometimes even longer.
As he wound round the twisting paths of the
Residence garden, the illumination from his body
lighting up the crowds who surrounded him, one felt
oneself back in the mythical ages. The weird effect
was augmented by the squibs and crackers which were
let off in front of him ; he never faltered, however, and
was sometimes walking through a very tempest of
fiery darts. Plenty of accidents from burning and
scorching occur on such occasions, but this does not
THE TET 165
hinder the eagerness of the natives to take part in the
procession. Many instruments of music, if drums,
gongs, and Chinese violins can be so called, accom-
panied the dragon. Their discordant notes made the
scene even more unearthly. The children were
fascinated as well as frightened by the dragon, and
ran across his path the whole time, uttering excited
shrieks.
When the procession had disappeared, to make the
tour of the village, there followed a display of fireworks
made by a native of the province. They were not
bad ; at any rate the Annamese approved of them, and
every manifestation of delight was heard whenever
the rockets sent down their showers of many-coloured
stars.
The evening ended up with a theatrical performance.
These generally take place in some large pagoda. On
this occasion we had only to keep our seats on the
verandah, however, for instead of our going to the
theatre, the theatre came to us. Now that the dragon
had taken its departure, the garden was in total dark-
ness. The darkness of a night without stars in the
Tropics is incomparably greater than the darkness of a
starless night in Europe, and I feared we should see very
little of the acting. But we were to have footlights,
and those of a very novel kind. A number of men
provided with torches were told to squat down in a
ring. When they had placed themselves in position,
they were also provided with saucers full of petroleum
for the purpose of improving the light of the torches,
which at first gave forth more smoke than flame.
Without hesitation each man lifted his saucer to his
166 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
lips, and having taken a mouthful of this obnoxious
liquid, squirted it adroitly on to the lighted end of the
torch. We were a little astonished at such a proceeding,
but the men themselves seemed too intent on the play
to find it either dangerous or disagreeable. When the
actors stepped into the magic circle, we were able to
see them fairly well, and every now and then, as the
torches flared up high, we had a glimpse not only of
the stage but of the crowded audience. Anxious little
faces of children who had sidled in between the
petroleum spitters came into view ; I do not know
where they had tucked their little bodies, but only their
round faces with wide-open eyes were distinguishable.
Behind them, as each jet of flame shot up, a compact
mass of black knobs of hair was visible, men and women,
all with eyes bent on the spectacle in front of them.
The fitful glare, as well as the black acrid smoke
blowing now and then in our faces, did not recom-
mend this mode of illumination, but it seemed in
keeping with the weird and curious scene we were
witnessing.
The Annamese drama consists of tragedies, comedies,
and pantomimic farces, and it was a pantomime that we
had the pleasure of watching. Pieces in general last
three days and nights, the actors only stopping for
their meals. Nevertheless the Annamese are such
enthusiastic playgoers that a good audience is never
wanting. I cannot tell whether we saw the beginning)
middle, or end of a piece, but at any rate I found it
most entertaining. As the tom-toms and drums
began to beat, the actors made their appearance ; they
represented first of all a tiger, a cock, and a man.
TYPES OF MOI MEN
ANNAMESE ACTORS
THE TET 167
The acting seemed to consist of making the queerest
contortions imaginable with faces, hands, and feet.
They would stand on one foot, with the other in the
air, spreading out their toes and at the same time con-
torting fingers, hands, arms, and bodies to impossible
angles. In this position they would stare at somebody
with such intensity that their eyes would become blood-
shot. After a few seconds, or even minutes, they would
suddenly give a blood-curdling shriek and go whirling
and twisting in fantastic antics round the wee circle
which constituted the stage. Sometimes the man
would hunt for the tiger, and as he turned and craned
his neck from side to side, the tiger, rolling himself
into a veritable ball, would revolve at his heels. He
kept so close to his pursuer that the two seemed to be
one, yet his movements were so supple and agile that
for a long time he never actually touched him. When
they finally came into contact a fight would ensue, but
in the struggle a mass of arms and legs was all that
could be distinguished. There was great excitement
at these moments ; the children shrieked, their elders
laughed, only the mandarins kept a dignified silence.
Every now and then little boys, dressed in various
costumes and carrying flags, walked among the
principal actors, giving a series of little cries and
grunts. Later the cock and tiger disappeared and a
woman and child came in. They, like the man, had
their faces whitened, dark eyebrows were painted on
their foreheads, and red angular marks on their cheeks.
All wore high, gaudy head-dresses. There seemed to
be some semblance of conversation after the appearance
of the actresses, but the screams and strange gestures
i68 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
continued at intervals. Sometimes there were long
pauses in which the players remained absolutely still,
not the fluttering of an eyelid, nor the slightest
breathing movement, could be detected, in fact they
displayed a lifelessness of which Europeans would
probably be incapable. Strange to say, it was the
contortions which caused most enthusiasm amongst the
squatting spectators, the least human calling forth the
greatest admiration.
Applause is not manifested, as with us, by clap-
ping. A gong is placed near the actors, and
every time a spectator sees anything he thinks
worthy of praise, he gets up, goes to the gong and
strikes it. Needless to say, the gong was sounded
almost incessantly, and after an antic worse than the
ordinary the noise was deafening. We, on the
verandah, were given little pieces of shaped wood,
such as are used for good marks in the Annamese
schools, and were told to throw them to the actors
who acquitted themselves best. They were, as a
matter of fact, however, always picked up by one
of the audience, the actors themselves not deigning
to notice these signs of our approval which fell at
their feet.
At midnight, when we left to go home, the play was
still in full swing, and both audience and actors were
as ardent as ever. Perhaps the voices were a little
hoarse, but certainly there was no flagging in the wild
whirlings or the disfiguring contortions of hands and
feet. Long into the night we heard their shrill screams
and cries, intermingled with the sound of gongs and
drums and the crackling of squibs and crackers. Only
. , THE TET 169
towards dawn did the village relapse into its habitual
quiet, broken only by the beating of the waves on the
shore. Even then peace did not reign long, for, very
early in the morning, the splendours and pomps of the
T£t began again.
CHAPTER XI
OUR GARDEN
Laying out and planning a garden in the Tropics : Our
coolie gardener : Tropical shrubs, bougainvilleas, filaos,
agaves : Tropical fruits : Cultivation of European garden
flowers : Enemies — lizards, crabs, birds, ants
WHEN we arrived at Nhatrang, the enclosure round
the house, known as "the garden," was as sandy and
dry as the beach itself. Our first care was to buy
good earth from a village situated on the banks of the
river, and when the sampans had brought us a plentiful
supply, we made out a plan with prettily shaped beds
and curving paths. But it was easier to make the
plan than to carry it into execution. The coolie we
engaged as gardener had never worked in a European's
garden before, and his knowledge of agriculture was
limited to the rice-field. It was on this model that he
made our beds — instead of letting the earth slope
gently down towards the edges he persisted in keeping
it at the same level with beaten banks of hardened
mud all round. There were certainly advantages in
this arrangement, for in summer the water was retained
longer, and in winter the earth was prevented from
being swept away by the heavy rains. Luckily we
soon discovered a little red leafy plant which fell over
170
OUR GARDEN 171
and completely hid the sun-baked banks. Then, too,
we were so glad to get our beds in the right places
that we offered no objections to the coolie's methods,
for as soon as our heads were turned he made beds
where we intended to have paths, and paths where
beds had been carefully marked out.
He could not understand a word of French, so that
all my orders given to him by signs and without ex-
planation seemed to him a little mad. The use of
manure astonished him, for the Annamese do not
trouble to improve the earth of their rice-fields. He
evidently thought a winding instead of a straight path
absurd, and to him curves were neither practical nor
beautiful. However, he always set to work with a
placid countenance.
In Europe there is little discomfort and much plea-
sure in superintending the work of a garden, but here
with a blinding sun in one's eyes and a furnace heat
on one's back the case is very different. But the
reward is greater too, for the delicate verdure and rich
colours make a garden here an oasis in the midst of
a desert, whereas in England the surrounding fields
and wayside hedges prevent such a striking contrast.
Two years have gone by since our first arrival in
Nhatrang, and now as I write, what was once a sandy
waste has been changed into a glory of colour with
patches of green grass here and there. The roller,
mower, and shears were implements that had never
been seen in the neighbourhood, and our coolie was
rather taken aback at having to tend ordinary grass.
When smooth little green lawns, however, made their
appearance, even he began to appreciate his task ;
172 ::i ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
they reminded him perhaps of the early green shoots
of rice.
The four "Flames of the Forest" (Cczsalpinia pul-
cherrima) at the end of the garden are in bloom, and the
masses of brilliant red flowers make a wonderful show.
The coffee-trees nearer the house are wafting in their
delicious scent through the open doors. The pure
white, but rather artificial-looking flower of this tree
never lasts more than two days at a time, but to make
up for the shortness of its life it blossoms on an average
once or twice a month and then it is covered with a
mass of blooms like flakes of snow. These trees
always flower quite suddenly, no sign of buds is visible
one evening, yet the next morning we wake up to
find their perfume filling the room.
In one corner of the garden is a group of Filaos
(Casuarina equisetifolia), a tree that has been imported
from Turkey. These tropical pines have been planted
by some past Resident all over the village and add
greatly to its charm. In a garden they are not alto-
gether desirable, as the thousands of dry needles which
continually fall from them prevent plants from thriving
beneath. We eventually found a sort of purple peri-
winkle which will grow there — a flower which, at
certain seasons, makes purple patches all over the
beach. The only other tall trees besides the Filaos
and the silver-leaved Grevilleas are three Ceara
(Manihot Glaziovii) india-rubber trees and several
Japan Lilacs. The flower of the latter is a mixture of
white and pale violet, and has a suave and penetrating
perfume. Its blossoms are less conspicuous than
those of European lilacs, but its foliage is more
OUR GARDEN 173
abundant and of a more delicate green. We have
taken advantage of the very real shade obtained by
these trees to cultivate underneath them young canes,
arborescent ferns and other jungle plants. From
their branches hang boxes of orchids. Cycas also,
which require shade if they are to thrive well, spread
out their long finely cut leaves here and there. These
Cycas are the most attractive evergreen plants of
the Tropics. In Annairf I have seen one thirty feet
high and at first mistook it for a cocoa-palm, but as a
rule one does not see them above four feet. New
shoots spring forth from the trunk every six months
or so, and as the old leaves die the growth of the new
ones is extremely rapid. We have often noticed a
difference with the naked eye between dawn and
sunset.
Many of these bigger trees we found apparently dead
on our arrival, and it was only after the axe had been laid
to their roots that we discovered that they were still
alive ; only a little water was needed to revive them.
There were Agaves too, but they took up so much
room in front of the house that we wanted to destroy
them. To transplant them to the back was impossible ;
their stiff powerful leaves, with thorns as sharp as a
sword-point, stretched out in all directions and defied
approach. We were told, however, that they would
soon flower, and as this happens but once in their
lifetime we decided to let them remain. Sure enough
some months later a stem pushed its way up from the
middle of the plant. In a few weeks it was about
five metres high and thirty centimetres in diameter at
its base. When it had attained full growth a small
174 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANN AM
whitish flower burst forth at the extreme top, most
inconspicuous, and neither beautiful in colour nor form —
a disappointing result of so many years of preparation !
But it had accomplished its destiny and proceeded to
die ; however, it took so long about it that at length I
lost patience, and one day five natives and a bullock
dragged them all up by the roots and they were seen
no more. Some smaller ones which were not so bulky
were transplanted to the farther end of the garden, for
the blue tint of the leaves made a pleasant contrast with
the different shades of green. Some people use these
agaves as a garden fence or hedge, and they certainly
make a more effectual one than even the prickly cactus.
But it is the flowering shrubs which give colour to
the garden, the Hibiscus, scarlet, pink, and pale mauve,
the blood-red blossoms of the Pomegranate trees, the
red and yellow Acacias which so often surround the
Annamese pagodas, and the Bougainvilleas. These
last, when kept watered, will flower all the year round.
The rich tone of their deep purple blossoms is far
finer than the pale little flowers seen in the conserva-
tories in England. Two growing on either side of the
garden gate will soon join in an arch over it ; already
the purple cuts against the blue sheet of sky and
sea, making a dazzling contrast. All these shrubs are
from three to six feet high, for they have grown to
twice their size since I bought them from natives and
planted them. Once a woman brought me a sweet-
smelling frangipanier (Plumeria alba) which seemed
to be in good condition with plenty of earth all round
the root. However, before paying her I made her put
down her basket and gave a tug at the plant. It
OUR GARDEN 175
immediately came out of the earth — my pretty little
shrub was made up of cut branches carefully arranged.
Later on another woman offered me a beautiful little
rose-tree, I looked at the roots, paid her and let
her go. The next day our neighbour told me that
he had had a rose-tree stolen from his verandah !
We have now more than a dozen rose-trees, and
no morning goes by, winter or summer, without my
being able to cut a dozen blooms for the house.
There are big pink ones with a delicious scent, and
small scarlet ones without any odour, both indigenous
to Annam. All our efforts to grow the European
varieties of the Langbian were unavailing. I must
not forget to mention, too, the cocaine shrubs with
their bright green leaves, minute white flowers, and
scarlet seed-pods, nor the mimosas, with their little
yellow balls, whose perfume on a moonlit night has
often been a delight to us.
But our garden is not limited to flowering shrubs ;
we have many tropical fruit-trees scattered here and
there. Banana-trees, with their strong, broad leaves
of a tender green and their heavy bunches of fruit,
papaya-trees (Carica papaya], whose curiously growing
fruit, apparently stuck on to the trunk itself, looks as
if it would fall to the ground every moment. This
fruit is supposed to be easily digested, and is taken by
some Europeans before nearly every meal. We have
also eaten custard apples from our own tree (Anona
squamosa) ; they are hard to find, for they are exactly
the same shade as the leaves. The custard apples of
Annam have a much more delicate flavour than those
of India or Burmah ; they are neither so sweet nor so
176 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
coarse. There are also orange- and lemon-trees, pine-
apple plants, and the ornamental grass-like leaved
balm-mint (Cymbopogonschananthus, Citronelle). The
leaves of the balm-mint are often infused here to
make an after-dinner drink for people who do not
care for tea or coffee.
Every six months we used to receive fresh seeds
from Paris or London. Those that come up at all
thrive better than in their native country ; we have had
balsams like small roses, and dahlias five feet high.
Our nasturtiums, cannas, Indian and Chinese carna-
tions (the scented ones will not flower), zinnias, chrys-
anthemums, and petunias are really beautiful to behold.
Every winter for a month or six weeks I have had, too,
about a dozen violets every day. All these flowers
have to be watered twice a day, but as our coolie is
always anxious to have the most beautiful flowers in
Nhatrang, he actually waters even when he is not
being watched ! Many beds are bordered with
Amaryllides (Imantopkyllum), which are very much
like Florence lilies, except that they do not have
absolutely upright stems.
The growth of both bulbs and seeds is extremely
rapid. For instance, we once ate mustard and cress
five and four days respectively after it had been
sown. These little delicate shoots sometimes heave
up a cake of earth half an inch thick, if they have been
unable to pierce it, so full of life and vigour are they in
this climate. Seeds have to be sown in cases perched
on four legs in tins of vinegar, or they are devoured by
ants. Ants are the great enemies of gardeners here ;
some flowers one cannot pick without being stung by
OUR PET DEER KEGGING FOR BANANAS
AM AGAV:: .S:-K:N<;:NG UP
OUR GARDEN 177
them. Little white, almost transparent crabs, too,
with protruding black eyes, occasionally scratch up
plants here and there. They come up from the beach,
but the garden is a dangerous hunting-ground for them,
for though they move quickly, they cannot escape, if
they have once attracted the blue eyes of our Siamese
cat. Lizards make their home in one of our beds from
time to time. The sandy coast of South Annam is
swarming with these many-spotted, rainbow-tinted
creatures. As one drives along, those on the road
raise themselves on their front paws, and gaze in our
direction till we are only a few yards away, then they
scuttle over the sand and pop into their holes. They
are most amusing to watch when we are motoring, for,
unused to the vibration and noise, they evidently do
not realise what is going to happen. We rush upon
them so quickly that it seems they will be squashed
under the wheels while they are still listening and
searching for the danger. But they always escape
in the nick of time, disappearing like a flash of light-
ning. The Annamese catch them for food. They
trap them with bamboo rings, which they place
over the holes ; by the same process our garden
was kept fairly free from them. The domestic
lizard, the curious little animal which runs over the
ceilings and the walls of all houses in the Tropics,
we never tried to destroy. They are supposed to eat
mosquitoes and spiders, and at any rate I can vouch
for the moths and ephemera which come buzzing
round the lamps in the evening. The small insects
they snap up and swallow whole, the larger ones they
seize, and by a dexterous movement detach the wings,
M
1 78 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
which fall to the ground before the struggling fly goes
down their throats. The uninitiated is in constant
dread of these lizards falling on him, but it is very
rarely that they lose their hold. They are grey, and
much smaller than the Tokai of pagodas or the sand-
lizards.
There were some birds which during a month or two
nearly drove me wild. A number of them used to
come regularly at the same hour every morning, fly
direct on my beds of cannas, and settling at the tops
of the long straight stalks pick at the round calyx till
the blossom, losing its base, fell to the ground.
A bed with thirty or forty yellow blossoms would
reveal itself in the early morning in all its splendour,
but by the time I had finished dressing sometimes not
a single one was left. These " birds with Annamese
hats," as we used to call them, because of a little tuft
of feathers on their heads, looked so perky and pleased
when they had completed their work that they made
me much more indignant than if it had been ordinary
smooth-headed sparrows or blackbirds. First of all I
tried shooting them, but besides the awkward hour (I
was generally in my bath when they first made their
appearance) I so riddled the big green leaves with
shot that I did more damage to the beds than the birds
themselves. Then I made a scarecrow with hat, arms,
and legs, but after the first day it did not frighten them
at all. Then I had a big pole stuck in the midst of
the bed, with a Swiss cow-bell on the top. I tied a
string to the bell, and every time a bird approached my
precious flowers I pulled it. After a day or two I got
tired of that, as being continually on the look-out to
OUR GARDEN 179
pull the string I could never read or write in peace, so
I tied my end of the string to the kitchen table. The
boys were then responsible for my flowers. They
seemed rather to enjoy the job, for they displayed a
good deal of energy over it. Often when the bell
rang more violently than usual, I used to dash out of
my chair, thinking I was at school again and late
for prayers or a lesson, but it was the choice of the
lesser evil, and I preferred that to the loss of my
flowers.
Our homing pigeons and peacocks occasionally
devastated our kitchen garden, but we naturally pre-
ferred a little destruction to being without them. They
made our meals amusing by their disputes with the
Siamese cats for every morsel of food we threw from
the table.
However, in spite of such drawbacks, the garden
flourishes. It is difficult to picture to a European the
wonderfully rapid growth and bright colours of the
flowers, or the blazing sun which renders them still
more brilliant. I do not say that I would not prefer
the English garden, with its verdure, its soft light and
subdued colours, and its freedom from all obnoxious
insects, but at any rate here it may be enjoyed all the
year round, instead of for a bare six months. If, too,
a garden is such a real pleasure in Europe, it can be
readily understood how much more so it is to those
who are far from their fatherland. It makes a house
home, and in a great measure softens the hardship of
exile.
History of the Tchams and their conquest : Tcham
dress : Their temples : Po Nagar's temple : Its archi-
tectural beauty : The goddess Po Nagar : Tcham curios
and hidden treasures : A Tcham legend
AMONG the numerous races who have lived in Indo-
China there are none comparable to the Tchams.
They have left monuments scattered over the country
which give an idea of their high civilisation. After
having dominated in Annam they disappeared before
the Annamese. Now there are only a few represen-
tatives left, who live grouped in villages round Chaudoc
and Phan Rang.
The existence of the ancient kingdom "Cyamba"
was revealed in Europe by Marco Polo, who visited it
in 1280. The Tchams are probably a race of Malay
extraction and Indian civilisation, and though not the
aboriginal people of Annam, they had been there
many centuries when the Chinese first came into
contact with them after their conquest of the Giao-
Chi at the end of the second century B.C. At
that time the Tchams, as described by the Chinese
records, were not only a very civilised race, but
rich and prosperous. Their country extended from
180
INSIDE THE PRINCIPAL TOWER OF THE TCHAM TEMPLE OF NHATRANG
ARRANGED FOR ANNAMESE WORSHIP
THE TCHAM TEMPLE 1 8 1
Saigon to the north of Tonking, and on the west
to Siam.
In the quarrels between the Giao-Chi (who were
now called Annamese) and the Chinese, the Tchams
gave help first to one side and then to the other,
and it was largely owing to them that the Annamese
finally shook off the Chinese yoke for ever in the
tenth century. No action could have injured them
more. The Annamese, free from Chinese rule, were
at liberty to devote their attention to quarrelling with
and plundering the Tchams.
From this time forward severe fighting took place
constantly between the two nations. Dumoutier has
shown that the Annamese showed genuine military
qualities in this campaign against the Tchams, who
were slowly driven farther and farther back. The
only intervals of peace enjoyed by Tchampa during
this time were when the Annamese were engaged in
war with China. In the fifteenth century the Tchams
were finally subdued, and from this moment till the
French conquest of the country the work of assimila-
tion began, and the original race declined.
The first French missionaries who arrived in the
country at the end of the seventeenth century gave the
name of Tchampa to the province of Khanh-Hoa, but
at the present time it is necessary to go as far as
Phan Rang to see a Tcham of pure origin.
Some of the women are quite beautiful; a fine
specimen of a Tcham woman may be seen in my
photo of a market-place at Phan Rang. The head-dress
is quite different from that of the Annamese ; it is
twisted round the hair, and the two ends are allowed
1 82 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANN AM
to fall on either side of the face to the shoulder. The
dress is very much like the cai ao of the Annamese,
but instead of being a wide flowing garment it fits the
figure much more closely. Their favourite colour
seems to have been green. Occasionally one comes
across a Tcham type in the midst of a squalid Moi
village. Though the intermarrying of Mois and
Tchams must have taken place many generations
ago, the Tcham element constantly reappears without
deterioration. It was quite pathetic to see a young
Tcham girl, tall, lithe, beautifully made — a remnant of
this ancient race — wearing the same clothes and living
in the same manner as such savages as the Mois.
The religion of the Tchams was Islamism, or Brah-
manism — namely, the worship of one of the three
Indian gods, Brahma, Vishnu, or Siva, together with
that of the " caktis," or wives of the last two, Uma
and Laksmi. But local superstitions have now super-
seded everything. They still offer sacrifices, though
they have forgotten the names of the ancient gods
whom they thus honour. Neither can they now read
the Koran.
Wonderful Tcham monuments and temples may
still be found dotted about Annam and Tonking.
The sites chosen for these temples were always
on hills in the most beautiful parts of the country.
The views from the temple of the goddess Po Nagar
(Bhagavati) at Nhatrang are the best to be had in
any part of that district. The temples of the Circle
of Mi-son (Quang-Nam) are perhaps more com-
plete, but ours at Nhatrang is by far the most
interesting and beautiful. We had the opportunity of
THE TCHAM TEMPLE 183
visiting it very often during our stay at Nhatrang,
and it was my favourite spot in the whole neighbour-
hood. It is situated on a hill about thirty metres
high close to where the river runs into the sea. It
overlooks the whole bay as well as the villages of
Nhatrang and Culao, and from there you can see the
river winding in and out along the valley. On the other
side may be seen two lakes or lagoons surrounded
by undulating land overgrown with dense tropical
vegetation, and in the background mountains covered
with forest. The colours on sea, river, and mountains
at sunset are the most glorious that I have ever seen.
Sitting on the steps — under the portal — of the temple
I love to dream of the hundreds of men and women
of this ancient race who have mounted them to
worship at its shrine and to evoke the weird religious
pageants and ceremonies of which it has been the
centre.
The temple was probably built in the third century
A.D. A Sanskrit inscription on one of the stones proves
that Brahmanism was then the prevailing belief of the
Tchams. The temple was destroyed in A.D. 774 by
" very dark and thin men coming from another country
in ships." They were pursued by Satiavarman, the
Tcham king, who gained a naval victory over them,
and in 784 he rebuilt the temple and cut the inscription
which gives us these details. Another inscription
mentions that Indravarman erected a golden statue
to the goddess Bhagavati which "the avaricious
Cambodians took away, but they died in consequence,"
and in 965 King Jaya Indravarman put a stone statue
of the goddess in its place, which is probably the very
i84 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
one that is now there. The last king to leave
his name on any inscription was Rudravarman.
He made a gift of precious objects to the temple
of the great goddess in 1064. From the eleventh
century onwards Sanskrit learning is less and less
in evidence owing to the decadence of the race,
but inscriptions in the Tcham language become
more numerous.
The temple, like all the Tcham monuments, faces
due east. It is composed of two brick towers with
stone doors covered with inscriptions, and several
small edifices are grouped round them. The tower to
the left is the larger, and is consecrated to the goddess
Uma. It is twenty metres long from east to west, in-
cluding the porch by which one enters ; the width
from north to south is fourteen metres, the height
about eighteen metres. Above the door is sculptured
a dancing god, which may be clearly seen in my photo-
graphs ; two little musicians playing fifes are on either
side of him. In the interior is the splendid statue of
the ten-armed goddess Po Nagar, which is protected
by a wooden construction. The goddess is rather
bigger than life size, and is sitting Indian fashion on
her stone altar. The breasts, which are rather large,
seem to indicate that she represents maternity. All
the ten arms have bracelets on them, the lowest ones
on either side are resting on her knees, the left
hand is open, with the palm upright ; the right is
shut. The others are raised and hold objects repre-
senting different attributes, such as a mace, a sword, a
dish, a lance, and a stone about the size of an orange.
A diadem is on her head ; she is apparently dressed
THE TCHAM TEMPLE 185
in a "sarong," which probably covers tight-fitting
trousers.
There is another statue in this same tower repre-
senting a woman seated ; she is much smaller than
the goddess and less finely sculptured, but the two
statues are probably contemporary. She is called
" the little goddess " in the inscription. A sentence in
Tcham is cut on her back.
The tower to the right only measures ten metres
from north to south, and thirteen from east to west, in-
cluding the porch. Here the divinity is a " linga,"
crowned with a network of sculptured pearls, and
placed on a brown stone slab.
All round on the outside of these towers there are
many busts of women, their hair arranged in a diadem
of three rolls, one above the other. Their hands are
joined as if in prayer. From the bust the stone ex-
tends at right angles backwards for about the length
of a metre. This shape enables these decorative
figures to be fixed and built into the tower.
The surrounding buildings are themselves little
temples containing either lingas or small statues of
goddesses, the whole was probably surrounded by a
wall, of which there are now very few traces.
The interior of the towers is quite small, that of the
largest would not hold more than five or six persons.
It is supposed that only the priests worshipped inside,
the congregation remained standing or kneeling with-
out. All are very dark, no light entering except
through the door. The Annamese custodians used
to light torches for our benefit, but a good examination
of the sculptures and inscriptions was not easy — partly
1 86 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
on account of the apparent unwillingness of our guides,
partly also because the flaring torches gave so unsteady
a light.
The reason why custodians were appointed by the
Annamese people is that they have appropriated the
goddess Po Nagar as their own divinity under the
name of Ba-Chua-Ngoc. She is very much venerated,
and twice a year, namely, in the second and eighth
months of the Annamese year, fe^tes with music and
dancing are held in her honour. The sailors and
fishermen make offerings to her continually of shoes,
clothes, candles, and lanterns, and though the wor-
shippers may have received no benefit from this
veneration, yet at least it has been the means of
preserving the temple from ruin.
The following is the Annamese legend relating to
the goddess Ba-Chua-Ngoc. The goddess had no
father or mother, but was born in a tree. Its owner
was an old man who made his living by the sale of
water-melons. He was vexed at finding that his fruit
was continually stolen, and watched night and day for
the chance of catching the thief. Qne day he suc-
ceeded in surprising a young goddess, whom he found
so beautiful that he made her his adopted daughter.
For a long time no man asked for her- hand, but at
last a king came from the north who fell in love with
her the moment he saw her. He married her and
took her back to his own country and there they had
two children. Then one day she deserted her hus-
band and children and came back to Nhatrang,
where she asked a mason to build her a temple. The
king, having found out her hiding-place, sent an
THE MARKET
THE CKNTKAI. FIGUKK IS A TCHAM WOMAN
THE TCHAM TEMPLE 187
ambassador to bring her back. Should she refuse,
he was ordered to chop off her head and bring that.
The goddess, knowing this, cut off her own head and
gave it to the ambassador when he arrived, who went
off with it to his ship. Winds and storms came out of
the head, and the ship sank with the ambassador and
all its crew. From this moment the goddess became
the object of adoration.
In 1906, M. Parmentier, of the " Ecole franchise
d'Extr&ne Orient," arrived at Nhatrang in order to
undertake the work of preserving the temple and to
search for its hidden treasures. He built a little bun-
galow for himself and his wife on the spot, so that no
brick should be dislodged nor clod of earth displaced
without his personal supervision. The Annamese
naturally did not like this invasion into their place of
worship, but they were propitiated in one way or
another, and the guardians themselves were tactfully
appointed as police over the workmen. All the Anna-
mese offerings which at different times had been placed
in the towers were naturally left untouched.
One day, when we went to call on M. and Madame
Parmentier, we had the good fortune to arrive just as
a treasure had been discovered. It had been found
about ten feet below the altar in one of the towers.
Before the work of excavation could be begun, the
tower had to be strengthened, or it would inevitably
have fallen, and when at last the digging started
M. Parmentier himself watched every spadeful thrown
out and listened for the hollow sound which would
indicate the approach of a cavity.
In the case of the particular treasure we saw, there
1 88 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
were several small objects, none of any great value,
which had evidently been placed there as an ex voto
offering by some pious Tcham. The first article we
were shown was a heavy gold ring set with a green
stone ; the claws which held the jewel were rather big
and clumsy, but the setting was not unlike those of
to-day. There was also another stone, rather like a
dull opal, lying loose. It might have been glass, but
M. Parmentier did not think that the Tchams knew
of its manufacture. A metal teapot, green with age,
from which the thin handle had fallen, and an orna-
mental silver bowl, with a cover rather like a silver
sweet-dish, were next placed before our admiring eyes.
Then came the inevitable rice-bowl and betel-box, and,
what interested M. Parmentier more than anything,
some grains of fresh-looking paddy. This showed
that these things had not been hidden away, that, in
fact, the offering had not been touched since placed
there. M. Parmentier intended to sow some of the
paddy but hardly expected it to germinate. The burial
of this treasure he calculated dated from about the end
of the eighth century. It awed me to be one of the
first to look at and touch things which had not seen
the light for over a thousand years.
When he had drawn, painted, and measured these
Tcham curios, M. Parmentier was hoping to start ex-
cavating to the right of the big central tower. The
original tower was not on the exact site of the present
one, and it was beneath the altar of the first that he
expected to find the most important treasure.
Many of the richest Tcham treasures, however, such
as jewelled weapons and crowns, gold and silver plates,
THE TCHAM TEMPLE 189
altar ornaments, women's jewellery, are rarely found
in the temples — they were entrusted to the Mois by
the Tcham kings when obliged to flee from the
conquering Annamese. The Mois buried them in
lonely spots among the hills. The hiding-places are
only known to some Moi chief, who hands down the
secret at his death to his successor. The confidence
of these Mois must be gained before further investiga-
tion can be made. They guard their secret jealously,
for although a Tcham treasure owes nothing of its
origin to Moi religion or race, they have a superstitious
faith in it and believe that it protects them from all
evils. Up till now no discoveries of treasure have
been made beyond a few in the Province of Phan
Rang and Phan Ri. Those investigated by Pere
Durand and M. Parmentier are of great interest for
the history of the Tchams.
CHAPTER XIII
TO THE INLAND HILLS— NHATRANG TO DABAN
Preparations for a two-hundred kilometre journey : Trials
of a tri-car : Catastrophe to a group of native women :
Meeting an elephant : Arrival in a village whose inhabitants
had never seen a motor-car : Commotion wrought among
oxen, fowls, pigs, &c. : Frightful state of roads : Safe
arrival at Banghoi : Phan Rang : Breakdown : Return
to Phan Rang : New start in pony-cart : No relays ready :
Balat : Change of scenery as we approached the hills :
Exhaustion of the last pony : Deluge of rain : Shelter at
Daban : In the land of the tiger
A YEAR after our arrival in Annam my husband
thought a change of air was necessary for my health.
The Langbian plateau in the south of Annam naturally
suggested itself. My husband knew it well ; he had
been sent some time before by the Government to
study its climatic conditions, and had been most
favourably impressed with the healthiness of the
situation. But how to get there ? If the journey
could be arranged, the Director of the Agricultural
Station on the farther edge of the plateau would make
me welcome at his house. M. d'Andre" was a friend
of my husband, and would be glad of any visitor
for the sake of the companionship for his wife and
daughter.
Over two hundred kilometres had to be traversed,
TO THE INLAND HILLS 191
however, to get there, not by train or coach, but in a
cradle- cart or rickshaw, to the foot of the hills ; after-
wards it was a choice of horseback and a palanquin up
the mountain-side. It was no small matter, especially
as my husband could not obtain sufficient leave of
absence to take me the whole way. But the longing
for a cool atmosphere got stronger and stronger, and I
urged on the preparations. It was useless to look out
for a fellow-adventurer among the ladies of Nhatrang ;
either they had children whom they could not leave,
or the undertaking was too unprecedented for their
liking.
The day before we left Nhatrang, my husband
decided to take me as far as possible in our tri-car.
Perhaps the decision was rather rash ; but people with
new motor-cars have these little failings. But he
wisely maintained arrangements already made for the
pony-cart, so that we could be picked up in case of a
breakdown.
The sea made a black, straight line on the horizon
against a sky of silver and orange when we started off
at dawn, and before the roads were much frequented
we had done our first ten kilometres. Then, with the
first rays of the sun, the women began to appear, their
baskets laden with goods for market. They were
generally in little groups, and walked as usual one
behind the other. As a rule, they stopped when they
saw us coming, and waited with averted faces till we
had gone by ; but one of these little processions, com-
posed of about ten women, seemed so absorbed in
conversation that they did not see or hear us. The
hooter was of no avail, and though we slowed down as
192 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
we came near them, the first woman was so startled
that she jumped aside and fell into the rice-field.
I was rather taken aback by such a catastrophe,
but still more horrified when I saw the other nine
follow suit. Each one, following on the heels of her
predecessor without looking round or about her, had
instinctively imitated the jump to the side without
being aware of the reason for it. When we heard
their ejaculations and screams as they extricated them-
selves from the mel£e and picked up their overturned
baskets, we thought it better not to stop. Nobody
was hurt, and we could not re-divide their goods again.
I was sure that each one would claim a little more
than she had before, and that the wrangling which
would ensue would divert their anger from us, even
if they had so much as realised the cause of their
disaster.
A few minutes later another encounter resulted in
an equal fright to both parties. We were mounting a
small incline, and coming sharply round a corner at
the top, found ourselves nearly under the feet of the
"Quan B6's " enormous elephant. The two natives
who were conducting it to the river immediately let go
their hold and made off. Fortunately, just at the
critical moment when we thought we were going to be
trampled underfoot, the elephant also decided on
flight, took a half-turn, and started at full speed across
the rice-fields.
After we had bumped over the ruts and lumps
between the few huts which compose the village of
Suoigiau, we ventured on to a road on which pneu-
matic tyres had never rolled, and through villages
THE QUAN BO'S ELEPHANT
TO THE INLAND HILLS 193
whose inhabitants had never yet seen, or perhaps
hearcTof, the " fire machine." But the natives we met
did not seem grateful to us for giving them what must
have been an entirely novel sight. Those in rickshaws
found themselves suddenly transported into the rice-
fields by their terrified coolies, and were lucky if they
remained sitting on the cushion instead of in water and
mud. I turned round once and saw a Chinese merchant
picking himself slowly out of the mud and looking
first at us and then at his coolie, as if uncertain whether
to thank the latter for saving his life, or to beat him
for having been the cause of his dirty trousers. For a
mandarin who was advancing on horseback we stopped
dead, waiting for him to pass us. The precaution was
useless : the horse turned tail and galloped off at such
speed that we never knew whether the horse or rider
had been the first to be seized with fright.
It was high time to reach a village, for we needed
water. When Hoatan came in sight we dared go no
farther, and alighted. I ran in front in search of a
native, but the village at first seemed deserted. No
children were playing in the road, no women squatting
beside their baskets ; but on closer observation I saw
numbers of heads peeping cautiously out from behind
the slightly lifted doors. They evidently had been
warned that a great danger threatened them. Nobody
could be persuaded to approach, and it seemed that if
we wanted water we should have to go and draw it
from the well ourselves. My husband finally turned
off steam, and, with the cessation of noise and vibration
their fear suddenly vanished. First the children, then
the older natives, gradually came forward, and soon
N
194 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
ther was a crowd round the tri-car, those behind
pressing forward, those in front pushing back, not liking
the too close contact. We at last obtained a jar of
water with half a cocoa-nut shell attached to a stick as
scoop, but it was difficult to get enough elbow-room to
fill the reservoir. When the engine was again put in
motion there was a general scuffle and disappearance ;
those who had been lying on their stomachs or backs
to peer between the wheels, apparently in the hope of
discovering horses or other animals, rolled away like
ninepins. At the first vibration we were left masters
of the situation ; no other soul remained in sight. The
buffaloes, native dogs, black curved-back pigs, the
fowls — in fact, all the animals with which the Annamese
live, and which had not taken the precaution of staying
at home like their masters, had narrow escapes. In
some villages we created the greatest commotion.
Only the oxen remained undisturbed ; even when we
went within an inch of their noses they did not budge ;
one, indeed, turned round and jumped some palings
into a little native garden, causing considerable tumult,
but the occurrence was exceptional.
Since Suoigiau the road had been bad, but after
Hoatan it became worse than ever. There were places
one or two hundred yards in length where we sank
deep into the sand and stuck fast. Occasionally we
managed to tug the car out ourselves, but more often
it was impossible to move it an inch, and we had to
wait till some natives should appear along the road.
Even then it was useless to hail them, and we had to
run after them and drag them to the spot. The bridges
also had enormous gaps in them, but as they were
TO THE INLAND HILLS 195
mostly made with branches the tri-car jumped with
safety where a pony would have inevitably caught his
feet. This had actually happened to one traveller,
whom we found struggling to extricate his poor animal.
We helped to unharness the pony, but it was only after
giving its legs support from under the bridge that it
could be liberated. We exchanged notes concerning
all the other bridges before separating. Though there
were many places where the car had literally to be
hauled out of sand or mud, and we had several narrow
escapes on the bridges, all went well till within two or
three kilometres of Banghoi. There it stopped, and
finally refused to start off again, in spite of all we could
do. We were in the midst of the salt-marshes that
surround Banghoi, so that there was little vegetation.
As I was of no use with the car, I made for the only
stunted tree within reach, and, sitting down in four
square inches of shade, mopped my brow. What were
we going to do ? The sun was pouring down ; the
glare on the whitened sand was almost unbearable ; it
seemed impossible to wait three or four hours till the
trap should catch us up, but it was also impossible to
walk two kilometres in that tropical sun. Remember-
ing that some bottles of St. Galmier and some bars of
chocolate were stowed away under the seat of the tri-
car, I summoned enough resolution to leave my scrap
of shade and return to the highway. My husband
was still working away with desperate energy, en-
deavouring to re-start the car ; it was not a time for
speech, and silently I lifted the seat. Imagine my
feelings when I found the St. Galmier at boiling-point
and the chocolate all melted away among the tools.
196 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
This was the last straw ; to wait three hours without
food could be done, but without drink — ! Our spirits
were at their lowest when three natives appeared.
They unwillingly put down their baskets and com-
menced to push the curious vehicle, from which they
probably supposed the horse had escaped. At the top
of the slope on which we had stuck, my husband made
another effort to put the car in motion. No sooner did
the natives hear the first rumble of the engine than
they fled. Calling would not bring them back, so our
chance of making them drag the car to Banghoi, if we
failed to move, was lost. After many fruitless attempts,
the car, making a deafening noise, at last moved forward
at its lowest speed, and we had to be content. The
last two kilometres took us half an hour to accomplish.
When we finally entered the primitive little inn where
we were to stop the night, it was only n A.M., though
it seemed as if we had done quite a day's work
already. Nobody could believe that we had come
from Nhatrang that morning without a boy or any
sort of help except that which turned up along the
road. Europeans were as interested as natives in
examining the little car which had performed such
a feat.
My resolution to continue by a surer if slower
method was broken through by my husband, who
before nightfall had readjusted the car and received
satisfactory assurances about the road. T^e whole
population of the district surrounded us as we made
our preparations to start the next morning, and by the
time the motor started forward, the natives had lost
their first fear and came running along on either side
TO THE INLAND HILLS 197
of us. But soon the last lithe little runner dropped
behind. For the first forty kilometres we had the
same bad roads as the day before ; the natives per-
haps were even more frightened, and the consternation
we caused as we ran through some of the villages
greater. It was only when within twenty kilometres
of Phan Rang that we came upon a really good surface.
We flew along at our quickest pace ; no collapsed
bridges, no bumps to stun us, no deep sand or mud.
The trials of the preceding hundred kilometres were
forgotten, and when we reached Phan Rang we had
but one idea, to go straight on to Daban. By 9 A.M.
we had entered the hotel and surprised its inmates by
the noise of our car. My husband immediately
telegraphed to Dr. Yersin to obtain another day's
leave of absence, and by twelve the answer had come
telling us not to break our victorious run.
But about ten kilometres from Phan Rang we had an
accident. Four or five bullock-carts lumbering along
ahead of us were at length drawn to the side (actually
the same side) after vigorous hooting. The passage
was still narrow, as piles of stones had been placed on
the other side for road-mending. We did not go
particularly slowly, however, as all the coolies were
standing at the heads of the bullocks, and no obstacle
stood in our way. Our dismay can be imagined,
therefore, when we saw the coolies of the last cart let
go their animals and run off. The noise of the motor
frightened the bullocks and they turned at right angles,
completely blocking the way. Already my hands
were stretched out to protect my head from the
collision which must ensue, when the tri-car suddenly
198 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
ran up to the top of a pile of stones and came to a
standstill. My husband, in order to prevent my head
being broken under the cart (I was seated in front,
much lower than himself), had to choose between
smashing down into the rice-fields or guiding the
machine as evenly as possible up the hillock of stones.
He took the latter course. Fortunately the car neither
overturned nor toppled over on the farther side. We
dragged it down on to the road, but the insult of this
treatment was evidently too much for it. This time
the breakdown was permanent. It was settled that I
should take the first opportunity of getting back to
Phan Rang. When a wretched old malabar* came
along driven by a small Chinese boy, I was only too
thankful for the lift, although I was squeezed between
two dirty old women chewing betel. From the hotel
I immediately sent off a rickshaw and coolies, but it
was dark before the sad little procession made its
appearance. How different from the triumphal entry
in the morning !
My journey was not interrupted by this accident,
for the Resident arranged that I should join forces with
an astronomer, M. Lecadet, who was starting for
Dankia the next morning. He was commissioned to
inspect the meteorological installation there. I was thus
very fortunate in getting a companion for the whole
journey.
Early the next morning my husband, after giving
us many instructions about relays, coolies, baggage, &c.,
started towards Nhatrang, M. Lecadet and myself
towards Daban. For the first fifteen kilometres or so
* Malabar, a small closed carriage.
TO THE INLAND HILLS 199
all went well, but just before we reached the first tram *
we came upon a pony being led by a coolie. Our
little sais jumped down from behind us and proceeded
to harness it in the place of the one we were driving.
We were surprised that it had not waited for us at the
tram, but as neither sai's nor coolie understood French
no explanations were possible. A little farther on, we
caught up two more ponies. It was then apparent
that our relays had not been sent out early enough
from Phan Rang, or that the coolies had been gam-
bling in some cai-nha near the village instead of
taking up their appointed posts.
The road from Phan Rang followed the Song Cau
River ; from time to time we saw its flowing water at
a bend in its course, but at Balat, the last Annamese
village we were to pass, we crossed it by the famous
iron bridge, and saw it no more. This bridge was built
for the railway when quick means of transit to the
Langbian had been thought desirable. If it did not
fulfil its original intention, at least it was most useful
to us.
Up till now the road had been fairly frequented,
there seemed plenty of movement between the different
hamlets dotted about among the green carpet of rice-
fields. We also met many natives of Tcham origin,
easily distinguishable from the Annamese by their
straight noses and different carriage, even if they had
not been wearing their full turbans and green tunics.
After Balat, where we arrived dragging our relays
behind us, the character of the country changed ; no
more signs of cultivation, no rice-fields, no natives on
* Tram, a station where relays of coolies or ponies may be had.
200 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
the roads, no thatched roofs sheltered by high cocoa-
and areca-palms. On either side lay a forest of stunted
trees, with here and there a great mass of rounded
granite, which had the form and colour of a sleeping
elephant. We were reminded that later we might very
likely see the real thing ! The continual look-out we
were obliged to keep up saved us from monotony.
Ten kilometres from Daban the last pony was
exhausted and we were forced to unharness it and let
it rest. It was already after midday, so the hope of
getting up to Dran before nightfall began to vanish.
Was there any place to sleep at Daban ? My husband
had noticed a chalet there, and we had since heard
that an agent of the Public Works Department was
living in it. Would he be able and willing to give us
shelter, if there really was no possibility of making the
ascent to Dran ? Having stopped at the bottom of a
slope near a wooden bridge, we descended into the
dried-up river-bed where the sand and shade made
a comfortable resting-place, and there prepared our-
selves a little lunch. I boiled water in my alcohol
lamp to make bovril, M. Lecadet carved the chicken,
and we had a very good meal, ending up with some
refreshing tea. It was a pretty spot for a picnic ; as
I looked round me I became aware that the scenery
had again changed and that the vegetation differed
from anything we had come across before. Instead
of stunted oaks and scrubby bushes there were huge
massive trunks which seemed to stretch up to the
sky. Below was a dense mass of tropical foliage ;
every plant seemed to be making an effort to rise
above its fellows and expand its leaves to the sun and
THE WHOLE VILLAGE IN OUR WAKE
ON THE KUGIi OK THE TROPICAL FOREST
TO THE INLAND HILLS 201
air. They vied and struggled with each other for pre-
dominance. It was an inextricable tangle, impossible
to penetrate. We had reached the thick vegetation
of the lower slopes of the mountain, and had seen
deer, peacocks, jungle fowls, from time to time along
the road, but fortunately no elephants. There were
many traces of them, however, on the dry river-bed
where we were seated, and they must recently have
come to drink there. In spite of the silence one
did not forget the teeming animal life that the thick
foliage hid.
A drop of rain brought us back to realities. We
jumped up, bundled our lunch things into the trap
and harnessed up. Our little sais had been left
behind some way back, as we dared not tire the
last pony more than was absolutely necessary.
Between walking and trotting we managed to cover
a few more miles, and then the pony refused to
advance farther. We both alighted, and leading
our exhausted animal, started to trudge the last part
of the road. But the heavy rain soon soaked my
mackintosh and skirts. I could not walk and was
obliged to get into the trap again and sit down in
the pool on the cushion. M. Lecadet continued to
haul along the poor pony, which at every step was
less and less willing to move. At last we came to a
long wooden bridge, which, from my husband's
itinerary, seemed to be less than a kilometre from
Daban. The sight of it gave us new courage. The
pouring rain, high trees, and thick undergrowth lining
the narrow road made it so dark that it was impossible
to help feeling a little nervous. One exaggerates
202 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
dangers when soaked to the skin, and really this un-
known road seemed full of mystery. Our delight was
great when we suddenly saw a thatched roof peeping
out from between the trees a little higher up. The
last hundred metres mounted a steady slope, but the
pony smelt the stable and made a noble effort. At
the top we found ourselves on a flat open space where
the trees had been cut down quite close to the ground.
There were several sheds or Annamese huts on one
side, and on the other a wooden bungalow built on
piles. We went towards the latter, and were met on
the steps by an Annamese interpreter, who, in answer
to our questions, told us that a European was at that
moment at Daban. He pointed to a bungalow a little
way up the mountain-side, where M. Landon, of the
Public Works Department, was living. We imme-
diately clambered up the slope as fast as our wet clothes
and the path, which was a slippery stream, would
allow us. The rain made so much noise that for some
time nobody heard our calls and knocks. At last
M. Landon himself came out, and at once put the
lower house at our disposal. It contained three large
rooms, only the middle one being occupied by the
interpreter. M. Landon also asked us to dine with
him that evening.
My boy Sau had put in an appearance, and by the
time I had collected my luggage, which had arrived on
a bullock-cart from Nhatrang a few days before, he
had brought me two steaming petroleum-tins of hot
water. I did not take the trouble to unpack my bath,
for as the planks were not very close together, it was
quite easy to take a hot shower-bath without doing
TO THE INLAND HILLS 203
any harm. The water ran away between the boards,
and the floor was soon dry again.
We took tea on the verandah, seated on wooden
cases ; my spirit-lamp balanced on the verandah
railing. Warm and dry, we were at last able to laugh
over all our adventures of the morning.
During dinner our host told us many a thrilling
story of the tiger. Its presence was a continual source
of danger, not only at night but in the day, for where
M. Landon was road-surveying in the forest, its huge
form was often seen prowling between the trees. Only
a week before it had secured a victim. The small
brother of M. Landon's cook had been carried off
while sleeping with several companions in a hut quite
close to his house. Familiarity breeds contempt — the
door had been left open. Towards morning, when the
fire had burnt low, the tiger had ventured near, clawed
the child, dragged him a few yards, and then, seizing
him by the shoulder between his teeth, had bounded
with him into the jungle. The screams of the poor
little lad awoke the other coolies, who, brandishing
their clubs and hatchets and uttering wild yells, started
in pursuit. The tiger, startled by the noise, dropped
its prey and made off. But the boy's shoulder was
almost bitten through by the monster's teeth and there
was little hope of saving his life. We were told that
the same tiger was still hovering round and we should
very likely hear its war-cry during the night.
On descending the hill again we found that our two
boys, who had left Phan Rang at the same time as our-
selves, had arrived, so an early start could be made
the next morning.
204 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
I was soon in the land of dreams — a tiger was
harnessed to the trap instead of a pony, and two
others were being towed behind. I was terrified at
having their noses so close to my back, but dared
not cut them loose, as I felt that they would be
wanted later on.
CHAPTER XIV
TO THE INLAND HILLS (continued)— FROM DABAN
TO DANKIA
The Mois' physical appearance ; their baskets : A " tailed
race" : A steep climb on horseback : The pines : A
snake : Dran : Isolation of Europeans in this district :
A second long climb : General view of the plateau : M.
Canivey's escape from a tiger : His punitive expedition
to a Moi village : Moi bows and arrows : A Moi woman :
Dankia
ON awaking on the next morning it took me some
time to realise where I was. As soon as I remembered
the two past days' events I rolled gingerly out of
my camp bed and seized my watch. Half-past eight !
yet we were to have started at six ! Dressing in
feverish haste by the light coming in through the
persienne doors (there were no windows in my large
room) I rushed out on to the verandah. M. Lecadet
was sitting there writing a letter to his wife and looking
as if he meant to spend the rest of his life in Daban.
And not without reason, for he had just discovered
that contrary to what we had understood the previous
evening neither his coolies nor the horse with which
he was to make the rest of the journey had arrived. I
had probably enough coolies for the baggage of both
but another pony was indispensable. While we were
205
206 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
discussing the situation, we saw a little procession
winding through the trees down the mountain path.
When it emerged into the open, we distinguished six
or seven Mois with a pony (saddled and bridled) led by
an Annamese who proved to be one of M. d' Andre's
servants. We were saved !
Although it was not the first time I had come across
a Moi, the sight of the twenty or so naked rough-headed
individuals who were to accompany us was not a re-
assuring one. The word "Moi" in Annamese means
"savage " and really the term was not misapplied. All
the same we had not gone far before I was more fascinated
by these hillmen than I had ever been with the Anna-
mese. As soon as they saw us astride on our ponies,
they came forward, and pouncing on the different pack-
ages strapped them to bamboo boles with long strips
of cane. The strongest naturally got hold of the lightest
burdens, but as we had divided them off pretty equally,
there was not really very much difference. We had
been told that no Moi must be given more than thirty
kilogrammes to carry or he may drop his burden en
route and refuse to pick it up again. There were two
Mois to each bamboo and soon all was hoisted on to
their shoulders and the little cavalcade started off.
They were big solid fellows, well-proportioned and of
an upright carriage, very different from the slight wiry
Annamese. Their height ranged from one metre sixty-
five to one metre seventy or more. They looked far
more capable of conquering the Annamese than the An-
namese of conquering them, but as I caught sight of the
contemptuous glances of our boys towards the savages,
there was no doubt as to the real position. The Mois
TO THE INLAND HILLS 207
were darker than the Annamese, in fact some of them
were almost copper colour. Their coarse black hair was
done up at the back of the head in a chignon through
which was often stuck a long-handled bamboo pipe.
Sometimes the chignon was fastened with a black
wooden comb, which served, I found later, to support
little bundles of tobacco carefully wrapped up inside
the hair. When their tobacco had come to an end, they
smoked dry grass which they picked up along the path.
Their expression was much franker than that of the An-
namese and they laughed and talked freely to each other
the whole time. Brass anklets and bracelets on legs and
arms, and a loin-cloth into which a wooden sheathed
knife was thrust, composed their whole costume. Only
two among our convoy were the proud possessors of
short Annamese cotton jackets. Attached to each
bamboo that the Mois carried were two rolled-up mats
of dry grass. At the first drop of rain they all put
down their burdens, unstrapped these grass mats, which
were about a yard square, and placed them on their
heads. They were thus well sheltered down to the
waist. Their appearance was most comic, one could
not see their faces and they looked like so many
minute thatched roofs walking along. All their food
and drink was carried by two Mois who had accom-
panied them for this purpose. They had large
bamboo plaited dossers on their backs, which held all
the little sacks of rice and earthenware vessels. It is
rare to meet a Moi without one of these baskets, for
when on his way through the forest his hands are occu-
pied with either lance or bow and arrows. When he
goes any distance he takes all his possessions on his
208 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
back, carrying several baskets one on the top of the
other — a veritable scaffolding which towers up much
above his head. It looks as if the whole erection
might come clattering down any minute, because he is
quite unable to balance or rearrange it with his hands.
It is fixed up when he starts and must thus remain till
he arrives at the sleeping-place. For this reason a
stout stick is dragged along tied with string to the
bottom-most basket, so that as soon as he stands still
he has only to put out his hand behind him, catch hold
of the stick and prop it under his baskets. His load
thus supported, he can at least lean back and rest his
shoulders if unable to sit down. A story goes that the
first Europeans who travelled beyond the coast of
Annam returned declaring that they had seen a race
of men with tails. If there is any truth in it, these
sticks were perhaps the " tails " !
For the first mile or two after leaving Daban, the
path was so steep that our ponies could advance no
quicker than the Moi bearers. There was no need for
haste, however, as we should have to break our
journey again at Dran. The scenery and vegetation,
moreover, were so glorious that it would have been a
pity not to have given ourselves enough time to enjoy
them. We had been climbing about an hour when
M. Landon suddenly appeared, his pony scrambling up
the side of the ravine like a cat clambering up a tree.
He said that as it was Sunday (I had quite lost count
of days) he had finished his work for the day and would
accompany us to Dran, where he was going to lunch.
At about five hundred metres, we discovered a pine
here and there among the rich tropical foliage, a sight
TO THE INLAND HILLS 209
which promised a speedy change of atmosphere. But
already the air was cooler and more invigorating than
the plain. Nearly all the trees had orchids or other
parasitical plants growing on them, and occasionally one
was in full bloom. There were numbers of coloured
creepers, too, which made an impenetrable wall as they
fell to the ground from the topmost branches of
higher trees. Sometimes the silence was broken by
the shrill cries or loud wails of monkeys, and the
branches above our heads shook and rattled as a family
party took flight. We could not always see them
distinctly through the leaves, but my boy shot two and
brought them to me in triumph. They -were both
Gibbons, which are the only representatives of the man-
like apes in Annam. One was entirely black except for
a buffy gular patch, with long thick fur. It has since
been named Hylobates gabriella, after me. It was a
new species. The other, Hylobates leucogenys, was also
black, but had white whiskers. My boy himself pointed
out the separation of the thumb and big toe from the
rest of the digits. He mimicked their way of walking
erect and the manner in which when he had shot them
they had held their gaping wounds together with their
taper fingers to prevent the blood gushing forth. Their
tortured expression when wounded prevents most
Europeans from shooting them. The next day he
killed a long-tailed Presbytis. It had thick grey fur
of a lovely shade of colour with white trousers and
was almost as big as the Gibbons.
For the last two or three kilometres before reaching
Dran we passed through forests of pines, short grass
covered with cones took the place of the tangled
o
210 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
undergrowth, so that the open space between the
straight trunks gave a more extensive view. Every
now and then we got glimpses into the distant blue
valley and were able to follow the flat road we had
taken the day before.
Once when in advance of our party my pony had
suddenly started back, and on looking down I saw
a huge snake with its head upraised, hissing with
fangs extended. It so frightened me that, instead of
pulling my pony round as I ought to have done though
the path was very narrow, I dismounted. But in try-
ing to jump as far away from the snake as possible, I
slipped and fell under my pony's legs and on to the
reptile's curled-up body. The fright was reciprocal,
both it and I scrambled out of the way, but my boy
coming up discovered it in the long grass a few yards
from the path. I took my gun and aimed point-blank
at it. When dragged on to the path it was found to
be a python seven feet long.
After crossing the Danhim, the chief tributary of the
Donai, on which Saigon is situated, our path ran across
the flat valley till we reached Dran on the slope at the
farther side. Living here were two more Europeans
of the Public Works Department. It appeared that
Sunday was their " At Home " day, and that all the
isolated Europeans of the hills made an effort on that
occasion to share their luncheon. We were invited to
join the party. The conversation was a contrast to
what one hears in Europe ; instead of cricket matches,
the new play at His Majesty's, or politics, the subjects
were tigers, new modes of making cartridges, and the
difficulties of work with bad weather or lack of coolies.
TO THE INLAND HILLS 211
What a different life was led here to the only one I knew
before coming to the East. All had brought their own
bread, all those at least who knew the art of baking it
in an earthen oven. To the less skilled it was an
unobtainable luxury. Many, too, had a shoulder of
venison or a jungle fowl attached to their saddles when
they arrived, and the meal consisted chiefly of game
from the forest.
Directly after lunch many were obliged to start off
again, for it would be dangerous to be caught by the
darkness and their ponies could not be hurried on the
steep and rocky paths.
With the first streak of dawn the next morning I
was astir ; yet M. Lecadet was standing by his pony's
head ready to mount when I appeared. We had sixty
kilometres to do before Dankia could be reached, so
there was no time to be lost. After a steep climb of a
few hundred metres, the path continued with very little
difference of level, following ridge after ridge and
twisting in and out anidi% the pines. We took a last
look into the valley of the Danhim. The mist was
thick when we started but it was being gradually
absorbed by the sun, and as one veil after another was
mysteriously drawn away we were able to see every
detail of the beautiful valley — the broad river flowing
between flat bright green meadows, with vast pine
forests on the slopes at either side. Now that our
path was fairly level it had also become much broader
and we seemed to be wandering through an immense
park, the pines were more and more splendid and not
too close to one another, the grass quite short, the
slopes gently rounded off without any abrupt lines.
212 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
Every now and then, however, we had glimpses of other
ranges of mountains with deep valleys between, and
the extent and magnificence of the view at these
moments reminded us we were in Central Annam.
It was about midday when we saw the plateau for
the first time. What an unexpected discovery ! What
a contrast to anything we had already seen ! Over a
vast extent lay a mass of small rounded hillocks, tree-
less but covered with short grass. They were all very
much of the same shape and height. It was like a sea
with rippling green waves. In the midst, the elevated
peaks of Mount Langbian rose up like a rocky island.
Dankia was situated at the foot of this mountain, on
the other extremity of the plateau. The difficulties of
our journey must be at an end. The plateau is so
peaceful and soothing, no steep slopes, no impenetrable
tangles of undergrowth, only pine groves in the gorges
between the hillocks.
The roofs of the little chalets of Dalat in the fore-
ground glistened in the sun. They were situated some
distance apart, all on the slope or the summit of some
hillock. Outside one of these chalets was a group of
Mois. They were engaged on their midday meal and
were too occupied even to look up at us. Taking
handful after handful of rice from the little bamboo-
plaited sacks which they carried, they stuffed it all into
their mouths at once. Monkeys could not have gobbled
more voraciously, they never swallowed one mouthful
before taking another, but kept pressing the rice
between their teeth till I thought their cheeks would
burst. When the sacks were nearly empty, they raised
them to their mouths and shook the last few grains
TO THE INLAND HILLS 213
down their throats, just like a horse with his nosebag.
It was a very different way of eating from that of the
Annamese, who, if he has not got chopsticks, takes any
two odd pieces of stick rather than touch the food with
his fingers. Though these Mois made no sign, we
thought they must be our second relay of coolies and
stopped to inquire. M. Canivey, the government
delegate to whom the chalet belonged, invited us in,
and his wife insisted on giving us lunch. As all our pro-
visions had remained behind with the bearers, we were
very glad to accept. During the meal we heard from
M. Canivey himself the story of their terrible encounter
with a tiger. He and his wife were out snipe-shooting
one day not far from the house when they saw a tiger
on the confines of the forest. M. Canivey levelled his
gun and fired. There was a roar and the animal
bounded into the forest. In spite of the entreaties of
his wife and his own better judgment, for he knew the
tiger could not be seriously wounded with such small
shot, he started in pursuit. One link armed with a
French military rifle followed him ; the other stayed
with his wife. As soon as the two men entered the
wood, there were sounds of a scuffle and then the words
rang out, " Je le tiens, tue-le." Through the branches
Madame Canivey saw the tiger with its two front paws
on her husband's shoulders, its teeth dug into his gun,
which he had held out crosswise when the animal sprang
upon him. As the man and beast stood thus, she saw
the link advance, place the muzzle of his rifle close to
the tiger's head and pull the trigger. With a half-groan,
half-yell, the monster fell and Madame Canivey dashed
forward. She found her husband bleeding profusely
214 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
from different wounds where the tiger's claws had torn
his flesh. He was able to walk home, but neither my
husband nor any other doctor of the province had been
able to mount to the Langbian plateau at that moment,
and for a few days he lay between life and death.
Madame Canivey told us that though this adventure
took place four years previously, she still trembled at
the growl of a tiger in the night.
We heard also many stories about the Mois, for
M. Canivey knew them well. He had been the first
European on the plateau and still collects the Govern-
ment taxes from the tribes in submission to French rule.
They were not always as friendly and jovial as we had
imagined from our short acquaintance with them.
While on a punitive expedition, M. Canivey had been
attacked and wounded by arrows. Fortunately they
were not poisoned, but many precautions have to be
taken before visiting the independent tribes and the
method followed is one of patience rather than of
force.
As we were about to start off again, Madame Canivey
offered me her chair for the rest of the way. Wrapped,
therefore, in a big rug, for the wind was cold, I crossed
the plateau in lazy fashion. I had four bearers, but it
was only after a minute that I discovered one was a
woman. She looked quite as strong and capable of
the physical exertion as the men ; indeed, it is the Moi
wife who bears the brunt of the day's work while her
husband smokes his pipe in peace. Her muscular
arms and shoulders and big calves were as fully
developed as those of the stronger sex. Her black
coarse hair was done up in an untidy chignon, through
TO THE INLAND HILLS 215
which was stuck one end of a long flexible stem. The
other end was continually in her mouth, and was used
alternately as a magnified toothpick or for scraping
out her little wooden pipe. A straight unstitched
piece of cloth, about half a yard wide, was twisted
round her waist and came down to her knees. This
cloth, the only kind worn by the Mois near the plateau,
is woven by themselves at a certain village. It is
blue, and striped with little lines of white and red
threads about half an inch apart. It has a border of
many colours, but the effect of the whole cloth is in
no way gaudy, and if the material was less narrow
it would do well for a lady's winter coat and skirt.
The woman had adorned her neck with numerous
strings of glass beads, which reached down to her
waist, and her legs and arms with bracelets and anklets.
On one leg the stiff brass ornament was at least six
inches high. It had made a deep wound above her
ankle-bone, which was kept open and irritated by
every step she took.
The tone of voice, accent, the rolling of the"r,"
was so European that it seemed to me that if only I
listened attentively enough I should understand what
they said. It was the greatest contrast to the mono-
tonous sing-song of the Annamese. Later I found
that a European can pick up any of the Moi dialects
very easily. The language has none of the intonations
which make Annamese so difficult ; the vocabulary
among such a primitive people is naturally, too, very
small. They laughed and joked in an open manner,
and would often run me down the slopes, enjoying
themselves like children. Going up hill, they woul
often stop and give a sort of low whistle between half-
closed lips. This was evidently their way of showing
they were out of breath, but they never opened their
mouths widely or panted, as we do after any great
exertion.
From time to time they pointed to right or left, and
I saw elks on the gently sloping grassy hillocks ; there
were sometimes groups of five or six together. The
beautiful animals just raised their heads, looked at us
a minute, and then went on grazing quietly.
The only person we met while crossing the plateau
was a Moi driving a herd of small pigs. He was
probably taking them down to the plain to ex-
change them with the Annamese for a few hand-
fuls of salt. He did not seem in any hurry, for
he was lying at full length on the ground, watching
his little black charges out of half-closed eyes. It
was the Bible picture of the Prodigal Son. This
one human creature made the loneliness of the
region more marked. He had evidently lighted a fire
close to him, but the friendly flame was extinguished,
leaving only a bare patch of blackened grass. Whether
he had lost patience with his swine, for driving them
with a long flexible cane is more difficult than carrying
them in baskets in Annamese fashion, or whether their
short legs would bear them no farther that day, 1 do
not know. But if he meant to spend the night there
where he lay, he would have to relight his fire, and
keep his animals close to it, or he would find their
number reduced in the morning.
About 4 P.M., as my chair rounded a hill, the Agri-
cultural Station came into view. There was no doubt
TO THE INLAND HILLS 217
possible ; the even outlines of cultivated fields and
ploughed land were not traced by the hand of a Moi.
Two chalets with thatched roofs stood on the highest
part of the plantation ; lower down were other roofs,
probably of sheds, stables, paddocks, &c. M. Lecadet
must have arrived some little time, for he had soon
out-distanced my chair. It was a great relief to think
that the journey was safely accomplished, but I pitied
my road companion, who had to do it again in two
days' time.
When refreshed by a bath and a change of clothes,
lent me by my kind hostesses, I was able to tell them
all our adventures on the road. We talked on till the
light waned on the green hills all around us, and the last
streaks of red and yellow faded in the sky. Then
they led me into the dining-room, where the shut
doors, the stove in the corner of the room, and roses
on the dinner-table gave me the impression of being
in some country far away from Annam. On retiring
to bed I was thankful for my hot- water bottle and four
blankets. The next morning, as the cool invigorating
air came through the window and I saw the bright
sunshine and clear atmosphere, it was obvious that my
husband's statements about the plateau were not
exaggerated. Anybody whose health was run down
by the heat of the plains could not but benefit by the
change; a month here would be equal to a month
spent in Europe.
CHAPTER XV
IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MOIS
A Moi village : Children decorticating and winnowing the
rice : A Moi hut : Darkness and smoke : Moi furniture :
Men and women round the fire : Hygiene among the
Mois : A Moi woman's confinement : A Moi funeral :
Moi tombs : Sacrifice of a buffalo : The priest's oration :
The slaughter : The banquet which follows : Moi jus-
tice : The Sorcerer : Methods of discovering the
culprit
IN Dankia we were in the midst of the Mois ; no
Annamese village was within a hundred kilometres,
and the last European fifteen kilometres farther back ;
consequently we had plenty of opportunities of visiting
the Moi villages and watching the life of these savages.
The three hamlets close to the station knew the
d'Andr£ family, and even the dogs ceased to bark
when they recognised their friends climbing over the
palisade. Every Moi village is surrounded by a strong
fence, not only to keep out the tigers and other wild
beasts, but to prevent the pigs from straying. Not
long ago this fence used to act also as a fortification
against attacks from neighbouring tribes, but, even
before the French arrived, the Mois on the plateau
had established their supremacy over all others in the
region. In the unexplored districts to the north and
west the tribes still continue to fight among themselves ;
218
IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MOIS 219
it is their chief sport as well as the easiest means of
obtaining food, weapons, and wives.
Dankia was the first village I visited. It lay just at
the foot of the Langbian Peaks. Unlike most Moi
villages, which are generally built in the most inacces-
sible spots near some precipice or torrent and can only
be reached by dangerous rocky paths, Dankia is quite
easy of access. After crossing a flat strip of land on
which paddy and maize were growing, we came upon
a group of children busily engaged in decorticating
the rice. Lifting their long wooden poles, they
brought them down with all their small strength into
the hollow tree-trunk, into which were put a few
handfuls of paddy. The Annamese method is less
arduous : they simply employ a heavy piece of wood
worked up and down with their feet by means of a
lever. Other children winnowed the rice by placing a
little at a time on flat baskets, throwing it deftly
into the air and catching it again. The husks were
thus blown away. No child seemed to be over thir-
teen or fourteen, but they worked steadily and at the
same time looked after their smaller brothers and
sisters. I took snapshots of these tiny mites cuddled
together on the ground, but when the camera was
raised they were afraid, and hid their faces in each
other's laps. One even started screaming, and an elder
child had to leave her work and pick it up to reassure it.
All the little girls over five or so had a piece of cloth
round their waists, but the little boys were naked.
The village was very irregularly laid out ; the long
huts, with their thatched roofs, nearly reaching the
ground, were disposed here and there without or der
220 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
so that the fence had to make many turns and angles
to enclose them all. We climbed over and made our
way between the dwellings. The ground was black
and slushy, and the quantities of pigs, buffaloes, and
goats did not improve the smell nor cleanliness of the
place. Very few inhabitants were to be seen outside ;
here a woman sat on the bare earth, her legs stretched
straight out, one child tied on her back, two others by
her side ; there stood a man with a red blanket thrown
over his left shoulder in the antique style. His
splendid limbs, powerful and well-proportioned, his
erect and calmly defiant attitude, gave him all the
dignity of an ancient Roman. We asked him if we
could see \\\epkoly* but it appeared that he was absent
from the village. After I had taken snapshots of all
that was to be seen outside the huts I was eager to
venture inside one of them. Mademoiselle d' Andre*
said she had never entered without the pholys com-
pany ; she thought, however, that we might just peep
inside. We did so. At first it seemed as if all the
huts were empty, but on listening attentively we
heard a low murmur of voices proceeding from one
long dwelling, and stooped down to enter at the low
door, which was little more than a hole in the thatched
roof. There was a furious barking and scuffling round
my legs, but before any dog's teeth had found their
way through my gaiters some one flung stones at the
animals, and they dispersed again into the darkness.
The little light which filtered in through the door
revealed no human being. I moved forward a few
steps, stumbling over articles on the floor, and then,
* The chief of a Moi village.
IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MOIS 221
my eyes getting accustomed to the darkness, I per-
ceived a flickering flame at the other end of the hut.
Every now and then dim forms squatting round the
fire were lighted up. One figure, evidently a woman,
was stirring a big cauldron suspended over the fire, and
the piercing eyes in the strange face often turned from
the pot to fix themselves on us. The group recalled
to my mind the witch scene in Macbeth. Mademoiselle
d' Andre" had now joined me, and though we were both
nervous we advanced towards the "witches." We
stumbled against bamboos and baskets, knocked our
heads against jars hanging from the low roof, finally,
after what seemed a long distance, groped our way to
the little circle and squatted down beside them. Till
now they had not interrupted their conversation, but
as soon as we sat down among them they evidently
addressed us. It was most disappointing that we
could not understand what they said.
Even when our eyes grew accustomed to the dim
light it was difficult to make out the features round us
distinctly. There were both men and women, the
latter generally nursing an infant. All were smoking,
but as there was a limited number of pipes each one
after a few whiffs passed it on to his neighbour. The
firelight glistened and sparkled on the jewellery with
which the women were covered, and especially on
many large brass and pewter rings hanging, as I
thought at first, from a string round their necks. I
was horrified to find that they were ear-rings, and
were hanging actually from the ears themselves. I
had heard how the women of this tribe disfigured
their ears, but never imagined that they carried the
222 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
practice to this extent. The ear-lobes had been so
stretched that the flesh around the cavity made in
them was no thicker than a piece of string, and they
were dragged down by the weight of their metal rings
to the shoulder. The big heavy ear-rings themselves
hung down as far as their breasts and jangled against
their necklaces. It seemed impossible for a piece of
skin so slender to bear such a weight ; and indeed the
wearer takes a very necessary precaution against its
breaking, either by replacing the ear-rings by a round
piece of polished wood when she goes out to work, or
by holding and supporting them with both hands. In
spite of all her care, however, a sudden jerk some-
times tears the skin, and woe to the young unmarried
woman to whom such a catastrophe occurs, for she
will never find a husband ! All the suffering she has
endured from childhood, as she has gradually increased
the size of the wedge of wood in the ear-lobe, will
have been in vain. The older women of the village,
whose ears were in youth their greatest ornament,
are the most repulsive in their old age, for either one
ear or both are broken, and the two bits of dirty black
skin hanging down on either side of their face are
loathsome to behold.
There is another tribe whose men adopt this
practice, but to a smaller extent. The hole they make
in their ears is large enough to hold a medium-sized
cork, which is the ornament they prefer ; they rarely
wear metal ear-rings. Around the plateau a man's
claim to beauty is gained by grinding down his front
teeth. We saw this operation being performed : a lad
was lying with his head firmly grasped between the
A SOCIABLE GATHERING
MOI LANCKS MAVK DONE THKIK WORK
IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MOIS 223
operator's knees while he filed away the teeth with a
piece of sharpened pumice-stone. It is a most painful
process, and one that lasts several days, but a youth
rarely shrinks from it, for he is from that time forward
looked on as a man and no longer as a boy.
After we had been in the hut about ten minutes, a
man stretched out his hand, picked up a log of wood,
and placed it on the fire. The flames leapt up, and
had we not seen the unmoved expression on the faces
around us we might have feared a conflagration. For
hearth there were but a few stones with a layer of
ashes on the top ; there was no chimney or window to
let out the smoke. It was in fact the dense atmosphere
as much as the darkness which prevented us from
seeing anything clearly. Then, too, all the different
objects of the hut lay in such inextricable confusion
that it was difficult to distinguish one thing from
another. Dossers of all sizes, some of which were
smoked as black as ink, had been thrown carelessly here
and there, jars Sternum* stood piled one on the other
in a corner. Here lay a bundle of sugar-canes, there
a small mound of unshelled maize, near to us were all
their implements of work and war, hatchets, lances,
unstrung bows, knives ; a little farther off brass gongs,
drums, and pipes, all the Moi instruments of music.
It is by the number of brass gongs and the size of the
jars of ternwn that the wealth of a village is gauged.
As I stared into the farthest recesses under the
slanting roof, I could just make out the forms of other
women with children on their backs or knees. Why
* Ternum, the alcoholic drink of the Mois, made from fermented
rice.
224 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
did they sit aloof ? Were they the wives of a secondary
rank, and not allowed nearer, or did they prefer the
greater silence and darkness ?
Nobody had moved an inch all the time we had
been in the hut, and we left it as we found it. Not
even a child came running after us to the doorway.
We saw other children outside, however, who were
induced to come up to us for lumps of sugar. All the
children over three or four seemed strong, well-formed
little mites, but with the Mois, the " survival of the
fittest " is the irrevocable law. The ignorance of the
Moi woman is much greater than that of the Annamese,
and here in the hill country the mother has two extra
difficulties to contend with — hunger and cold. The
children are naked, and the only covering they have
when they go out is the cloth with which they are tied
on to their parents' backs, so that the continual change
of temperature from a hot smoky hut to the cold air
outside is too sudden for them. Also the Mois, like the
Annamese, stuff their babies with rice from an early
age ; it is painful to see how deformed their little
bodies become after a meal, when the skin is distended
to its utmost capacity. Further, the dictates of the
village sorcerer, who is consulted on the most trivial
occasions, are often fatal. Another reason for infant
mortality and the decay of the race is the treatment of
women before and during their confinements. As
Moi dwellings are common to numbers of families (in
no tribe does a family have a hut to itself, though in
some the young unmarried men live together apart)
the woman must get up immediately after her confine-
ment, for the hut is taboo while she is still lying down.
A FUNERAL AMONG THE SAVAGES
IN A MOI VILLAGE
IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MOIS 225
A woman, too, continues her ordinary outdoor occupa-
tions till the very last moment, and it therefore occa-
sionally happens that she is confined some distance
from the village and returns in the evening herself
carrying her baby. The result is that her health is
often impaired, and that her subsequent children, if she
has any, are feeble and die. The birth of a child,
male or female, is, however, greeted with joy, for it is
a source of wealth and security to the village.
As we returned home, we met men with lances in
their hands and dogs at their heels. They had been
out hunting, a clear indication that food was scarce in
Dankia. A characteristic of all Moi tribes is their
want of thrift — they never sow enough rice for the
whole year, and the six months of prosperity after the
harvest are followed by six months of starvation.
During the latter time, if neither deer, wild buffaloes,
nor other forest game can be shot or trapped, they fall
back on rats, grasshoppers, frogs, spiders, and other
insects, and they go far afield even to grub for roots
and search for berries.
Most ingenious traps are laid by the Mois all the
year round, for beast, bird, and fish. Even in war,
traps play an important part. The Mois hide them in
jthe undergrowth or the branches of some overhanging
tree along the path leading to the village, and as soon
as the unwary enemy brushes against the mechanism,
he is pierced by a poisoned arrow. This is the
greatest drawback to visiting the independent tribes.
There are quite enough difficulties on the precipitous
mountain paths, without falling into a trap or being
poisoned by an arrow from a hidden bow.
226 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
One day, from the verandah of the Dankia chalet,
M. d'Andre" pointed out to me a long line of men and
women climbing up a little rounded hill on which grew
a grove of trees. So vast was our horizon from the
house, that this grove looked scarcely more than a
clump of trees ; yet it was very conspicuous, for, with
this one exception, no trees grew on the summits of
the hills. The Mois from time to time set fire to the
plateau when the grass is dry, but they take care that
the flames do not destroy this sacred grove, which
has been a burial-ground for ages. It was a funeral
procession that we now saw mounting there. Through
our field-glasses we could see the coffin, and as quickly
as possible I seized my camera and followed.
There was no heed for hurry, for, when I reached
the top of the hill panting for breath, no ceremony had
begun — the grave had not even been dug. The grass
was so long just outside the wood that I saw no one
till I was upon them. They were squatting there,
their elbows on their knees, no expression of sadness
or any other emotion on their faces. As it was too
wet for me to sit down near them, I determined to
look at the other tombs while awaiting further develop-
ments. The greater part of the graves were only
marked by earthen jars half filled with rain-water, but
over those of the chiefs were built miniature huts.
The thatched roof was ornamented with pieces of
wood shaped like the horns of a buffalo. Some were
quite overgrown with grass and creepers, but I
determined to enter one that seemed to have been
recently built. I was obliged to crawl on hands and
knees through the narrow opening, and even inside
IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MOIS 227
one could not stand upright or see anything distinctly.
I called to my boy to pass me matches. There
was a cupboard of rough planks dyed with buffalo's
blood, in which was a jar of ternum, two gourds, an
Annamese porcelain bowl, a hatchet, and some clothes.
By means of the last match I discovered an umbrella,
the savage's great luxury and his first effort towards
civilisation. If I had had a whole box of matches at
my service I could not have stayed a minute longer.
The smell and damp, and the fear that the Mois
might resent my curiosity if they discovered me, made
me scramble quickly back into the open. I remem-
bered, too, M. d'Andre"'s warning to keep close to the
Mois, as the grove is a well-known refuge of tigers.
On my return to the burial, two men and a woman
provided with rough hoes were standing up and non-
chalantly hewing up clods of earth. After each move-
ment they took a few minutes' repose, and seemed
lost in contemplation ; the rest of the spectators had
not changed their position and were not even watching
the progress of the work. It was impossible to
examine the coffin closely because of the smell, but I
could see that it was made from a hollowed-out tree
trunk and that a few rough strokes with black and red
dye had been laid on with a brush here and there.
Lying on the top with its legs tied was a small
chicken about a week old, cheeping piteously. If the
poor little thing constituted a sacrifice it was not a very
generous one. The dead woman was a wife of the
pholy. The chicken was not killed, but left to die, and
I learned later that the Mois always abandon some
living animal on the tomb of a newly buried person, so
228 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
that the soul shall enter into it and not return to
disturb the village.
At last the coffin was laid in the shallow grave ; on
the top, over the head of the dead body, was deposited
a bowl of rice and a little jar of ternum, both of which
were carefully covered with big leaves before the
earth was thrown over. A hollow bamboo was placed
upright and allowed to emerge above the earth from the
rice-bowl so that it could be replenished from time to
time. The Mois revisit their dead and continue to
provide them with food for about a year. In some
tribes, however, when a certain time has elapsed they
open the grave and scatter the ashes to the wind.
This custom is probably a simple pretext for robbing
the dead of the jewellery that has been buried with
them.
As I returned with my Annamese servant through
Benur, a high pole was being raised there. The Mois
were ornamenting it with rough sculptured wooden
birds, making symmetrical cuttings in it, &c., using
only for the purpose their curious awkward-looking
hatchets. This meant that the funeral ceremony was
not yet terminated and that a buffalo sacrifice was to
follow. This is a typical custom among all Moi tribes
and is frequently practised. Whenever there have
been several deaths in a village, the epidemic is thus,
as they believe, stopped ; it takes place also on other
important occasions — when the rice is harvested,
at the marriage of the pholy, or after a victory
over a neighbouring tribe. The following morning
Mademoiselle d'Andr£ and I wended our way towards
Benur and climbed the hill overlooking the village.
THE HfFFAl.O SACRIFICE
THK MOI CIIIKF OFFICIATES DRESSKI) IN ANNAMKSK COSTUME
IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MOIS 229
We wanted to see this rite, of which everybody speaks
who has visited the Mois. The buffalo designed by
the sorcerer for the sacrifice was already tied to the
pole which had been erected the day before. As soon
as the sun appeared over the hill behind us, a chief,
dressed for the occasion in Annamese tunic, trousers,
and turban, came forward, and placing the palms of
his hands together, began a long monotonous oration.
Sometimes he turned towards the victim, sometimes
to the villagers, who were watching from round about.
Suddenly, before we were aware of what had happened,
the buffalo was dead. Two men had run forward with
hatchets from either side and had hacked at its front
legs so that it fell on its knees, the chief immediately cut
its throat with a dagger, while other Mois pierced it in
twenty places with their lances. The animal had not
had time to groan or struggle. The blood which
streamed from the wound in its throat was caught up in
a brass bowl and carried away with pomp. Then the
improvised priest began his oration again, till he was
interrupted by the sound of pipes and gongs from the
nearest hut. As soon as he disappeared, men, women,
and children came from every side and began to skin
and cut up the animal — for the victim of a sacrifice is
always eaten afterwards. Nearly all the meat was
carried into the hut from which the music proceeded, so
probably the feast was to be held there.
By the time we had clambered down the hill-side, a
pool of blood on the ground and the buffalo's horns
attached to the pole under which it had been sacrificed
were all that was left to view. The banquet was in
full swing close by. The smoke not of one but of
230 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
about a dozen fires was blown in our faces as we
peeped into the hut, but nevertheless we could make
out the squatting groups and the pieces of buffalo
meat which were hanging over the flames ; in one
corner the jars of ternum were already to the fore, and
the priest with a favoured few was squatting among
them and smacking his lips in pleasant anticipation.
One jar was provided with a bamboo, the thicker end
of which was steeped in the beloved beverage, the
other in the mouth of the connoisseur. After a few
sips the drinker with a sigh of satisfaction passed it
on to his neighbour. We knew that the whole village
would be soon thus engaged and that before morning
not a drop of the precious liquid would be left. At
such a moment a Moi village is somewhat dangerous.
No idea of preserving the buffalo meat for the days to
follow occurs to them, though food is so scarce. Such
thrift is quite contrary to their nature. They gorge
themselves like wild beasts (the children making
themselves quite ill), and then return to starvation
diet as before.
So engrossed were all in their fete that nobody had
seen our heads at the hut door, but as we turned
away we met the village sorcerer. He beckoned to
us to follow him, making signs of drinking with a
bamboo, but his movements were so rough and his
voice so brutal and hoarse that we thought he was
drunk already and did not respond to his invitation.
In fact we felt very frightened of him for a moment.
The sorcerer plays a very important part in Moi
village life. He is more feared than the pholy him-
self. It is he who performs cures by drawing stones
IN THE KINGDOM OF THE MOIS 231
from the stomach of the patient with his teeth and
spitting them on to the ground with the utmost
gravity. It is he who appoints the time and place for
a burial or a marriage and foretells victory in war.
He, again, denounces the thief when a robbery has
been perpetrated. If his prognostications are false or
his medicine futile, he lays the blame on some un-
fortunate member of the community, who, he declares,
has cast a spell over the village or patient. But he
does not always point out the culprit at once. Holding
an egg in his hand, he makes all the inhabitants of
the village pass in front of him one by one. As the
guilty person walks by, the egg breaks. This scene
naturally impresses the savages and heightens the
sorcerer's reputation for magic. The culprit is almost
always a woman ; she is forthwith sold as a slave to
the Laotians or Annamese. If, however, the sorcerer
is foolish enough to designate some woman who can find
friends and defenders, the tables are often turned. It is
then he who falls into disgrace, or else both man and
woman are made to submit to certain tests. There are
two which are considered particularly efficacious, that of
water and hot metal. In the first accuser and accused
are thrown into the river nearest the village. They must
stay under the water as long as possible ; he who first
shows his head above the surface is the guilty person,
the other goes free. The whole population assemble
on the bank to watch this curious scene, which calls forth
the greatest excitement. In the ordeal by hot metal,
the burning liquid is poured into the hands of each,
and the one who holds it longest has spoken the
truth.
232 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
Such courts of justice, more than anything else,
show the primitive nature of the Mois ; though all
tribes are gentle and unaggressive as a rule, they
sometimes break out into acts of savagery, which
remind one that is wise not to despise their superstitions
or to hurt their susceptibilities when living or travelling
among them.
CHAPTER XVI
THE AGRICULTURAL STATION
The discovery of the plateau : The proposed sanatorium :
Foundation of the Agricultural Station : Temperate and
tropical fruits and flowers : Cattle-breeding : The Mois
as farm labourers : Moi slaves : Their hatred of the
Annamese : Wages paid in kind : Good-bye to the
Station : Visit to a Moi village : Hospitality of Moi
women towards their sex : Arrival at Dran : An adven-
turous ride : An incident on the homeward drive
IT was in 1898 that Dr. Yersin, when on an exploring
expedition through the interior of Annam, first
discovered the Langbian plateau. He was greatly
surprised after traversing so much rough country to
arrive at a completely open undulating plateau across
which flowed two peaceful streams. It was fifteen
hundred metres above the sea, measured twenty by
fifteen kilometres, and had a cool and invigorating
climate. He immediately saw the advantages of this
most unexpected discovery, and recognised the benefit
the colony might derive from a sanatorium built on
such a spot. He communicated with M. Doumer,
then Governor-General of Indo-China, who visited
the plateau and immediately fell in with the
suggestion.
M. Doumer never did things by halves, and within
a year of his visit, a road was in course of construction
233
234 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
and ood being cut from the surrounding pine
forests for the erection of bungalows. Then and
there he chose Dalat as the European centre and
appointed the sites for the Residence, Post
Office, &c. Fifteen miles away from this small town
which he had planned, at the farther end of the
plateau, he selected a spot for the foundation of
a model Agricultural Station which should ultimately
supply the Sanatorium with meat and vegetables.
In the meantime experiments were to be made
with European cereals and vegetables. The average
yearly temperature was found to be 18°. 7, and the
rainfall not too heavy in the summer months ; water
could be brought from one of the rivers in small
canals for the purposes of irrigation ; in fact everything
seemed favourable to the enterprise. Till means of
transport were available, the station was also to
supply food to the Europeans whose work should
bring them to the plateau.
M. d' Andre", an agriculturist from the south of
France, was appointed director ; and now after nine
years' effort he is rewarded by the most marvellous
results. Magnificent crops, green and gold, extend
over the slope ; there are fields of oats, barley, maize
six feet high, sugar-cane, and black wheat.
Round the chalets flowers make masses of colour ;
along the garden paths magnificent roses, carnations,
dahlias, nasturtiums, violets, balsams — English spring
and autumn flowers all growing together among
tropical shrubs. The kitchen garden filled with
beans, peas, carrots, lettuces, and egg-plants, has
the advantage over a European one in that it produces
IN' DANK I A VILLAGE
STATION COOLIES
THE AGRICULTURAL STATION 235
a succession of these crops all the year round. Straw-
berries, unknown anywhere else in this hot, insect-
infested Annam, flourish here. They were growing
on the very same slope as pineapples and banana-
trees, and you have your choice between tropical
fruits and those of a temperate climate. Avenues of
pine-trees contrast strangely with the banana-trees,
the rose with the bougainvillea, in this enchanted
land.
The cattle-breeding experiments have also proved
very successful. M. d' Andrews first move in this
direction was to import some Breton cows and a bull
from France. Not only was he able to keep them up
to their original standard of excellence, but, by cross-
breeding, he enormously improved the native cow.
There are now cross-breeds which give as much milk
as the Bretons, and in size might be taken for European
animals.
It is a very pretty sight to see the different herds
returning over the hills in the evening. Though they
are all widely separated during the day for grazing
purposes, they appear on the horizon at the same
moment towards sunset, coming from every direction,
and each herd enters its stable within a minute or two
of the last. This operation of stabling the various
herds, which only takes five minutes, in spite of the
number of cattle, was one we liked to watch. The
punctuality of the Moi herdsmen, who had no watches,
was astonishing ; they never erred, neither keeping
their cattle waiting nor hurrying them up at the last
moment.
The Mois make good herdsmen ; they seem fonder
236 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
of animals than the Annamese, and treat them more
humanely. Their agility and dexterity in driving or
securing the fierce Breton bull or a huge dangerous-
looking water-buffalo is most surprising. But though
they seem admirably suited to this kind of work, they
will never remain long enough in service to become
really expert. This is the great disadvantage of Moi
labour. Their love of independence makes them
unwilling to come to the station for more than three
or four weeks at a time, and in no case can they be
persuaded to sleep on the premises. The Mois
never work for themselves unless it is absolutely
necessary. Every year they suffer famine because
they are too lazy or improvident to sow enough
paddy for themselves, and therefore it is not
surprising that they dislike to work for others.
Unless requisition were in force, a European would
never be able to hire a coolie. As it is, only
the slaves or the very poorest inhabitants of the
village are available. The slaves of these com-
munities do not suffer physical hardship from their
subordinate position, they eat and sleep in the same
hut with their masters and are allowed to marry ;
only when paddy must be sown, salt fetched, or
a requisition obeyed, they it is who are sent forth.
When there are not enough slaves the pholy sends the
women of the village, and it is only after a refusal to
employ women and when the village is threatened with
punishment that the men will take the place of their
wives. On the station women are not objected to ;
they work as well as the men. But neither slaves
nor women will consent to stay very long, and
THE AGRICULTURAL STATION 237
they are allowed to go as soon as substitutes are
forthcoming.
The new contingent has to be taught to handle each
tool, for the Moi possesses no instrument of agricul-
ture beyond a very primitive plough. In general he
uses nothing but a stick ; with this he makes holes in
the ground, in which to sow his paddy, after having
first burnt down the trees and grass.
The Mois perhaps less dislike the work and fixed
hours than the contact with the Annamese. The
two races have been sworn enemies for centuries
— the civilised Annamese have always plundered the
savages and driven them from one fertile valley after
another. Since the French regime open warfare has
been stopped, but robbery and plunder still go on in
secret. While I was at the station several cases of
petty thefts were brought to the notice of M. d' Andre*
by Mois who had confidence in him. One day the
pholy of Benur came to say that Mink, the Annamese
cook, had committed a robbery in his village. He had
been driving four small pigs through and had stopped
to eat and rest there. At his departure he left the
small pigs but took four big ones. To find out the
truth, the pigs were driven back to the village accom-
panied by Mink, the pholy, and M. d' Andre". No
sooner were the animals beyond the palings, than
with one accord they all scuttled as fast as their
short legs would carry them into the different huts
where it was quite apparent they lived. The four
small pigs, on the contrary, were wandering about
disconsolately, not knowing which way to turn.
The evidence was conclusive ; Mink was punished
238 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
by having to leave one of his pigs in the village as
compensation.
Though the Annamese makes a considerable profit
out of the timid, much despised Moi, he never comes
willingly to the plateau. He dislikes leaving the
plains, and his health is apt to suffer in the higher
regions ; the hope of supplementing already high
wages can alone attract him.
The Moi wage is twenty cents a day for a man,
fifteen for a woman, but though this is the official rate,
they generally prefer to be paid in kind, in matches,
cloth, or above all salt. Many tribes to whom salt is
almost unknown use the ashes of a plant called
"Yamkam." The inhabitants of the villages in
close proximity to the station now recognise the
value of money, but the slaves often sent from
the surrounding hamlets under their control have
no use for the little bits of metal, and prefer
something more tangible. Some of them before
coming to Dankia had never seen a white manf
no European having visited their district. In order
to count the number of days they worked, they tie
knots in a piece of string or cut notches in a
bamboo at every sunrise. No Moi is able to tell his
age or has any idea of time. Writing is an absolutely
unknown art.
The Mois at Dankia soon became as familiar with
me as with the d'Andre" family ; when I passed by,
they used to call out for tobacco, and the children for
pia (sugar). If I had something to give them they
grinned with satisfaction ; if I had nothing they still
grinned. Their expression was always frank and
THE AGRICULTURAL STATION 239
open, far more expressive than the taciturn unemotional
face of the Annamese.
After having mounted the Langbian Peaks and
visited the near villages I was very anxious to go
farther afield, but just as we had planned an excursion,
a telegram came from my husband telling me to start
back on the following day ; he would meet me at Dran.
It was therefore decided that if I could come up again
during the dry season we would then fulfil the
programme already traced out.
Mademoiselle d'Andre" accompanied me to Dalat-
Afterwards I was alone with the Mois, my boy having
been sent in advance with a pony for my husband.
I had had to get rid of our other boy a few days after
my arrival, his commercial instincts having caused so
many disturbances in the Moi villages around.
As my chair was being carried away from the plateau,
I suddenly determined to go a little out of my way to
visit a village where all the blades for hatchets and
knives in the district were said to be made. The path
was so overgrown that soon the chair could get no
farther, and I continued my way on foot with two of
the Mois. The village was farther off than I had
imagined, and I might have thought it deserted if
the pigs and chickens had not been evidence to the
contrary. My guides quickly disappeared into a hut
and I was left standing in the empty central square.
Soon heads peeped out of the different dwellings and
from behind the barrier ; first men, then women and
children appeared. When the women were quite
certain that I was one of their own sex (that was
evidently the great question for them), they came up,
240 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
seized me by both hands and dragged me quite forcibly
through the village to a certain hut. There they
spread a mat on the mud floor and tapped and
beckoned me to squat on it. The dwelling, empty
when we had entered it, soon filled with women, but
not a single man approached. It was strange to find
myself confronted by all these curious pairs of eyes.
They talked me over from head to foot, as was
apparent by the way they touched my gaiters, hat,
hair, watch-chain. . . . Then they made me spread
out my hand and placed their own beside it, comparing
colour and size. Their touch was in no way timid,
rather was it rough, but not as if they wanted to hurt
me. Finally a woman brought some lighted logs and
placed them nearly on my toes. Perhaps they thought
I was cold. But no, they were for the purpose of
lighting the pipes with which another woman followed !
I was offered one and did not like to refuse the
hospitable gift.
As soon as it was possible without offending them
I made a step towards the door and crawled out.
My guides were nowhere to be seen, and it was
only after much expostulation (in English) that a
man from the crowd left off staring at me, entered
a hut, and brought them forward. They had evi-
dently been treated even more hospitably than myself,
and I was suddenly filled with fear for my walk
back. I entirely forgot all about the iron and steel
manufactures that I had come to see, and have never
discovered till this day if I even went to the right
village.
On reaching my chair I sat down in it and waited
THE AGRICULTURAL STATION 241
to be lifted, but the rest of the cavalcade seemed as
little inclined to move as my two guides. How I
longed to have somebody with me whom they feared
and who could thus make himself obeyed, were it only
an Annamese boy. Once again on the move it was
only when the valley of the Danhim spread out again
below us that I dared to stop the Moi who was carrying
the provisions. Till then I had been afraid either to
rest or eat, for fear the Mois should sit down and refuse
to get up again as before. By the time our little caval-
cade reached the pine- wood h ouse, where my husband said
he would meet me, it was half-past six and almost dark.
My husband had not arrived. Very soon I should be
obliged to give up all hope of his coming, for nobody
can travel in these regions after dark. With the help
of the Annamese, who was in charge of the house, I
prepared our beds. As soon as that was done, he
disappeared without warning and left me entirely alone.
The Mois in a shed close by would be of no use if I
wanted help, and the two Frenchmen whom we had
met on our way up were nearly a mile down the hill.
By the light of a single candle which stood in con-
tinual danger of extinction from the draughts, I ate and
went to bed. Just as I had groped my way under the
mosquito-curtain, steps resounded on the verandah.
Impossible that my husband could arrive at that time
of night ! yet it was not the bare feet of a native that
I heard, but the nailed boots of a European. Then
came a thundering knock at the door, but till my name
was called I was too frightened to answer. It was
indeed he, but he had encountered so many difficulties on
the road that he had only reached Daban at 4 P.M. He
Q
242 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
had refused the offer of Mois with torches, as it would
cause him too much delay, and in spite of advice to
the contrary he had mounted my pony. Borrowing
another for the boy, he had started up the moun-
tain path as quickly as possible. Sau, terrified, had
tried to turn back more than once, but as it was
much more dangerous for one than two, my husband
had forced him to keep alongside. For the last
two hours they had ridden in complete darkness
as fast as the ponies would carry them ; occasion-
ally my husband's hand found its way to the
revolver in his pocket, but fortunately it was not
needed.
We passed one cool delicious day at Dran, then we
were obliged to start down again. We had a pleasant
journey back, unmarked by any extraordinary incident
except just outside Phan Rang. There, while driving
along in the dark, we collided with a bullock-cart.
We heard it coming, but nobody responded to our
warning yells. We jumped down just in time, for
the wheels became entangled, and the bullocks and
pony went on pulling in opposite directions till
the bullock-cart was dragged clean over the trap.
Another bullock-cart in tow did the same thing —
was hoisted up and banged down on the other side.
We naturally thought to see our cradle-cart smashed
up, but no! the iron axle-tree had resisted the
heavy wheels and no irreparable damage was done.
The bullock-carts had no driver, or he had made
good his escape as soon as he saw what was about
to happen.
In the heat of Nhatrang we thought with longing of
THE AGRICULTURAL STATION 243
our day spent among the pines in the refreshing
atmosphere of Dran, but we could only congratulate
ourselves on the success of the expedition, for my
month spent among the flowers and fruit of the
Agricultural Station had quite fulfilled its aim.
CHAPTER XVII
A TIGER HUNT
A tiger seen on the station : Surrounding his hiding-
place, a clump of bamboos : A courageous dog : First
sight of the monster : Wounded : Hunting him in the
long grass : Escaped : Reappearance at the house itself :
A night watch under a bridge : The tiger by moonlight :
Killed at last
ON our return from the Langbian I was so enthusiastic
about the beauties and delights of the plateau that a
lady promised to accompany me, if I went up there
again. Madame Schein, the mother of the veterinary
surgeon of the Institute, was in need of a change of
air, and, by the time the dry season had come round,
all our arrangements were complete. Madame and
Mademoiselle d' Andre" had returned to France, so it
was settled that we should live in the little chalet a
hundred yards from M. d'Andre's house.
We were very glad when the journey was at an end
and we were safely ensconced in the little wooden
house. Like M. d' Andrews, it was built on piles, with
a verandah running all round, and was very comfort-
able except for the rats.
The very first evening we received a slight shock.
On preparing to leave after dinner, M. d'Andr6 rang
a bell and we were not permitted to start till our two
244
OUR CONVOY EMERGING FROM THE FOREST
A TIGER HUNT 245
boys and two Moi coolies had made their appearance,
all furnished with lanterns. This procession accom-
panied us without exception every evening. The
tigers were so dangerous in this lonely spot that every
precaution was necessary even when walking from one
building to another. In such regions the tiger alone
can wander where he will with impunity after dark,
and if man rules by day he at all events rules by
night.
The second day after our arrival, I was out riding
with M. d'Andr6 and a friend of his, M. Agostini,
when we heard shouts, and turning round saw two
Mois racing after us. They brought a note from the
interpreter of the station saying that a tiger had taken
refuge in a clump of bamboos a short distance from
the house. We immediately left the elk that we were
pursuing, called the dogs and turned homewards.
M. d'Andr£ looked preoccupied, but I could see
that M. Agostini was as excited as myself. My dis-
may can be imagined when on asking M. d' Andre" if I
might go with them, he at first refused, saying that it
was too dangerous for a woman, that he was respon-
sible for me to my husband, &c. &c. I was quite
determined not to lose such a unique opportunity, but
having let him see my disappointment I bided my
time till we got home. Then trying to appear as calm
as himself, I used all my powers of persuasion and
argument, and with M. Agostini's help at last drew
forth a rather reluctant consent.
I rushed to tell Madame Schein, who was horrified
to hear that a tiger was so close, and still more so
when I told her that M. d' Andre" had consented to my
246 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
accompanying them. She tried to dissuade me in
vain, and finally wished me good luck.
The two sportsmen were ready and waiting when I
returned ; they seemed amused to see me with a
kodak as sole weapon. I would much rather have
had a gun, and longed to borrow one, my own being
quite useless for this day's sport, but there had been
too much difficulty in my coming at all for me to dare
to ask for anything further.
We started off about nine, followed by a dozen or so
Mois coolies armed with lances and poles, the only
other gun being that of the interpreter.
Though the impending encounter was uppermost
in my mind, I could not help being amused at the
appearance of our hunting-party. The almost naked
but much-bejewelled Mois looked so incongruous beside
the two sportsmen with their modern clothes and rifles,
that they seemed better prepared for a native f£te
than anything else. They had been abundantly faith-
ful to their custom of borrowing all the possessions of
their hut companions when absenting themselves from
the village, and some of them wore a perfect armour
in necklaces, bracelets, and anklets. One or two had
even managed to secure some clothes.
I was very much astonished when the clump of
bamboos in which the tiger had taken shelter was
pointed out to us. It seemed too small a hiding-place
for a tiger, and being entirely isolated on a bare hill-
side, there would be no other cover for some distance
when he was forced to fly.
This was all the better for us, and we stationed our-
selves above the bamboos so as to be able to shoot
A TIGER HUNT 247
downwards when the tiger should make his appearance.
Whichever way he came out we should see him well.
Once in the most favourable position, the Mois were
told to advance slowly, beating the ground and making
a noise. The last of these injunctions only they
obeyed, for they would not go a step nearer the
bamboos than we ourselves.
The Mois are more courageous in the presence of
the tiger than the Annamese, but they are not
less superstitious, so it was probably their reverence
for a supernatural being rather than physical fear
which made them reluctant to advance.
Fortunately the dogs did not share the sentiments
of the Mois, and one of the three went unhesitatingly
forward ; soon by his excited snorts and the wagging
of his tail, which we could just see above the long
grass, we were certain he was face to face with the
tiger. The other two, when they found the nature of
our prey, preferred the shelter of our legs, but " Bob,"
who had already the scar of a tiger's claw on his back,
seemed determined to be quits with his ancient enemy.
Every now and then he kept jumping back, and we
knew that a duel had begun between them. M.
d'Andre", fearing that he might lose his favourite dog,
began to call him back. It required several minutes
of threats and persuasions before he could be got on
the leash again.
Now that we knew the probable position of the tiger,
M. Agostini determined to see if a chance revolver
shot would not bring him out. He started firing. No
response !
The Mois meanwhile had remained on the same
248 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
spot. M. d'Andre" was obliged to place himself in
their midst in order to persuade them to advance at
all. He was very much annoyed at having to do this,
as the tiger would in all probability come out on the
opposite side of the beaters, and he would thus lose
his best shot. This was exactly what happened. After
another quarter of an hour of shrieking and pole-
brandishing, a more vigorous yell provoked a growl.
The tiger suddenly came out. . . . He stopped, turned
his head, and looked up at us, a yard or two from the
bamboos. M. Agostini and I were standing alone.
That moment was an exciting one. The tiger was only
thirty yards away. After glaring at us for half a minute
with the evident desire to spring, a louder yell than
usual from the Mois, who had not as yet seen him,
made him change his mind ; turning round, he jumped
a barricade surrounding some rice-fields, and made off
slowly across the valley. We could follow his move-
ments for over half a mile.
M. d' Andre", being behind the bamboos, did not get
a shot at him till he had jumped the barricade and was
at least a hundred yards away. Even at that distance his
first shot told. The tiger gave a roar of pain, stopped
and looked back, then continued his course. The
other four shots all went within a yard or two of him.
We could see them as they touched the water, with
which the rice-fields were full at that moment.
M. Agostini had failed to shoot, and I to take my
snapshot. It is true I raised my kodak as the tiger
appeared, but as he looked at us, I forgot everything,
my hands dropped to my side, and I was completely
spellbound. Though he was so near and ready to
A TIGER HUNT 249
spring, I cannot say that I felt frightened ; my chief
thought was that, in spite of his enormous size, his
head seemed far too large in proportion to his body.
If I had only photographed him as he stood in front of
us or as he jumped the barricade, I should have had a
most memorable snapshot. I was fearfully disappointed
at having missed such an opportunity.
We immediately started in pursuit, but once within
a certain circumference we were nonplussed how to
proceed. One cannot look for a tiger as one looks
for any other animal, the grass was very long, and
we should have been within his clutches before we
were aware of his presence. We therefore decided
to go home for lunch, while the Mois followed up
the traces of blood and tried to find out his exact
position.
It was only on our way home that I perceived my
kodak was still in my hands, but that the case was
missing. It was very annoying to lose it, and I felt
certain I must have dropped it at the moment I saw
the tiger. M. Agostini offered to accompany me, while
M. d' Andre" continued homewards. We started off,
but not knowing the country at once found ourselves
in difficulties — marshes to go through, barricades to
get over, and streams to cross. Eventually we found
the kodak case, and being so near the lair of the tiger,
we desired to have a look at it. It was very thrilling,
but very imprudent, to enter the bamboos, and in the
darkest spot to see the flattened-down grass of the
place where he had lain.
The Mois had discovered the hiding-place of the tiger
on our return after lunch. As they had approached,
250 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
he had got up and moved a few yards farther. He
was now on the bank of a river in some long grass.
We could not see him, and having tried a few in-
effectual shots across the water, we decided to go over
on to his side. There was no bridge, and as the river
was pretty deep, the whole bevy of Mois was needed
to carry us. M. d' Andre" crossed first on the back of
the strongest Moi, two others held his feet above the
water, and the rest supported the one who was carry-
ing him, for fear he should stumble or be carried
away by the current. Then came my turn, and, lastly,
M. Agostini. Needless to say, I did not accept their
kind offers to hold my kodak for me during the
operation. Before the evening we had crossed and
recrossed the river so often that the manner of doing
so seemed most natural.
We could see no better from the other side, and the
Mois were told to begin yelling and beating down the
grass. They put so very little enthusiasm into their
work that M. d' Andre" made up his mind to send for
twenty or thirty more from the village of Dankia.
The interpreter, however, came back alone ; in spite
of threats of punishment and promises of reward, not
one could be persuaded to take part in a hunt which,
according to him, would bring disaster on the village.
M. d' Andre" was not surprised, and told us that at the
beginning even the coolies on the station were the same,
and that it was only after he had killed his third or
fourth tiger that they consented to accompany him.
We were even lucky to have so many station coolies.
It is useless to relate all our different devices and
movements to get a glimpse of our prey. Once only,
A DANGEROUS SEARCH IN THE LONG GRASS
BRINGING HIM THROUGH A F1KI.U OK MAIX.K
A TIGER HUNT 251
a random shot of M. Agostini touched him. He
sprang up with a growl, and for the fraction of a
second we saw him above the long grass, then he
immediately disappeared into a new hiding-place. We
found that we had only been four yards away from
him at that moment, but the danger of a wounded
tiger at that distance only dawned on us later.
At 5 P.M., when the showers of the afternoon turned
into a steady downpour, the shivering, unclothed Mois
seemed to like their task less and less. An hour later,
as darkness set in, we started for home. We had not
got far when we discovered Bob was not with us
and were obliged to go back. The plucky little beast
was as eager for his revenge as in the morning ; he
was lying down at a safe distance from his enemy,
but had evidently decided to keep watch alone all
night.
We were very glad to get into dry things ; we had
been drenched to the skin for some hours, and had
often walked through the rice-fields with the water up
to our knees.
The next morning I rushed to M. d' Andrews house
to find that the two men had started off at dawn.
Hearing that I was still asleep, they had not liked to
wake me. I quickly called my boy and went off in
pursuit, but half-way to the spot of the evening's
events I met them. The tiger had gone off in the
night. M. d' Andre" was persuaded that with both a
revolver bullet and a Winchester bullet inside him, if
nothing more, he had just had the strength to crawl
away into some dark corner to die.
Subsequent events showed that he was wrong.
252 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
It was a disappointing end to our hunt, but M.
Agostini and I were too pleased at having seen the
tiger to feel anything but elation. For us it was
a new and exciting experience.
M. Agostini left the station a few days after this.
A fortnight later I was awakened about 5 A.M. by
voices beneath my window. I jumped out of bed and
looked out. There I saw M. d'Andre" in the midst of
a gesticulating group of natives ; his servants and half
a dozen Moi coolies armed with every imaginable
weapon were having an excited discussion. It ap-
peared that the tiger had been to M. d' Andre's very
house, had strolled twice round it, had gnawed one of
the sheep-skins on which the „ dogs slept and had
dragged it a little distance from the house. His
hunger unsatisfied, he had made a large hole in the safe
that hung from the verandah, and would have eaten the
meat inside but that it swung to and fro and thus pre-
vented him taking a firm hold. The cook, on open-
ing the door in the morning, had come face to face
with him ; instead of giving the alarm, he had quickly
and quietly shut himself in again. My boy, who slept
with him, had also watched the proceedings from a
crack in the door. It was only after the tiger had dis-
appeared some little time that they had dared to come
out and wake M. d'Andre.
All the available hands had been called together
and had been temporarily provided with the ancient
and modern weapons that adorned the walls of M.
d' Andrews dining-room. Among others there were
two French swords, Moi lances, Tcham sabres, modern
rifles, and a kitchen knife. A search was now in
A TIGER HUNT 253
progress in the immediate neighbourhood of the two
houses. - I dressed quickly and joined in the hunt.
At first nobody dared to separate himself an inch from
his neighbour, and each bush was visited by the whole
band en masse. However, though we found numerous
tracks, especially round the house and safe, where
I saw his saliva still on the wire gauze, we could not
ascertain in what direction he had gone. M. d' Andre"
decided therefore to give up the search for the moment
and find other means of catching him. The surest
way entailed the sacrifice of one of his animals, but he
determined nevertheless to put it in practice. When-
ever a tiger makes a victim which is too heavy for him
to drag off, he eats what he can and returns the follow-
ing night to finish his meal. A poor cow was accord-
ingly attached to a stake quite close to a bridge, so that
in the case of the tiger killing it, we should have a con-
venient hiding-place to lie in wait for him afterwards.
The cow was found dead the next morning, its hind
legs eaten. It was immediately covered with wire
netting to prevent the vultures finishing it ; M. d' Andre"
told me that he had heard that even the tigers them-
selves sometimes take precautions against these birds,
tearing up grass and earth to cover their victim when
unable to drag it into the undergrowth.
There was nothing to be done but to wait for the
evening. My excitement was so great that though I
went out snipe-shooting to get as much gun practice
as possible before nightfall, I thought the day would
never end. Sleep was out of the question, though I
tried to have a nap in the afternoon, not knowing what
time we should get to bed.
254 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
We had dinner at 5 P.M. and, before we had finished,
it had begun to rain. Though I did not really hesitate
a moment in my resolution to go, this steady down-
pour, the darkness, and above all the fear that we
might have to sit motionless on the wet ground till the
early hours of the morning, did somewhat damp my
enthusiasm. M. d' Andre" said there was no doubt as
to the fact of the tiger's coming some time or other
during the night, if no noise disturbed or frightened
him. He added meaningly that if anybody made him
miss the tiger, he wouldn't miss them, and glanced at
his revolver. He was more than half serious, and I
was perfectly well aware that, once in our hiding-place,
I could not possibly come away and that I should be
in for it till the bitter end.
Madame Schein was determined that at all events
no harm should come to me through cold or wet. I
was made to put on two mackintoshes, two pairs of
stockings, besides my ordinary equipment of riding-
boots, gaiters, &c. She told us to bring back the
tiger, but I think her chief desire was to see us return
in safety as quickly as possible, tiger or no tiger.
There were three guns amongst our party of twelve :
M. d' Andre" had a Winchester, the interpreter a
sporting, and I a military rifle, a "Gras." There was
still a glimmer of light as we started out ; by the time
we let ourselves down from the bridge and crawled
under it complete darkness prevailed. We were
allowed three minutes to shoulder our guns and make
ourselves comfortable, then the light was put out and
all was deadly quiet, except for the rain pattering on
the bridge above our heads. One little stream fell on
A TIGER HUNT 255
my gun and I was afraid it might damp my bullet. I
moved it an inch and, though I practically made no
sound, M. d' Andre heard me, my arm was pinched,
and I could feel two eyes glaring at me in the darkness.
Before we had been in position ten minutes, I had
pains in my back and pins and needles in my legs, but
naturally did not dare to move a muscle.
About seven the moon rose and I heard M. d' Andre
give a sigh of relief. We could now see for the first
time the body of the cow which was only three yards
from us, and I began to fix my eyes on the small
illuminated circle. Suddenly it seemed to me that at
one place it looked a bit blacker than a moment before.
I strained my eyes until they hurt me, and felt certain
I saw a shadow ; then, before it had completely taken
shape, I was convinced that it was the tiger. I touched
M. d' Andre, and immediately afterwards I was touched
by the interpreter, who was on my other side. The
tiger walked slowly up to the dead cow ; instead of
beginning to eat at once, he planted his two front paws
on his victim and, head up, calmly surveyed his sur-
roundings. His attitude was most majestic, he looked
like a king whose whole kingdom lies within his gaze.
It was a magnificent sight and one I shall never forget.
In our position we were a little lower than the tiger;
he was therefore outlined above the mountains against
the sky and could be seen perfectly. His head alone
seemed to fill my whole horizon. He was not more
than three yards from us.
It had been settled that M. d' Andre" should fire
first, and we afterwards. There was no reason to
have made the arrangement, because until I heard the
256 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
report close to my ear I had entirely forgotten that I
had a gun in my hands, I had been so hypnotised by
the spectacle. In less than a second I had realised
the situation. My gun was already at my shoulder,
my finger on the trigger, I pressed and fired. My
shot rang out simultaneously with that of the inter-
preter. When the smoke of our guns had cleared
away we thought to see the dead tiger in front of
us, but no — all was the same as a few minutes pre-
viously, the mutilated cow alone lay stretched out
on the grass before us. We, however, heard growls
quite close to us, but were unable to make out from
which direction they came. After waiting a few
minutes we lighted a lantern and all clambered on to
the bridge. The half-dozen Mois whom we had taken
with us, on whose long lances we counted if we should
be attacked from behind or in case the tiger made a
dash for us, began to believe more firmly than ever in
the supernatural power of their enemy. It was sur-
prising to us that three shots fired at three yards had
not brought him down. We waved lanterns about
from the top of the bridge. Nothing to be seen. It
was far too dangerous even to make a few steps into the
grass, and we were obliged to go home empty-handed.
M. d'Andr£ was certain that we should find him
dead in the morning, but I could not share his optimism.
On arriving home and relating our adventures to
Madame Schein, M. d'Andre" proposed a game of
piquet to console me. I was thunderstruck at the
suggestion and would not believe it was only 8 o'clock.
We seemed to have been weeks under that bridge.
The next morning we found the tiger just two yards
THE KIVKR MiAK SUOIGIAU
A TIGER HUNT 257
away from the cow, hidden by the long grass. Though
wounded mortally he had just been able to make one
bound.
He was a magnificent animal measuring 3 metres 2 1.
We wanted to find out where he had been hiding.
To our horror, on tracing his steps in the direction from
which he had come, we discovered that he had been
lying all the previous day in some long grass not
twenty yards away and quite close to a path. Had he
wished to do so, he could have had anybody who
passed along the path, which is much frequented by
the Mois. I myself had been quite close to the spot
snipe-shooting.
On examining the tiger's wounds, we could not make
out all the different bullet-holes and at last came to
the astonishing conclusion that it was the same tiger
that we had hunted a fortnight earlier. Our surmise
became a certainty when at the skinning one of the
bullets of M. Agostini's revolver was found.
This animal, which had been previously wounded
in three places, had had the strength to kill a cow and
the impertinence to haunt the very surroundings where
he had been attacked. We congratulated ourselves
on our luck at not having approached him any nearer
than we did during our first hunt. We might easily
have thought that having bled so profusely he was no
longer dangerous. Contrary to all our conjectures he
must have been as vigorous as ever, for a fortnight
later his wounds were nearly healed.
All the station coolies and many Mois from the
village of Dankia came to look at the dead tiger.
During the operation of skinning there were many
258 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
quarrels for the possession of certain pieces of his
flesh and intestines, which were eagerly sought after
as charms. It was even difficult to keep his whiskers
and claws intact.
Going into the kitchen later, we found the Anna-
mese cook in the act of pounding up and boiling the
two eyes. His little nephew was made to swallow
this concoction, and he told us triumphantly, " Now
he always see My Lord Tiger before My Lord Tiger
see him."
CHAPTER XVIII
THROUGH HINTER-ANNAM
Preparations for our novel journey : The pholy of
Dankia promises to accompany us : Scenery beyond
the plateau : Difficulties of mountain and jungle paths :
Our first night : Strange quarters : Cockroaches : A
tremendous descent : Great welcome to a Moi village :
The pholy's hut : Ternum : Sleeping to an audience :
A hasty departure : Mois' accurate shooting : Leeches :
Crossing a river : Moi weavers : A narrow escape from
a fight : The gradual extinction of the Moi race : Dankia
again
WHEN the excitements of the tiger hunt were over,
we urged M. d' Andre to undertake the great excursion
which we had been prevented from making six months
earlier. We were to explore a region into which
M. d'Andre" himself had never yet penetrated, and
where probably no white person had been seen before.
No danger, however, was to be feared, for the pre-
sence of two women in the convoy would reassure the
savages, also the pholy and chief Mois of Dankia
were to accompany us. These, who knew M. d' Andre"
well, would explain our peaceable intentions to the
Mois and parley for a hut when we wished to spend a
night in their villages. We should take coolies from
each village as we came to it to carry our baggage
and send them back again so as not to keep them
259
26o~ ^ ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
away from their homes too long. By this means we
should also obtain trustworthy guides, for the Mois of
Dankia could not be relied upon as soon as we got
beyond the immediate vicinity. Paths change their
course at different times of the year owing to the
difficulties of fording streams ; if we were taken along
a path which had not been recently used, we should
find ourselves in great difficulties. Long discussions
with the pholy of Dankia were required before we
could start on our novel journey, but finally one
evening, about fifty Moi coolies made their appearance,
ready for an early start the following morning. They
were our carriers, for though we were only to take
what was absolutely necessary, it must be remembered
that we should not find the most primitive con-
trivances for sleeping or washing en route. To run
short of a candle would be a real disaster. People
who travel in Europe and are used to finding beds,
sheets, lights, and drinking water wherever they go,
and who, if they have left any necessary article of
toilet behind, can replace it from a shop, little guess
what the business of packing is in this country, even
for a short excursion. In Moi territory neither love
nor money can procure the forgotten tooth-brush,
matches, or boot-lace.
Bedding, food, kitchen utensils, clothes, medicines,
&c., had been packed in readiness and were now
divided off among the different coolies. The packages
had to be of an equal weight and as compact as possible,
because the paths would be rough and narrow.
We had decided to take only one Annamese
boy each, for whenever disturbances arise between
THROUGH HINTER-ANNAM 261
Europeans and Mois it is generally the fault of the
Annamese servants. The murders of the Adminis-
trator, M. Odenthal, in 1902, and of the colonist
M. Paris in 1908 were probably both due to the mis-
behaviour of their boys. Mink, Mr d'Andre's cook,
Dae, Madame Schein's boy, and Sau, my own, were
therefore the only Annamese to accompany us. They,
like myself, were to ride, M. d' Andre" and Madame
Schein had decided to be carried in chairs.
It was a glorious morning when the start was made
about 6 A.M. As the Mois never walk two abreast
even over the plateau where the short grass would
allow of it, the little cavalcade of fifty coolies looked in
the distance like some huge serpent crawling slowly
over the hill-side. I had a good view of it, for we who
were riding had been left behind to shut up the
houses, but it was not long before we started in
pursuit. About a mile away we had a stream to
cross, which, though not deep, was very marshy, and
the horses sank in too deeply to ride them across.
The ponies had not been out of the stable for a fort-
night, and it was difficult for one person to hold all
three while a passage was found and I was carried
across. We had lost so much time at this crossing
that on remounting our party was no longer in sight.
Not a single Moi had been left behind to guide us, so
Mink galloped on in front to reconnoitre and make
inquiries at a village. He got no answer, for all the
inhabitants rushed into their huts and shut the doors.
It was an anxious moment. Luckily we caught sight
of a line of figures on the crest of a hill and were able
to follow in the right direction without the help of the
262 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
villagers. M. d'Andr6 and Madame Schein had
hardly noticed these streams, for the Mois had simply
lifted their chairs a little higher and waded through
without hesitation. I understood then one of the
advantages of a chair.
After lunch we said good-bye to the plateau and
plunged almost immediately into thick jungle, dark
and cold, for the sun and sky were quite shut out.
Moss, ferns, and magnificent orchids of every descrip-
tion and shade of green met our eyes, but the atmo-
sphere was so mysterious that one hardly liked to
speak above a whisper. The scenery varied con-
tinually. Thick jungle of this sort would give way to
a forest of pines, then to a descent down to a river bed
in the open, or a steep ascent. Often there were
traces of big game, but we seldom saw anything.
The path was always narrow, and on some days
Mois had to go in front using their hatchets, for it had
entirely disappeared. This was due to the neighbour-
ing village having migrated, and the small human
track no longer in use had become entirely grown
over. Sometimes it seemed that the horses could not
possibly climb up certain places ; not only was the
narrow path almost vertical, but they had to scramble
over enormous granite boulders or fallen trunks of
huge trees. There was no means of skirting such
obstacles, for a deep precipice often gaped on one side
and a wall of rock loomed on the other. It was often
impossible to dismount, in such places one had simply
to loosen the reins and let the pony choose its steps.
The first day we reached our destination about 3.30.
It was a small village of nine or ten large huts, on the
THROUGH HINTER-ANNAM 263
border of a forest. The/^/j/ of Dankia went on in
front and began parleying for one of these huts to sleep
in. The chief at last consented to give up the smallest,
and as soon as all the inhabitants, bending low, had
made their way out through the narrow hole which
served as door, we penetrated inside. The smoke
and smells brought me quickly out again, and calling
in to M. d' Andre" through the opening, I asked if I
could not sleep in the open air, for it seemed impossible
to spend a night in such an atmosphere. The question
brought him to the door, and for a moment he looked
rather taken aback, but with a shrug of his shoulders,
he said I could sleep where I liked, and that if I
expected first-class hotels, I should not undertake such
journeys. I saw I should have to make the best of it,
for the folly of trying to sleep outside became only too
evident. Barricades were already being made to
protect the horses, and fires lit to keep off the tigers.
Gathering courage, I again entered our sleeping abode.
M. d' Andre" had had the fires swept out, and this was
already an improvement.
The first thing I did after creeping through the door
was to knock my head violently against the roof. It
was impossible to stand upright, quantities of maize,
hanging from the roof to dry, made the space even
less than it would otherwise have been. The floor
was composed of strips of bamboo laid down at slight
intervals at about one foot above the earth. As the
Mois poured all the remains of their food and drink
between these strips, the strange odour was easily
accounted for. Another drawback about them was
that I kept catching my heel between them and nearly
264 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
falling down. M. d' Andre" had already unpacked,
and was busily engaged arranging his mattress on the
floor. Finding no mosquitoes, he had not taken the
trouble to put up his camp bed. I asked where I
should put up ours. He said he thought we should
be more comfortable at the farther end of the hut, as
the Mois and our boys were continually going in and
out.
The hut was partly partitioned off ; so calling Sau,
I set him to work to put up my bed and that of Madame
Schein, who had not yet arrived. The fire was still
burning in our part of the hut, and though I demanded
of the pholy that it should be put out, my request
was emphatically refused, and I came to the conclu-
sion that there was some superstition connected with
it and thought it useless to insist. If we had to submit
to dust and ashes, I was determined at any rate not to
tolerate the smoke, and as soon as the Mois had dis-
appeared I confess to stamping on the sacred flame till
it was extinguished.
It is difficult to unpack, put up camp beds, and
arrange mosquito curtains by the light of a single
candle, especially when one is knocking one's head
and tripping up continually, but at last it was done. I
had even washed and changed by the time Madame
Schein arrived. She was not so horrified as I had feared
at the sight of our sleeping apartment, but then she
had not seen its former inhabitants ; and now indeed,
with beds made up and the air less smoky, the place
looked more habitable. When all was ready for the
night we took a stroll round the village. The women
on our arrival had disappeared like rabbits into holes,
A WKLL-MADE MOI DWELLING
A CURIOUS STAIRCASE
THROUGH HINTER-ANNAM
and very few men were to be seen ; but we soon became
aware of innumerable heads peeping at us from every
side. Many women and children had hidden them-
selves in the shadow of the trees surrounding the vil-
lage, others were crouching in their hut doors, so that
we could not get a good view of our savage hosts.
The idea of holding out a piece of sugar proved a
happy one, for at length one youngster had the courage
to come and take it. A little nibble proving satisfac-
tory, he divided it generously among his companions,
and many others were thereupon emboldened to follow
his example. At last we had little naked children
coming towards us from every corner. Some of only
three or four years were pushed forward by their
mothers, but were too frightened to approach and
began to cry. This forced the mothers to carry
them to us, and thus we at last had a good view of the
Moi women. Some of them seemed to be wearing
gloves, which struck us as a curious garment considering
they were naked to the waist, but on closer inspection
we saw that the skin from elbow to finger-tips was
of a dark blue colour. This village was apparently
engaged in dyeing the blue cloth which the natives of
this region wear.
On our return we found that Mink had prepared us
a good dinner just outside our hut ; the table was a
plank supported on two scooped-out tree trunks which
the Mois use for shelling rice, our chairs were impro-
vised in like manner. The whole -village collected
round to see us eat, curious eyes peering out from
among the trees and from every shadow.
About seven it began to get chilly, and we decided
266 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
to retire. We felt more cheerful over our sleeping
accommodation after a good meal, but alas ! our worst
discovery was still to come. We had noticed a few
beetles when it was still light. Now after dark the
hut was moving with them ! It was an indescribable
sight. There were fifty drowned in the basin on the
floor that we had washed in. Every time I knocked
my head against the roof, I got half a dozen in my
hair. M. d' Andre was obliged to put up his bed after
all, and even our mosquito curtains had not entirely
protected ours from their inroads.
Oh, the difficulties of undressing in a Moi hut ! It
is impossible to set one's bare feet on the dirty bamboo
floor, yet there is nothing to sit on ; one cannot leave
one's clothes at the mercy of cockroaches and vermin,
yet there is no place to put them in safety. We finally
tied them to a string and suspended them from the
ceiling. Our heads were frightfully bruised and full
of maize husks by the time we at last crawled under
our mosquito curtains. We were unpleasantly re-
minded of the story of a man who in similar surround-
ings awoke to find that his finger and toe nails had
been eaten off by cockroaches. But even the thought
that the same fate might be awaiting us did not keep
us awake long, and we slept as well as if we had been
safe at home. By seven the next morning we were up
and dressed, our beds packed and all ready for a start.
The scenery was magnificent and ever-changing.
Emerging from the forest we found ourselves at one
time overlooking a deep valley. From where we
stood the mountain descended almost vertically and at
the foot was a fast-flowing stream. We had not been
THROUGH HINTER-ANNAM 267
aware of the gradual ascent, and the beautiful view
from such a height over a vast stretch of country was
a most welcome surprise. All the more so that for
several hours we had been shut in by the forest, ex-
hausting ourselves by stumbling over fallen trunks
and catching our clothes in branches. Although it had
begun to drizzle and there was a drifting mist, this,
instead of spoiling the landscape, seemed to add to it
new beauty and mystery.
We had glimpses of the mountain on the farther side
of the valley, with its forests, its huge granite boulders,
its waterfalls. On our side of the valley there were
also waterfalls, and one was quite close to us, for we
could hear it distinctly. It was rushing down with
many others to the river below, and occasionally we
could see between the trees the white foam as it dashed
over stones and rocks.
I shall never forget that steep and slippery descent
into the valley. Waiting for the coolie who was carry-
ing my mackintosh, I had fallen behind the rest of the
party, and on remounting found myself with only a
single Moi, outdistanced by a mile or so. I had not
gone more than a few steps before my pony slipped and
only regained his balance after much stumbling and
staggering. I dismounted, handed the reins to the Moi,
and prepared to descend on foot. The poor animal slid
on all fours, and it was with the greatest difficulty that it
could be brought to a standstill at intervals. I was in
great distress lest it should be lamed or damaged, and
longed to be able to talk to my companion or to catch
up the rest of the party. My own difficulties were
equal to those of the pony, and I had even less power
268
of balance. I was thankful when at the bottom of the
ravine we came upon the other horses and coolies.
The whole party was covered with mud from head to
foot.
We now had to cross the torrent. There were
rough tree trunks placed from boulder to boulder, but
as they were high above the water it was rather
nervous work. In the end we took off our boots,
which might have made us slip, and passed over in
stockinged feet.
One day, on approaching our destination,* we heard
the sound of gongs and drums. The village had evi-
dently been informed of our coming, and all this noise
was either to fete us or forbid our entry. The huts
were built on piles or simply on trunks of trees cut
down four or five metres from the ground, but which
for the most part had sprouted again. While in con-
sultation as to whether we should advance, a crowd
began to descend from the biggest hut and make its
way towards us. We could distinguish the pholy by
his umbrella, and were soon aware that he was
welcoming us in his most amicable manner. He led
us back to his hut, from which the gongs were still
thundering, and taking the hand of M. d'Andr6 helped
him to mount the narrow plank of wood which served
as staircase. Then the pholy s wife descended and
did the same for Madame Schein and myself. Her
services were needed, for it was not easy to get our
* I regret to be unable to give the names of the villages we
visited, or the rivers we crossed, but no map of this district has as
yet been made, and the pronunciation by the natives often differed
so much that it seems useless to write down words which have little
chance of being correct.
THROUGH HINTER-ANNAM 269
nailed boots into the small niches made for the supple
bare feet of the Mois.
As soon as we had made our way through the crowd
at the entrance into the hut, a pig was presented to us,
its four legs tied to the pole on which it was carried.
Its yells, together with the noise of the musical instru-
ments, were deafening. We were also blinded by the
smoke ; but when I attempted to make my way to the
door for fresh air, I was told that the pig was being
killed there in our honour, so I returned to my seat.
The hut was divided into two parts : the first, where
we were sitting, was apparently common to all, groups
of men, women, and children were squatting here and
there. The other part consisted of a sort of dormitory.
There were different compartments, like small cubicles,
each containing its mat, circle of ashes for a fireplace,
and its saucepan for the use of one family. Some were
empty, in others a woman was squatting with her
children. No partition was shut off except the chiefs,
but nevertheless no man entered his neighbour's
domain. The women of this tribe, we understood,
themselves chose their husbands, and if the lucky man
refused the honour he was obliged to pay a fine !
Even his acceptance was onerous, for he had to serve
his parents-in-law a year, unless he could give them a
present such as a buffalo or a full-grown slave. The
children took, moreover, their mother's name.
After our inspection we were invited to partake of
the national beverage. Many large jars of ternum
had already been dragged into the middle of the
room. The pholy was the first to drink. Squatting-
down, he thrust one end of the bamboo into the liquor,
ayo ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
the other into his mouth. With a smile of satisfaction
he then handed the bamboo on to me, who happened
to be standing next him. I would willingly have
passed it on, but he made signs for me to drink. It
was impossible even to wipe the end surreptitiously
with my handkerchief with so many pairs of eyes fixed
on me. So perforce I boldly placed it in my mouth.
I tasted nothing until I obeyed the Mois' signs to
squat as they did : then, with the bamboo curved
downwards, a flow of their precious liquid rushed
through my lips and down my throat. I had enough
to last me a lifetime ! When the bamboo had been
passed round several times, and faces had begun to
get red and their manners to each other less courteous,
we asked permission to retire. The pholy wanted us
to stay all night drinking with them, and great pressure
was needed before he would allow our beds to be put
up in a neighbouring hut. What a funny night that
was ! All the inhabitants of the village who were not
engaged in the drinking banquet were gathered round
our walls. They watched us with the greatest curiosity
as we dined and made our preparations for the night.
Their interest did not wane when we retired to bed.
They were at least four deep round the hut, peeping
in through the cracks. We found them in exactly the
same position in the morning. Those who had a good
view would no more have thought of giving up their
places than would Londoners who have succeeded in
getting the front row of the pit. I could not make up
my mind whether it was better to undress in the dark
and risk treading on a scorpion (one of these poisonous
vermin had walked across our table-cloth as we were
THROUGH HINTER-ANNAM 271
sitting on the floor at dinner) or light a candle and
brave the eyes of the multitude. Once in bed we did
not mind whether we were watched or not.
The next morning with the first streak of dawn we
were astir, hurrying our preparations for departure.
The festive music still continued at intervals, but
hoarse ejaculations and bursts of laughter were now
intermingled with it. All the Moi men, women, and
children were evidently drunk, but the feast (in our
honour) was not yet terminated ; fresh jars of ternum
had been brought. We thought it wiser to omit our
farewells to our rather too hospitable hosts and to
retire as quickly and quietly as possible.
The inhabitants of this village were great adepts
with the bow and arrow — at any rate if the following
story of Mink's is true. He had been left behind to
pack up the breakfast things, and saw a Moi hunter
perched up in a tree lying in wait for monkeys. Just
as the Moi was about to shoot he dropped his quiver.
Without a moment's hesitation his comrade down
below shot up some of his own arrows into the
hunter's thick chignon of hair. Both seemed to
regard the action as natural. The hunter simply
withdrew the arrows from his chignon and continued
his sport.
Occasionally on this expedition we were much
troubled by leeches. There would sometimes be
numbers of them during a space of about four or five
kilometres, then they would disappear again. If one
stood still on a spot where there was no grass the little,
black worm-like creatures immediately began to come
from all quarters, raising themselves and advancing
272 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
rapidly, and if one took a step to right or left they
would all change their direction and another circle
would be formed. They even dropped down on to us
from the trees. Their bite is not felt at once, and it
is only when they are quite full of blood and swollen to
ten times their original size that they leave off sucking
and let themselves fall to the ground. Our Moi carriers
had trickles of blood running down their naked bodies
where the leeches had been torn away. They carried
little sticks dipped in lime with which they knocked
the vermin off each other. Here the Mois had the
advantage, for it was not so easy for us to get rid of
them if once they made their way inside our clothes.
We tied handkerchiefs round the sleeves of our coats
so that they could not get up our arms, strangled our-
selves to protect our necks, tightened our gaiters, but
none of us escaped entirely.
We occasionally had some exciting moments in
crossing rivers, for some were deep, with a strong
current. The Mois having forded it here and there,
and found the shallowest part, the luggage was carried
across and deposited on the farther bank. Then they
all trooped back for us and we were carried across one
by one in a chair. They supported the chair on their
shoulders, holding it in place with one hand while in
the other they held a pole to help to keep their
balance. The water sometimes came up to their
waists. If one of them lost his foothold he would
cling on to the chair till he had regained it. I confess
I was quite surprised to find myself on terra firma
once more instead of floating down stream in a
wicker chair.
THROUGH HINTER-ANNAM 273
Whenever we came to a quiet brook the Mois with
one accord threw down their baggage and rushed
into the water, drinking, lying down flat and splashing
themselves and each other. It was a scene of rustic
simplicity. The well-proportioned naked forms, half
hidden by the green branches and waving pampas-
grass, was a picture from the antique wherein man and
Nature were in perfect harmony in their primitive
beauty.
Our journey drew to a close. We had completed
the two corners of a triangle and were now in a
straight line for Dankia. We spent our last night in
a village of spinners. All the strips of cloth worn by
the women of the plateau round their hips were made
here. The women worked outside their huts in the
open air. They sat on the bare ground with legs
straight out and wide apart. Across the soles of their
feet a rounded piece of wood about a yard long was
laid. This was kept in place by a cord attached to
the two ends and tied behind their backs. A stretched-
out frame was thus formed, and both hands were left
free for arranging the cotton and plying the shuttle to
and fro. The contrivance was primitive, but the
shuttle and all the wooden rods were carefully rounded
and finished off and sometimes even ornamented.
We saw, too, all the process of picking the cotton from
the trees, shelling it, separating it from the seeds, and
finally drawing it out into a single thread and winding
it into balls ready for weaving.
This flourishing industry made the village look very
different from all the others we had seen. The in-
habitants not being able to sit in the dark and smoky
274 ON AND OFF DUTY IN ANNAM
atmosphere of their huts, looked far healthier in con-
sequence. Although the men did nothing, for it was
the women who were chiefly occupied in winding and
weaving, yet they refused to accompany us the follow-
ing morning. We promised them good pay, but for a
long time they could not be induced to take up our
luggage. Our last relay of coolies had already re-
turned to their own village, and the dozen Dankia
men, whom we had kept with us all the time, could
not possibly manage even the chairs alone. In every
village there had been some demur, but here it looked
as if we should get stranded. After many threats
intermingled with bribes, the chief of the village
promised us forty carriers. But still the men were
not forthcoming, and at last our faithful Dankias
forced their way into the various huts and dragged
out a few strong young men from each. A fight
seemed almost inevitable at one time. We were
really frightened, for if a scuffle had begun, one
could not tell how it would have snded. We were
thankful that this should have happened on our last
morning instead of earlier, or we should have been
nervous at every village we passed through.
As we recalled all our interesting experiences
among the Mois, we could not but regret that this
race, so physically fine, in character so much more
sympathetic than the Annamese, should be destined to
die out. Yet that is probably their fate. They must
have been far more prolific in times past than they are
at present to have survived the massacres of the
Tchams, Kmers, and Cambodians, and later of the
Annamese. They must, too, have possessed an extra-
THROUGH HINTER-ANNAM 275
ordinary vitality to have been capable of adapting
themselves to the rough animal life of the hills and
forests to which they were driven. The conquest of
Indo-China by the French may have temporarily
checked their downward course, but when the Saigon-
Hanoi railway is complete and the country is thus
opened up, these savages who cannot submit to
civilisation will not find sufficient territory for their
needs and will be unable to continue their arduous
struggle for existence. Inter-tribal wars, alcoholism,
low birth-rate, besides small-pox and other diseases,
are still causing ravages. Only those who intermarry
will survive, and they will be no longer Mois.
Having seen them in their wild fastnesses and been
welcomed and well treated by them, it was a sad thing
to contemplate. At the end of this journey we felt as
if we had known them for a great part of our lives.
Nevertheless, it was with the greatest pleasure that
we found ourselves again on the plateau and saw in
the distance the Agricultural Station. That patch of
well-laid-out fields and gardens, after our experiences
of barren mountain-sides and uncared-for villages,
was a feast to the eyes. Our weary limbs forced them-
selves to one last effort in order to regain as quickly
as possible the little wooden chalets which seemed to
us at that moment the acme of civilisation.
KWANG-S1
Tai- Nguyen HI
o
\ T 0 \N G'X I N G
Batlfimbafig \\GmndLoJa t \ LangOian , '
MAP OF
INDOCHINA
5C>4if Of Af/^f^. I
0 50 100 200 300
GLOSSARY
Cai-nha. Cat = the, nha — house. The word signifies, home
dwelling, building, &c.
Nha que = peasant.
Sais — coachman. The name that the French have given to the
native driver.
Nuoc-mam is a condiment made from fermented fish-water. It
is easy to recognise the village which makes it. The smell pro-
ceeding from the enormous barrels placed in the open air in some
central spot is quite appalling. There are different qualities of this
condiment, but the poorest man's fish and rice are always flavoured
by a few drops.
Choum-choum is the native alcohol made from fermented rice.
Link is the Annamese word for a native soldier.
Trams are the stations or resting-houses along the mandarin
roads. The system of trams was organised by the Emperor Gia-
long for the transport of the post and for the convenience of travellers.
They composed the different stages of a journey where a fresh relay
of coolies or ponies might be obtained. Anybody found interfering
with the tram coolies was put to death, so that even when
piracy and plunder were rife in the land, the post going from
tram to tram was unmolested. The French have continued to use
this tram organisation both for the mail and for French officials
travelling overland.
Sapeque. About 6000 sapeques go to a dollar. This is the most
current coin of the native markets ; the Annamese divide them into
ligatures (one ligature = 1000 sapeques) which are threaded on
separate pieces of string and carried over a stick or in a basket. The
dollar in Indo-China varies generally between 2 frs. 25 and 2 frs. 90.
Malabar was the term used for any Indian in Indo-China ; now
it is also used for the closed carriage driven originally by these
277
278 GLOSSARY
Indians. This small box-like vehicle on four wheels is the favourite
carriage of the Annamese.
Kilometre, i metre = i yard 3 inches. 8 kilometres = 5 miles.
Pholy. A Moi word to designate the chief of a village.
Ternunt. The alcohol made by the Mois from fermented rice.
It is not made in the same way as the Annamese choum-choum and
is less palatable.
INDEX
ADMINISTRATION, local and State,
148-155
Adoption, custom of, 134
Adran, Bishop of, 8
Adultery, punishment for, 135
Age, respect for, 125
Agostini, M., 245, 246, 247, 248,
249, 250, 251, 252
Agricultural Station, Langbian
Plateau, 233-7
Ancestor-worship, 124-6, 133, 147
Andre", Mademoiselle, 220, 221,
228, 234, 244
Andre, M., 190, 206, 226, 227, 234-
5, 237, 244, 245, 247, 248, 249,
250-7, 258, 261, 262, 263, 264
Angkor, 8
Animal- worship, 122-3
Annamese language, 2 1 5
Annamitic Chain, i
Anopheles, 56-7
Ants, 44, 80, 176-7
Archery, 271
Aristocracy, 104
Army, constitution of, 151-2
BA-CHUA-NGOC — see P6 Nagar
Bac-L6, battle of, 9
Bac-Ninh, capture of, 9
Balat, 199
Baquan, native game, 158
Batambang, 8
Beau, M., ii
Beauty, standard of, 143-5
Beetles, 34
Bernard, Colonel, 8
Bert, Paul, 10
Betel- chewing, 106
Binh-Dinh, valley of, i
Birds, native, 51
damage caused by, 178-9
Boats, native, 16, 81, 159, 160
Botanical Gardens, 22
Brahminism, 182
Brickmaking, 82, 83, 84
Bruce, Dr., 52-3
Buddha, 122
Buffaloes, 76-8
sacrifice of, 228-30
Burmah, i
CALMETTE, Dr., 27, 54
Cambodians, i, 2, 183, 275
Camranh, 5
Canivey, M. and Madame, 213-4
Canton, 27, 30
Cap St. Jacques, i, 15, 114
Card-playing, 141
Carriages, native, 19-20, 39
Cast or- oil plant, 70
Cattle-breeding experiments, 235
Chaigneau, 8
Chaudoc, 2, 180
Children, native, 38, 41, 88-9, 90,
92, 93. 94-5. i"» Il6~7» "8,
125-6, 141, 163, 219, 224
279
280
INDEX
China, conquest of Annam by, 6
alliance with, g
treaty with France, 10
China Sea, i
Chinese, status of, in Indo-China,
3. 37-31. 157-8
Cholen, 21
description of, 27-31
Cho Moi, 78
Christians, massacres of, 8, 10
Citadel, 42, 107-9
Coca, 55
Cochin-China, i, 3, 8, 68-9
Cockroaches, 44, 266
Coffee, 55
Colombo, 15
Commune, functions of, 148-155
Communication, ways of, 68-9
Confucius, 6, 120, 121, 122
Constans, M., 10
Cost of living, 47
Costume, native, 22-3, 24, 91, 116,
1 8 1-2
Courbet, Admiral, 9, 10
Courcy, General de. 10
Crabs, 177
Cua-B£, 37-8
Culao, 183
DABAN, 200, 202-4
Dae, native boy, 261
Dalat, 212, 234
Danhim, river, 210
Dankia, 219, 220
Dayot, 8
Diet, native, 18, 24, 85, 103
Dinh dynasty, 6
Divorce laws, 134-5
Djibouti, 15
Doctors, native attitude towards,
60, 62-4, 66, 93, 147
Dogs, 82
Domine, 9
Donai, river, 1,210
Dong- Khan, King, 10, n
Doumer, M., 4, n, 233
Drama, native, 145-6, 165-9
Dran, 210, 242
Ducks, 99-100
Dumoutier, 181
Durand, Pere, 189
EAR-RINGS, 221-3
Education, 106, 139-40, 154
Elephants, 163
Emperor, functions of, 155
FAIFO, 5
Ferry, Jules, 9, 10
Formosa, blockade of, 9
Fou-Tche'ou, bombardment of, 9
French residents, 25, 27, 210-11
Frogs, 78-9
Fruit-trees, 175-6
Funeral customs, 123-4, 126-9,
226-8
Furniture, no
GAMBLING, 157, 158
Game- shooting, 79, 80
Garden, description of author's,
170-9
Gamier, Francis, 9
Gialong, 8
Giao-Chi, 5, 6
Great Lakes, 2
Greeting, modes of, 109
Grimacing competition, 163
HAINAN Straits, 4
Haiphong, 4, 5, 71
Hanoi, 7, 21, 71
Harem, Imperial, 142-3
Hindoo civilisation, 7
Historical sketch, 5-11
Hinter-Annam, journey through,
259-75
Ho dynasty, 6
Hoatan, 193-4
Hong Bang dynasty, 6
INDEX
281
Horse-racing, 162-3
Hotel Continental, Saigon, 25
House, author's, described, 43
Housekeeping difficulties, 44-49
Housing accommodation, 88, 89,
1 06
Hue", i, 4, 5, 10, 21, 70
Hylobates gabriella, 209
INDO-CHINA, physical features, i
population, 2-3
climate, 4
system of government, 4
Inheritance laws, 129, 134
Insects, 177
Islamism, 182
Jv-Su, Emperor, n
KEP, battle of, 9
Khanh-hoa, province of, 39, 181
Khas — see Mois
Khmers, 2, 275
Klobukowski, M., n
LANDON, M., 202, 203, 205, 208
Lanessan, M. de, 10
Langbian Plateau, i, 54, 190, 212
Lang-Son, battle of, 9
Laos, 2
Laotsen, 120, 122
Laveran, Dr., 52, 53
L£ dynasty, 6, 7
Lecadet, M., 198, 199-203, 211
Leeches, 271-2
Legion of Honour, 115
Lei Tcheou, 4
Le-Soi, 6
Lister, Lord, 52-3
Lizards, 177-8
L6c Tuc, 5
Logoun, 82
Louis XVI., 8
Ly dynasty, 6
Lying, native addiction to, 113
MAIZE, 70
Mammals, native, 51
Mandarins, status and home life
of, 105-119
Manilla, 21
Marco Polo, 180
Markets, 95, 96, 97, 98-9
Marriage customs, 132-3, 135-8
Marseilles, 14
Mayors, functions of, 149
Meals, etiquette of, 146
Mekong, river, i, 2
Milk, 57-8
Ming-Mang, 8
Ministers of State, 155
Mink, native cook, 261, 265
Missionaries, 140, 181
Moi language, 215
Mois, 2-3, 7, 182, 189, 206-208,
212-13, 214-16, 218-32,235-40,
274-5
Monkeys, 209
Mosquitoes, 34, 44, 45, 56-7
Motoring experiences, 191-8
Mourning customs, 129
Municipal Councils, 150-1
ownership, 151
NAM NGHI, King, 10
Names, family, 111-12
New Year's Day celebrations,
156-69
Nguyen dynasty, 8
Nhatrang, 4, 5, 12, 14
description of, 39-42
life at, 49-51
temples of, 182-6
Noc, Dr., 26-7
Norodom, 8
ODENTHAL, M., 261
Olivier, 8
Operation for shark-bite, 59-62
Opium-smoking, 146
T
282
INDEX
PARIS, M., 361
Parmentier, M,, 187-9
Pasteur, 52-3, 67
Pasteur Institute at Nhatrang, 12,
37. 42, 53-67
at Saigon, 19, 20, 26-7
Penongs — see Mois
Pernin, M., 56
Pescadores, Island of, 9
Pha.n-Ra.ng, 2, 5, 180, 181, 189, 197,
242
Phan-Ri, 189
Phan-Tiet, 2, 5
Philippines, 3
Pholy of Dankia,f259, 260, 263, 264,
268, 270
Photography, 118, 219, 249
Physique, native, 16, 18
Picquet, M., 10
Plague in Hongkong and Canton,
53
bacillus of, 53-4
Polygamy, 130-31, 134, 138-9
P6 N.agar, cult of, 182, 186-7
Poor-relief, 151
Port Said, 15
Potatoes, sweet, 70
Pottery, 83-4
Public Works, 1 1
QUAN Bo, 107-113
Quan-Si, 5
Quan-Tch6ou, 4
Quan-Toung, 5
Quang-Nam, Valley of, i
Qui-Nhon, 5
RAILWAY, Saigon-Hanoi, 69-80,
275
Reading habit among natives, 103
Red River, i, 2
Religion of natives, 24, 73-4, 104,
120-131, 182-6
Revenue, 5
Rice industry, 70, 100-103, 219
Richaud, M., 10
Rigault de Genouilly, Admiral, 8
Riviere, Commandant, 9
Ross, Dr., 52-3
Rousseau, M., 10
Roux, Dr., 12
Rubber, 55, 56
SACRIFICE, buffalo, 228-30
Saigon, 4, 5, 8, 15, 17, 21-25
river, i, 15
Salazie, life on board the, 14-15
Salt, substitute for, 238
Sanskrit, 184
Satiavarman, King, 183
Sau, native boy, 202, 242, 261,
264
Schein, Madame, 244, 245, 254,
256, 262, 264, 268
Schein, M., 37
Serum, 27, 54, 55, 62
Servants, native, 45-49, 113-14
Shark tragedy, 59-62
Shops, 90
Siam, 1,8
Singapore, 15
Sisowah, King, 8
Smoking materials, 114, 117-18
Snakes, 27, 44, 210
Song Ca, valley of, i
Song Cai, river, i, 199
Song-Hau, river, 5
Song Ma, valley of, i
Son-tay, capture of,
Sorcerers, Moi, 230-2
Spinning industry, 273
Spitting habit, 106-7
Sports, native, 159-63
Stiengs — see Mois
Suoigiau, 55, 56, 58, 192
Superstitions, 59, 64-66, 89, 112,
224, 227, 257-8
TAY SON, 8
Tchampa, 181
INDEX
283
Tchams, 2, 7, 180-89, 275
Tea-drinking, in, 117
Temples, 73-4, 183-6
Ternum, 269-70
Tigers, 78-80, 122, 123, 124, 203,
213-14
author's tiger-hunt, 245-58
Thanh-Hoa, i, 5
Thais, 2, 6
Thanh-Thai, King, n
Prince and Princess, 114-19
Thanh-Tong, 7
Thuan-An, Forts of, 10
Thuyen Hoa, 114
Tobacco, 55, 70, 114, 117-18
Tombs, 73
Tonking, i, 3, 5, 8, 10
Tourane, 5, 69
Towns, chief, 5
Tran dynasty, 6
Tranninh, i
Traps, game and man, 225
Travelling, coast steamer, 32-7
by river, 85-7
from Nhatrang to Dankia, 190-
217
return journey, 239-243
through Hinter-Annam, 259-75
Tr£, island of, 36, 58
Trial by ordeal, 231-2
Trung-nhi, Princess, 145
Trung-vuong, Queen, 6, 145
Tsousblma, battle of, 5
Tu-Duc, 8
Tuyen-Quang, defence of, 9
UMBRELLAS, 23
VAN-LANG, 6
Vannier, 8
Vernet, M., 56
Vegetation, 22, 71, 172-6
Vermin, 72
Village life, routine of, 88-104
Vinh, province of, i, 5
Vung-Khisna, lives of, 10
WAGES paid in kind, 238
Women, condition of, 16, 84, 93,
95. 96, 97-9. I0°, 102-3, !25«
132-47, 214-15, 269
costume of, 181-2
YUNNAN, 5
Yellow a prohibited colour, 117
Yersin, Dr., 53-6, 58, 197, 233
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