Page 241 - A History of Siam

A HISTORT OF SIAM 225

the canal known as between
K'long Mahajai, Bangkok
and Tachin, which was deepened and straightened partly
" "
in the of and in that of his
reign King Tiger partly
successor.
It is related of this King that on one occasion, when he
was rowed in his
being along K'long Mahajai royal barge,
the steersman ran the
carelessly barge aground, damaging
the prow. According to the law of that time, this was
an offence death. The steersman
punishable by begged
that he might be executed at once, but the King, being in
a gracious mood, caused a mud image to be made, and
had it in the man's stead. This did not
decapitated
the steersman, who for
satisfy pleaded piteously death,
lest the Law be into The
might brought contempt.
King ended by humouring him, so he was beheaded after
and a shrine was erected to his on the bank
all, memory
of the canal, which can be seen there to this day.
" "
King Tiger was fond of going about in disguise.
On one occasion he attended a
village boxing-match,
and two local boxers. He
challenged successively
defeated them both, and was paid two ticals by the ring-
master.
Would that all his actions had been as harmless 1 He
was a cruel, intemperate and depraved man. Turpin
that he married Princess Yot'a 4 one of his
says T'ep,
father's widows. One of the gates of his palace became
"
known as the Gate of from the numerous
Corpses/'
little coffins which were borne out through it, containing
murdered children, victims of his lust and cruelty.
In his fits of he was to sacrifice even his
fury prepared
own flesh and blood. Once, when hunting elephants,
he sent his two sons ahead to arrange a causeway across
a marsh. When his sank into the
crossing it, elephant
1
Daughter of King NaraL
PS