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Dr. House was peculiarly fitted for this work, for he had been
providentially prepared to draw upon a wide range of scientific
instruction. His years at Rensselaer Institute had developed his taste
for natural philosophy and had given him a lifelong interest in the
progress of science. His study of medicine had qualified him in
practical chemistry, while his few years of teaching gave him needed
experience in laboratory demonstrations. While trying some
experiments with gas in Siam he recalls “occasions of the same kind
at Rensselaer school and in the Virginia school.” Busy as he was, he
managed to keep abreast of scientific progress through the journals
of science, and was forward to adopt new ideas as he found them. In
March, 1847, he writes:
“In evening read account of inhaling ether as a means
of enabling one to perform surgical operations without
pain to the patient. A wonderful discovery truly—
inestimable in its benefit to the suffering of our race—and
the author of it was an American.”
At the first opportunity he applied the new idea to a patient in
surgery:
“Old woman of eighty-four; piece of bamboo eight
inches had entered her flesh, remaining still unextracted.
O, how I wished I had an apparatus for inhaling ether—I
prepared an extempore one.”
In 1851 he reads of “a new way devised in Paris by suspending a
pendulum from high dome to trace and render visible the motion of
the earth on its axis”; and after a private experiment, straightway he
makes the demonstration for his science-loving Siamese friends.
Like many missionaries, Dr. House was a student of nature,
contributing to other scholars his observations. He was a member of
the “American Oriental Society.” He was a correspondent of the
naturalist, Mr. John C. Bowring, at Hong Kong, son of the diplomat,
for whom he undertook to collect and forward specimens of Siamese
insects and shells; and in this pursuit he became the discoverer of
two varieties of shells previously unknown to naturalists, to which his
name has been given, “Cyclostoria Housei” and “Spiraculum
Housei.” In his volume on Siam, Mr. George B. Bacon, speaking of
the flora and fauna of Siam, remarks:
“The work of scientific observation and classification has
been, as yet, only imperfectly accomplished. Much has
been done by the missionaries, especially by Dr. House,
of the American Presbyterian Mission, who is a competent
scientific observer.”
In his modesty he was surprised to find that his activities in this
line were known in Europe. Dining at the Prussian Embassy at
Bangkok, in 1862, he was introduced to the son of Chevalier
Bunsen, who remarked that “he had heard of Dr. House in Europe;
he has given his name to a new species of shell; he was the first to
make Siamese shells known to the world.” When Dr. Lane left Siam,
in 1855, Dr. House took over from him and continued the
meteorological observations because “it may be valuable by-and-by
for the Siamese.” On one occasion he had a bit of amusing chagrin
in trying to determine the elevation of a mountain. He had
constructed a new thermometer for himself and proposed to estimate
the altitude by ascertaining the boiling point. After carefully
explaining the theory to his native companions, placing the kettle on
the fire, he eagerly watched for the first sign of boiling. To his
astonishment the thermometer indicated that the chosen position,
instead of being several hundred feet above the sea, must be many
feet down below the earth’s surface—and then he discovered that
there was a fault in his thermometer.
EARLY TOURS
For his eagerness to lengthen the reach of his arm and to extend
the range of his voice, Dr. House found some satisfaction in
occasional tours into the surrounding country. These were at once a
relief from the exacting daily routine of the dispensary, a physical
recreation, and an exploration of the regions seldom visited by
Europeans. The first trip of any distance was made in company with
Rev. Jesse Caswell during February, 1848, when the two took a ten
day trip through the canals eastward to Petrui on the Bang Pakong
River. In the next November, with Rev. Asa Hemmenway, he toured
for a week to the west up the Meklong, with Rapri as the turning
point.
These early journeys were veritable explorations. The boatmen
seldom knew the country more than two days’ distance from the
capital. The doctor, in real explorer fashion, picked up in advance
what little information he could, sketched rude maps and then on the
journey directed or verified the course of the boat with a pocket
compass. His technical knowledge served to great advantage. For
future use, he records the directions by compass reading, the rate of
speed and the distances as shown by the log, and notes natural
objects which serve as landmarks. His skill at map making having
been disclosed, some of the state officials requested him to draw, for
their use, maps of the regions explored; and in discussing these with
them he found that the officials were almost totally ignorant of the
topography of the king’s domain away from the main water courses.
As these tours were all conducted on the same general plan, the
description of one will suffice for all. A native long-boat was used,
having a low cylindrical canopy of matting at the center to afford
some protection from the sun. A crew of six or eight men would man
the oars, or push with poles in shallow canals or in the rapids. The
travelling ordinarily would begin before daybreak; during the heat of
the day the party would stop for meals and for rest; then late in the
afternoon the voyage would be resumed, continuing till dark. If out
over Sunday the travellers were scrupulous to observe the day;
seeking, if possible, a desirable location for the day of rest, but
sometimes tying up in disagreeable places rather than push on in the
early hours of the Sabbath.
The watts, or temple grounds, ubiquitous in the country, serve as
caravansaries for travellers; their roofs and trees offering free shelter
for wayfarers. As these watts were also the seats of learning, the
missionaries always found an opportunity to present their printed
page and to engage in conversation on religion. Books were offered
to all met with along the way; to the fishermen seeking their game in
the early morning hours, to the women working in the rice fields, to
the labourers at the sugar presses, to the farmers in their garden
patches, to the villagers in the hamlets through which they so
frequently passed, and to the priests and novitiates at the watts.
Some were too busy to bother with the proffered gift; some would
accept with passive interest; some would accept with marked
interest and open a fire of questions. Still others, after discovering
the nature of the gift received by their friends would pursue the
voyagers, and swim out to the boat in eagerness for a book. Time
did not suffice to enter into conversation, for the purpose was to
scatter the seed as far as possible, so the boat would keep under
way while packages were cast out on the land or into passing boats.
At the noon stop, if natives did not gather around as usual, the
doctor would start off to the nearest hamlet with a bag of books,
sheltering himself under a large umbrella. Then would ensue the
familiar yet ever different conversation about the Gospel.
TO PETCHABURI
After he became familiar with the methods, the doctor was ready
to make long tours, once freed from the restricting cares of the
dispensary. The married men did not find it convenient to leave their
wives and young children for a long period so that this work was
largely taken up by the doctor, who gained a keen relish for it. In
December, 1848, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Mattoon, Dr. House
set out with two boats for Petchaburi, the capital of the province by
that name on the western peninsula. The trip had several points of
interest.
In the first place the Lieutenant-Governor of the province had
come to Dr. House for medical treatment a few months after his
arrival; and being pleased with his treatment, invited the doctor to
come to Petchaburi. Upon his recommendation the Governor of the
province also, while in Bangkok, came to the mission house, curious
to see the skeleton which the doctor had. The Governor manifested
such an interest and friendliness that Dr. House resolved to visit the
provincial capital and discover the possibilities of mission work.
Arriving at Petchaburi, they called upon the two officials and offered
to them gifts of foreign articles. When they were about to leave for
home, the officials in return sent very generous presents of fruit and
sugar to their boats. In later years the under-governor, having been
promoted, made earnest solicitation for the missionaries to teach
English in his capital, and as an inducement offered freedom to
teach religion.
Another item of interest was of a different sort. Having learned that
the original home of the Siamese twins was in the village of Meklong,
near the head of the Gulf of Siam, the Americans sought out the
family. They found only one brother living there, and learned that a
sister was living in Bangkok, while the mother had died a year
previously. The brother expressed a longing to see his brothers
again or to hear from them; and at the doctor’s own suggestion he
wrote a letter to the absent twins, dictated by the brother. It told of
the pious wish of the dying mother for them “to do merit for her
spirit.” Some years later, when Rev. Daniel McGilvary visited the
twins in their home in South Carolina, they spoke of receiving this
letter.
TO PRABAT
In the winter of 1849 Dr. House and Mr. Hemmenway made a trip
to Prabat, about one hundred miles to the northeast of the capital.
This place is the site of a watt erected over an imprint in the rock,
reputed to have been made by the footstep of Buddha. At that
particular season of the year multitudes come from all parts of the
kingdom to do homage to this “shadow” of Buddha. The doctor gives
quite a detailed description of his experiences:
“A rocky mount, covered with a pagoda, rose before us
to the height of three hundred to four hundred feet. On a
lower elevation in front of this peak is the famous foot
print; over which stands a very beautiful tho excessively
ornamented structure, with elegant pillars on a side
supporting a pagoda-like gilded roof, towering up seven
stories, gracefully diminishing till they terminated in a
handsome golden spire. On a rocky summit on the left
stood a small pagoda, and on the right a higher eminence
was crowned with a similar sightly structure. Before it was
a long flight of stone steps leading up to the platform on
which it stood. We ascended these steps, crossed a little
court, entered another a little higher—and without
ceremony entered the half-open door of the sanctuary
before we were forbidden. Had we delayed a moment
perhaps we should have lost the opportunity and had the
gates closed against us. But we were in and made as
good use of our eyes as we could during the few moments
we were allowed to continue. More than one voice was
raised in the silence that had prevailed within, saying to us
we must go out, go out, or else kneel down and worship.
One man with an air of authority came up and took us by
the shoulder, ordering us roughly to take off our hats and
shoes. So we went out.
“But we had seen the grave-like opening at the bottom
of which the sacred footstep is said to be, though covered
as it was with broad pieces of gold leaf and cloth of gold,
and women kneeling low before it in an attitude of
profound homage. The pavement of the room is of solid
silver, the square blocks smoothly polished by the votaries
as they pass in and out on knees. The footstep is said to
receive annually a great amount of gold, while offerings of
rings and other articles of value are thrown into the
opening not infrequently.”
Leaving the sanctuary the visitors climbed on up to the top of the
hill to survey the country. Returning, Dr. House became separated
from his companion; and as he approached the scene of the fabled
footprint, he stopped to look at the elegant pagoda. Soon a crowd
gathered around him, and in answer to a priest he explained why
they had not worshiped before the footprint. Some were wondering
at his garments; others were wondering at the unheard-of boldness
in resolutely keeping on a hat while on holy ground. While he was
talking, a rude push from someone behind and then yells from a
hundred throats gave a threatening aspect to the situation.
Fortunately, at that critical moment, a Bangkok priest, an old
acquaintance, recognised him and was not afraid to come to the
rescue. He then withdrew in safety, and finding Mr. Hemmenway, the
two returned to their elephants and took up the journey to the boats.
In the narrative of this trip Dr. House records having come upon a
boy of about fourteen years, born without arms or legs, but perfect in
other respects. The arm-bone was projected about four inches,
covered with skin, calloused at the end from use. The boy could not
raise or feed himself, but could make slight change of position by
rotating alternately on each thigh.
A number of tours were taken in the dry seasons of ’49 and ’50.
One through inland waterways to the Bang Pakong River and thence
northward above Nakonnayok, meeting many Lao people living on
the river-bottom farm lands. Another to a point some two hundred
miles up the Meinam, and a year later yet another trip was made as
far as Paknampo, some three hundred miles up the same stream,
and thence two days’ journey up the right fork of the Meinam.
VI
CHOLERA COMES BUT THE DOCTOR
CARRIES ON
The first recruits for the Presbyterian work came in 1849, when Rev.
Stephen Bush and his wife arrived. Mr. Bush had been a college
mate of Dr. House and Mr. Mattoon, and he came from Sandy Hill
(now Hudson Falls), N. Y., the home town of the Mattoons. This little
company of Christian men and women now decided to organise a
church as a bond of fellowship and for the orderly administration of
the sacraments. When it is considered that they had not yet won a
single convert from either the natives or the Chinese, it is a
remarkable testimony to their faith that they should have taken this
step in anticipation of the future harvest. Dr. House records this
action in his journal under date of Aug. 31, 1849:
“After tea we had a meeting of the members of the
mission, and with all due solemnity organised a
Presbyterian church in Bangkok, by the election of Rev.
Stephen Mattoon as our pastor, and S. R. H. [Doctor
House] as ruling elder. Brother Mattoon as senior member
of the mission presided, reading at the opening of the
meeting the first chapter of Revelation, that introduces the
address to the seven churches of Asia by their Glorious
Head.
“In the name of the Great Head of the Church we, a little
band of five, united together in a separate church
organization, the beginning of great things we hope—the
germ of the tree that shall overshadow the land. The lay
members of this infant church were S. R. House, Mrs.
Stephen Mattoon, and Mrs. Stephen Bush.” [Mr. Mattoon
and Mr. Bush being clergymen were not eligible to
membership in a local church.]
At the first communion of the new church, held on Sept. 30, a
Chinese Christian was received:
“In the evening at a meeting of the Church Session
Quasien Kieng, the native member of the A. B. C. F. M.
mission church (received by Messrs. Johnson and Peet on
January 7, 1844) was received into our membership on
certificate of recommendation from the pastor, Rev. A.
Hemmenway. An interesting occasion to us. A worthy
brother, this Chinese disciple; may his wife and many
others come in with and through him.”
This Chinese Christian, whose name is spelled variously in the
doctor’s journal and elsewhere, was Kee-Eng Sinsay Quasien, who
served as the first Chinese teacher in the boys’ school and who
became the grandfather of Boon Itt, concerning whom more notice
will appear later. Up to this time, so far as records show, there had
been no genuine converts from among the Siamese in any of the
missions. There had, however, been several from among the
Chinese. Indeed when the king was urged to take action against the
first missionaries he replied: “Let them alone; no one will give heed
to them except the Chinese.” The first convert from among the
Chinese sojourners in Siam was Boon Tai, who had come under the
personal influence of Dr. Gutzlaff previous to 1831. A few others
were converted under the teaching of transient missionaries, and
then came Mr. Dean, who established the first church of Chinese.