cluding the commander-in-chief, the King's treasurer, and the first officer of the palace, went to the King, and remonstrated against his legalising murder, and besought him most earnestly not to issue such order. It is said the prime minister went on his knees before him, and begged him not to issue this obnoxious law; but he remained unmoved. The minister then rose and said to the King, "Do you say before all these witnesses that if any man is going to fight another with fire-arms, sword, or spear, that you will not prevent him, and that if he kills any one he shall not be punished?" The King replied, "I agree to that." Then said the minister, "It is enough; we must arm;" and, turning to his followers, said, "Let us return." I saw the long procession as they passed my house, grave and silent, on their way to the minister's dwelling. The day was spent in deliberation, and they determined to oppose the King.

Towards the evening I was most providentially preserved from assassination at the King's house; five of his confidential advisers, i. e. the Menamaso-having, as I have since been well informed, combined to take my life, as one of the means of arresting the progress of Christianity. Under God, I owe my preservation to the warning of my friends, and the provision made by the prime minister for my safety. I went to the King an hour earlier than usual, and returned immediately, to prepare for removal to a place of greater safety near my own house. Messengers from the minister were waiting my return, and before dusk I removed to the house of Dr. Davidson, which stands on the edge of Andohalo, the large space where public assemblies are often held. The city was in great commotion; all night women, and children, and slaves, with portable valuables, were hurrying from the city, while crowds of armed men from the suburbs were crowding into it.

At daybreak on the 9th some two thousand or more troops occupied Andohalo. The ground around the prime minister's house, on the summit of the northern crest of the mountain close by, was filled with soldiers, while every avenue to the city was securely kept by the minister's troops. The first object of the nobles was to secure upwards of thirty of the more obnoxious of the Menamaso, whom they accused of being the advisers and abettors of the King in his unjust and injurious measures. A number of these were taken and killed, a number fled, but twelve or thirteen remained with the King. These the nobles required should be surrendered to them. The King refused, but they threatened to take them by force from the palace, to which the King had removed. Troops continued to pour in from adjacent and distant posts; and as the few soldiers with the King refused to fire on those surrounding the palace, the people, though pitying the King, did not take up arms in his defence. He consented at length to surrender the Menamaso, on condition that their lives should be spared, and that they should be confined for life in fetters. On Monday, the 11th, they were marched by Andohalo, on their way spot where the irons were to be fixed on their limbs. In the course of the discussion with the nobles the King had said

to the

he alone was sovereign, his word alone was law, his person was sacred, he was supernaturally protected, and would punish severely the opposers of his will. This led the nobles to determine that it was not safe for him to live, and he died by their hands the next morning within the palace. The Queen, who alone was with him, used every effort, to the last moment of his life, to save him, but in vain. His advisers, the Menamaso, were afterwards put to death.

In the course of the forenoon, four of the chief nobles went to the Queen with a paper, which they handed to her as expressing the terms or conditions on which, for the future, the country should be governed. They requested her to read it, stating that if she consented to govern according to these conditions, they were willing that she should be the sovereign of the country; but that if she objected or declined, they must seek another ruler. The Queen, after reading the document, and listening to it and receiving explanations on one or two points, expressed her full and entire consent to govern according to the plan therein set forth. The nobles then said, "We also bind ourselves by this agreement. If we break it, we shall be guilty of treason, and if you break it, we shall do as we have done now." The prime minister then signed the document on behalf of the nobles and heads of the people, and the Queen signed it also. The chiefs of the nobles remained in the palace, and between one and two o'clock the firing of cannon announced the commencement of a new reign.

Between three and four o'clock a party of officers came with a copy of this document, which they read to us. I can only state two or three of its chief items. The word of the sovereign alone is not to he law, but the nobles and heads of the people, with the sovereign, are to make the laws. Perfect liberty and protection are guaranteed to all foreigners who are obedient to the laws of the country. Friendly relations are to be maintained with all other nations. Duties are to be levied, but commerce and civilisation are to be encouraged. Protection and liberty to worship, teach, and promote the extension of Christianity, are secured to the native Christians, and the same protection and liberty are guaranteed to those who are not Christians. Domestic slavery is not abolished; but masters are at liberty to give freedom to their slaves or to sell them to others. No person is to be put to death for any offence by the word of the sovereign alone; and no one is to be sentenced to death till twelve men have declared such person to be guilty of the crime to which the law awards the punishment of death. An hour afterwards we were sent for to the palace that we might tender our salutations to the new sovereign, who assured us of her friendship for the English, her good will to ourselves, and her desire to encourage our work. I cannot add more now. We are all well.

Rev. Dr. Tidman.

Yours truly,

W. ELLIS.

P.S.-June 17th.-Everything is going on well. The new Queen

has written to Queen Victoria and to the Emperor of the French, announcing her accession to the throne, her wish to maintain unimpaired the relations of amity and friendship established between the two nations and Madagascar, and assuring both sovereigns that she will protect the persons and property of their subjects who may come to this country. The officer who gave me this statement informed me also, with evident pleasure, that all the members of the government had carefully examined the treaty with England, and agreed to accept it, and fulfil its conditions. I am well, and as strong for work as I ever felt since my arrival in Madagascar. Our missionary prospects seem to rest on a better foundation than ever.

POSITIONS OF REEFS AND TOWNS ON THE COAST OF SIAM. Bangkok, Siam, May 27th, 1863. Sir, In the course of some coasting trips between this place and Chanthabun I have been told of the understated reefs, which I believe are unmarked in the latest charts :

1. Hin Ai Lao.-The determination is nearly accurate, though possibly a few hundred yards out. (I, of course, only mean the relative place on the chart.) The position given is that of the outer principal reef-there being three in all, of which a mass about sixty fathoms in length lies exposed to a height of about three feet at low water. The middle reef, of which about forty fathoms' length is bare at low tide, lies about 300 fathoms inside it, in a direct line between it and the shore. The inner, which is scarcely, if ever, exposed, lies about 150 fathoms inside the second. The whole seem to be coral.

Probably many smaller patches of rock lie scattered between those mentioned. The natives say there is a channel between the reefs for boats of light draft (up to six feet) but that it is tortuous and dangerous. The outer reef rises suddenly from four and five fathoms

water.

2.-A rock without a name. Position carefully ascertained by myself (whilst standing on it) by means of an azimuth compass and sextant. The group lies directly opposite the mouth of the Chanthabun River, 7 miles distant from Cone Island (Koh Nom Sao), the true bearing of which is N. 5° W.

It consists of two rocks, distant about forty feet, the largest about fourteen feet long and five broad. At low water neap tides shows itself about three feet above the water-line. As the tide rises it breaks first over the centre of the rock; hence a tale among the fishermen that it is a triple group. At an ordinary high tide the rock would have four feet water on it. The smaller rock, lying about forty feet to the N.b.E., is about one foot less in height.

The rocks rise perpendicularly from 2 fathoms water. The passage between them at low tide has 24 fathoms. For about 200 feet all round there is rocky bottom, with soundings to 4 fathoms; outside this, sand with soundings gradually increasing to 9 fathoms. In the N.b.W. direction the rocky bottom extends further, about 500 or 600 feet, the soundings being at 200 feet, 3 fathoms; at 400 feet, 4 fathoms; and at 600 feet, 7 fathoms, with sandy bottom.

Fishermen say they can trace a line of rocky bottom, or, as they call it, a bridge, from hence to Cone Island.

3. Hin Ai Lorp.-I was unable to stay to find this. Native pilots say it lies in a direct line between Koh Man Klang (in the map Koh Mon Klang) and Tung Kaben, about five miles distant from the latter. Some say that it is visible at all states of the tide, others that high tides cover it.

4. Chony Samit Reef-I cruized vainly in search of this, yet all the native pilots declare that it exists and I am inclined to believe them. They say it lies towards the western end of the strait, about mid-channel, and their direction for avoiding it is-"If on entering the straits from the westward you sight Koh Plateen, stand over close to the mainland; if you do not sight Koh Plateen keep as near as possible to the island."

5.-A reef jutting out some distance from the S.E. corner of Koh Koi. My native pilot is the only authority for this, which is not of much consequence. A large junk is said to have been lost on it last

year.

6.-Vague reports exist as to a reef or two reefs near the South of Koh Samit, not marked in the chart.

Her Majesty's Hydrographer once did me the honour personally to express the interest he felt in even the most trifling point of geogra phical information, especially referring to the native names of places and their meaning, I am therefore emboldened to add the following corrections of names and a list of some of the towns and provinces. Double Head, lat. 13° 18', long. 100° 53'. The native name is Lem Samook, "The Nose Point."

Kok Nak, lat. 13° 1′ 30′′, long. 100° 48′ 20′′. The native name is Koh Nok, "The Isle of Birds."

*Called now on the chart Alabaster Reef.

A reef, lat. 12° 42′ 16′′, long. 100° 47' 40". The native name is Kwai Wing Lai Ngua, "The Buffaloes Chasing the Bulls."

Sombrero Rock, lat. 12° 41′ 18′′, long. 100° 47′ 40′′. The native name is Hin Look Khai, "The Egg Rock" (?)

Koh Thi, lat. 12° 36′ 10′′, long. 100° 54'. Koh To-ke, "The Alligator Island."

Rayong River, lat. 12° 40', long. 101° 9′ 52". This is not the Rayong River, but the Klong Ta Kuan.

*

Village, lat. 12° 39′ 45′′, long. 101° 14' 15".

of the Rayong River.

Koh Tulu, lat. 12° 33′ 20′′, long. 101° 33'. Island with a Hole through it."

This is the mouth

Or Koh Taloo, "The

Mon Uy, lat. 12° 35′ 35′′, long. 101° 40′ 30′′. Koh Man Nai, "Central Potato Island."

Mon Klang, lat. 12° 35′ 35′′, long. 101° 40′ 30′′. "Central Potato Island."

Koh Man Klang,

Koh Mon, lat. 12° 35′ 35", long. 101° 40' 30". Koh Man Nok, "Outer Potato Island." (The vowel sound is that of the u in sun.) Parat, lat. 12° 41′ 35′′, long. 101° 46′ 10′′. Should be Pang Rat. Cone Island, lat. 12° 27′ 25′′, long. 102° 0′ 42′′. Native name Koh Nom Sao, "The Virgin's Breast."

As a rule, the names in the chart are remarkably accurate.
The following is a list of some of the towns, &c. :-

Baughia, large village, lat. 13° 29′ 15′′, long. 100° 47′ 30′′. The creek is marked in the chart.

Ban Lamung, large village, capital of a district, lat. 13° 3', long. 100° 53′ 45′′. The creek is marked in the chart.

Nah Kleua, large village, lat. 12° 58′ 44′′, long. 100° 54'. The creek is marked in the chart.

Satahip, village, lat. 12° 39′ 45", long. 100° 53′ 15′′.

Paknam Rayong, village, lat. 12° 39′ 45′′, long. 101° 14'. The village marked.

Lem Saraphin, cape, lat. 12° 38' 30", long. 101° 37′ 25′′. `(This position given me by a native.)

Paknam Wen, river estuary, lat. 12° 18', long. 102° 15'. This river leads to a large pepper district named Meuang Keeung.

If considered desirable I can give the names of several other small villages and islands, but they are of very small importance.

The provinces are:-From Bangpakong River to Double Head, Bangplasoi or Chonburi. From Double Head to Cape Liant the districts are not of provincial rank. From Cape Liant to Chong Samit, Rayong. From Chong Samit to opposite the upper end of Koh Chang, Chanthabun. From thence downwards, round about the Tung Yai Estuary, a small province, Meuang Krat. I have, &c.,

Sir R. Schomburgk, H.M. Consul, Siam.

HENRY ALABASTER.

This misplacement of the Rayong River is the only mistake of any consequence. Rayong is a provincial capital, about four miles up the river.