position they have all intrigued trashed about, an, as need be, involved the harem ladies in there game to curry royal favor.
For several years, Prince Devawongse, the minister foreign affairs, half-brother of the king, and a brother of the father and mother of the three primary queens, has held the top rank among the favorites, more because of the position of his sisters than any remarkable qualities of his own.
Then comes prince Savast, another brother of the minister of foreign affairs and of the queens./ His manner of behavior toward the sovereign during his to Europe in 1897 resulted in his being pushed aside, but his sisters remain powerful and hewill find his way back into favor./ Meanwhile, the present favorite appears to be prince Damrong, the minister of the interior.
All these princes, most of whom have spent time in Europe, are certainly less distinguished then their royal brother and master./ H. M. Chulalongkorn, although not a handsome man, has great presence and great dignity./ His phyisognomy, open and gentle, has a certain quality that pleases and inspires sympathy from the outset.
Thus, he has produced the greatest impression at the courts of Europe./ Like any oriental monarch, he appreciates pomp and ostentation. The court is dazzling./ The feasts he gives in the palace are magnificent, and he spends considerable sums on them . He is said to be extremely intelligent, erudie, and well-versed, especially in the sacred languages of India, Buddhist writings, and even European literature. He would be a polyglot, but in reality, other than his own country's idiom, he only speake English. Until these last few years, he always made use of interpreters to converse with the princes and foreign representatives. Today, he readily expresses himself in all circumstances in the language of Albion.
It is during the horse races in Bangkok that I Am presented to the king and the present queen by our consul, Mr. Hardouin. Their majesties occupy an elegant pavilion erected on the esplanade in front of the palace. They are surrounded by princes and royal children. The English newspapers later mention the amiability with which I am received. Our conversation, taking a tour of my journey, the ruins of Angkor, Java, and the Borobudur temple, commentary. Photographs of their majesties are later sent to me with a dedication.