1
44
•
WEIGHTS, MEASURES, &c.
He can tell quite certainly whether his age is within the first cycle of 12, or the second, third, or fourth; but if he be upwards of 60 years old, he is liable to get bewildered in his reckoning, for the want of the habit of counting his years by the year of the Era in which he was born. This the Siamese never do.
The Siamese sacred Era is reckoned from the time it is supposed Buddh died, which was 2,409 years at the full moon in May, 1866. This reckoning is never used except in their religious matters. It is denominated Pöötà Sákkáeát (Era of Buddh). Their civil Era, called Chōōlá Sákkárát (little Era), as reckoned from the time when Pra Rooang, a Siamese king of great celebrity, established it, and that was 1227 full years in March, 1866. Siamese, in writing their dates, always show first the year of of their Era; second, the day of the week; third, the day of the waxing or waning moon; fourth, the number of the month; fifth, the names of the year; and, sixth, the particular year of the cycle of 10. Their mode of showing the day of week, day of moon, and the month is very concise.
WEIGHTS, MEASURES, &c.
TABLE OF SIAMESE MONEY.
4 P'eis 2 Fu'ang
make 1 Fu'ang
$0.076
33
1 Sälü'ng
0·150
**
4 Sälü'ngs
1
Bät or Tical
0.600
""
"
4 Bäts
"
1 Tämlü'ng
2.400
"1
20 Tämlü'ngs
"}
1 Ch'äng
48.000
""
50 Ch'ängs
1 Hap
2,400.300
""
100 Hip
1 Tära
"J
""
24,000.000
NOTE.—The standard of weight being the coin of the country, weights are desig- nated by the same terms. A Tical weights 236 grains Troy.
The Siamese standard of weight is just double that of the Chinese: and goods are bought and sold in Bangkok more by the Chinese than the Siamese standard.
LONG MEASURE.
13
1 Niw....
-inch.
16
12 Niws
2 K'a'ps
make
1 K'ú'p 1 Siwk
""
91 "" 12/
99
4 Süwks
1 Wah
78
""
""
"
20 Wahs
1 Sën
130 feet.
"
31
400 Sens
1 Yot
""
""
97 statute miles.
NOTE.-Timber is bought by the Yök, which is 64 Säwk in length, by 1 Säwk in width=36,864 Siamese inches, being equivalent to 169 square feet.
DRY MEASURE.
1 Tänan.
1 pints.
20 T'änan
make
1 Táng
15
""
25 Tänan
1 Sat
37
100 Tángs or 80 Sat
1 Keean (Coyan.)
NOTE. A Keean is 20 Piculs. A Picul, is 133 lbs. Avoirdupois.