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By
H. G. DEIGNAN
(Publication 3703)
The Lord Baltimore Press
BALTIMORE, MD., U. S. A.
Geography
Peoples
Prehistory
Kingdom of Sukhothai-Sawankhalok
Kingdom of Ayuthia
Kingdom of Tonburi
Kingdom of Siam
Thailand
1. 1, Gorge of the Me Ping
2, Ancient wall at Chiengmai
2. 1, A monolith in the Me Ping gorge
2, Boat being pulled upstream through the rapids by ropes
3. 1, The "mai kwao," tree that yields gum resin
2, Transplanting young rice plants
4. 1, Fishing from the roadsides after the rains
2, Water buffalo
5. 1, A primitive type of cart
2, Elephants breaking up a log jam
6. 1, Small river boats, and bamboo water wheel
2, A temple
7. 1, A reliquary
2, The high altar of a Buddhist shrine
8. 1, Royalty visits Chiengmai
2, A princely funeral at Chiengmai
1. Map of Siam
[Illustration: FIG. 1.—Map of Siam.]
By H. G. DEIGNAN
Associate Curator, Division of Birds
U. S. National Museum
From the earliest times the great peninsula which lies between Indiaand China …. has been peculiarly subject to foreign intrusion.Successive waves of Mongolian humanity have broken over it from thenorth, Dravidians from India have colonised it, Buddhist missions fromCeylon have penetrated it, and buccaneers from the islands in thesouth have invaded it. Race has fought against race, tribe againsttribe, and clan against clan. Predominant powers have arisen anddeclined. Civilisations have grown up, flourished and faded. And thusout of many and diverse elements a group of nations have been evolved,the individuals of which, Môn, Kambodian, Annamese, Burmese, Shan,Lao, Siamese and Malay, fundamentally much alike, but differing inmany externals, have striven during centuries for mastery over eachother, and incidentally over the countless m