Page 286 - A History of Siam

A HISTORY OF SIAM
270
the sworn statement of a single person as conclusive
evidence of this, a detestable band of informers soon
who waxed rich on fines extorted from their
grew up,
victims. The latter were not only plundered, but often
to death. alive became a common
flogged Burning people
event. One of the King's own wives was consigned to the
flames on a charge of stealing money from the treasury. l On
every side were heard the lamentations ofinnocent victims,
groaning under the insensate tyranny of a madman.
Ayut'ia was at that time a sort of mining camp, chiefly
populated by people engaged in digging for the treasures
which had been hidden during the siege. The super-
intendence of this business had been farmed out to a
man called P'ra Wijit Narong for four thousand Heals
a and in order to make a he had to be
year, profit, pretty
hard on the diggers ; the latter were about ripe for
rebellion when, in March 1872, one Nai Bunnak set up
the standard of revolt near his
Ayut'ia, proclaiming
intention of killing King Taksin and setting Chao P'ya
Chakri on the throne. By the end of March, Ayut'ia
was in the hands of the rebels, the detested treasure
farmer had been killed, and the Governor of Ayut'ia had
fled to Bangkok.
Among the ringleaders of the rebels was a certain
K'un Keo, the younger brother of an official called P'ya
Sank'aburi. King Taksin, who at first thought that he
had to deal with a band of sent
only dacoits, up P'ya
Sank'aburi with a small force to arrest the offenders.
on at once threw in
P'ya Sank'aburi, reaching Ayut'ia,
his lot with his brother, and was made the leader of the
rebels. The rebel army now marched to Bangkok with-
out and on the of March Taksin
opposition, joth King
Thc was entirely innocent.
lady The missing money, which had merely
been mislaid, was discovered in the Treasury after the accession of Chao P'ya
Chakri.