File:Travels in the central parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos - during the years 1858, 1859, and 1860 (1864) (14803616603).jpg

Identifier: travelsincentral02mouh (find matches)
Title: Travels in the central parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos : during the years 1858, 1859, and 1860
Year: 1864 (1860s)
Authors: Mouhot, Henri, 1826-1861 Mouhot, Charles
Subjects: Mouhot, Henri, 1826-1861
Publisher: London : John Murray
Contributing Library: University of Connecticut Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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s of the Laotians differs little from that of theSiamese. The people wear the langouti and a little redcotton waistcoat, or often nothing at all. Both men andwomen go barefoot: their head-dresses are like theSiamese. The women are generally better-looking thanthose of the latter nation: they wear a single shortpetticoat of cotton, and sometimes a piece of silk overthe breast. Their hah, which is black, they twist into aknot at the back of the head. The houses are built ofbamboos and leaves interwoven and raised upon stakes,and underneath is a shelter for domestic animals, suchas oxen, pigs, fowls, &c. The dwellings are, in the strictest sense, unfurnished,having neither tables nor beds, nor, with few excep-tions, even vessels of earth or porcelain. They eat theirrice made into balls out of their hands, or from littlebaskets plaited with cane, some of which are far fromunartistic. The crossbow and sarbacane are the arms used inhunting, as well as a kind of lance made of bamboo, and
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VOL. II. Drawn by M. Janet Lange.from a Sketch by M. Mouhot LAOTIAN WOMAN. L Chap. XVIII. A RHINOCEROS-HUNT. 147 sometimes, but more rarely, the gun, with which they arevery skilful. In the hamlet of Na-Le, where I had the pleasure ofkilling a female tiger, which with its partner was com-mitting great ravages in the neighbourhood, the chiefhunter of the village got up a rhinoceros-hunt in myhonour. I had not met with this animal in all mywanderings through the forests. The manner in whichhe is hunted by the Laotians is curious on account ofits simplicity and the skill they display. Our partyconsisted of eight, including myself. I and my servantswere armed with guns, and at the end of mine was asharp bayonet. The Laotians had bamboos with ironblades something between a bayonet and a poignard. Theweapon of the chief was the horn of a sword-fish, long,sharp, strong, and supple, and not likely to break. Thus armed, we set off into the thickest part of theforest, with all the windings of w

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