Katya & The Prince of Siam

Meanwhile, her sister Eliza was edited out of the story as she had married a lowly Sergeant Major by whom she had six children, one of whom married an Eurasian widower called Pratt, an extremely able man who rose to be Assistant Collector of Salt Revenues in Bombay. Retiring in 1878, he settled in London, and three of his sons became highly distinguished. One was a Puisne Judge in Bombay, another a member of Bombay Legislative Council, and a third was awarded the KBE and CMG ‘for distinguished services to the British Government’. Ironically this meant that they moved in circles to which their Aunt Anna had access only in fantasy. Eliza’s youngest son, however, struck out in a quite different direction, for he became famous as Boris Karloff, who frightened a generation of movie-goers with his portrayals of sinister madmen, vampires and at least one Red Indian!

While the melodramatic inaccuracies in Anna’s books are regrettable, there is undeniable pathos in her industrious weaving of falsehood about her origins, particularly as, in her true character, she was both enterprising and courageous, not entirely unworthy of Mongkut’s alleged words of farewell when she left: ‘Mam, you are much beloved by our common people, all inhabitants of palace and royal children. I am often angry on you and lose my temper though I have large respect for you. But you ought to know, Mam, you are of great difficulty and more difficult than generality …’

Mongkut’s interest in astronomy, shared by his Prime Minister, combined with his desire to demonstrate to his people the superiority of mathematical calculation over superstitious belief, caused him to welcome with enthusiasm the total eclipse of the sun, due on August 18, 1868. He therefore wrote on July 18 of that year to Henry Alabaster, Interpreter to the British Consulate at Singapore, requesting his good offices in urging acceptance of his invitation to the Governor, Sir Harry Orde and his wife, to be present on this occasion. An excerpt from his letter which begins, ‘My Dear Familiar Friend’, runs as follows:

 

‘I have embraced good opportunity to communicate with Sir Harry Orde several times occasionally, his speech and tone of letter from him was very gracious and satisfactory to me indeed. Now he becomes familiar and intimate with me as well as his lady Mrs Orde, who was regardful to my fine noble ladies here … The total eclipse of the sun will be most remarkable and interesting … Please assist me to fulfil my desire according to your ability. I shall feel great obligation from you, your faithfully good friend, Mongkut.’

 

As Siam lay directly in the path of the eclipse the King hoped to convince his subjects that, contrary to their belief, the eclipse would not be caused by the dragon Rahu making a meal of the sun and disgorging it only when frightened by beating of gongs and letting off fireworks, but could be predicted beforehand and explained by rather more rational methods.

A number of observers from Europe began to gather in the East for this event, including a French contingent which came directly to Siam. After calculations carried out by Mongkut himself, a wild and uninhabited spot about 140 miles South of Bangkok was selected for the viewing, and an invitation extended to all foreigners in that city, as well as the French expedition, to assemble there by 18th August. No trouble or expense was spared to ensure that all who came were treated with due respect and consideration for their every comfort. It was estimated that at least £20,000 from the privy purse was spent upon the enterprise. Jungle was cleared and a small township of temporary yet solid dwellings was constructed, covering about two miles. These included a shed with sliding roof, specially designed for rapid opening, to house the French contingent’s telescopes.

Travelling overland (the Suez Canal not then being open) Monsieur Stephan, their leader, wrote: ‘The King of Siam with all his court, part of his army and a crowd of Europeans, arrived by sea on 8th August in twelve steamboats of the Royal Navy, while by land came troops of oxen, horses and fifty elephants.’