40
SIAMESE MODE OF DIVIDING TIME.
once in two or three years. The years 1853, 1855, 1858, and 1861, were leap-years, By this plan there is still a loss of about three days in 19 years, which is supplied by adding a day to their 7th month from time to time, as their Brahmin astrologers see to be necessary.
60 Winat'ees make 1 Nat'ee or minute; 6 Nat'ees, 1 Bāt; 10 Bāts, 1 Mong or Toom (hour); 12 Mongs, 1 Wan (day); 12 Tooms, 1 K'u'n (night); 29 or 30 Wans & K'u'ns, 1 Du'an (month); 12 or 13 Du'ans, 1 Pee (year); and 10 Pees, 1 Sök, or cycle of ten.
They have no word to denote a week of time. But each day of the seven has its appropriate name and number. Sunday is their first and Saturday their seventh day. The days of the week are:-1st. Wan At'ït (day of the Sun) Sunday; 2nd. Wan Chan (day of the Moon) Monday; 3rd. Wan Angk'an (day of Mars) Tuesday; 4th. Wau P'oot (day of Mercury) Wednesday; 5th. Wan Prahat (day of Jupiter) Thurs- day; 6th. Wan Sõõk (day of Venus) Friday; 7th. Wan Sow (day of Saturn) Saturday. Their twelve months are each designated by its appropriate number, excepting the first and second. The former, instead of being called the first month, is called Dúan ái (month ái), the latter, Dúan Yoè (month Yee). The next succeeding month is called Dúan Sám (third month); the next, Dúan Sěě, (fourth month); and so on through the twelve.
The Siamese have two cycles, one within the other. The greater is twelve years, the smaller ten. The name of the former is Pee, the latter Sok. Every year of each kind of cycle has its own specific name. The years of the cycle of 12 are:-1st. Pee Ch'ddat, year of the Rat; 2nd. Pee Ch'aldo, of the Cow; 3rd. Pee K'án, of the Tiger; 4th. Pee T'aw, of the Rabbit; 5th. Pee Marong, of the Great Dragon; 6tb. Pee Masèng, of the Small Dragon; 7th. Pee Mameea, of the Horse; 8th. Pee Mamaa, of the Goat; 9th. Pee Wawk, of the Monkey; 10th. Pee Raka, of the Cock; 11th. Pee Chaw, of the Dog; 12th. Pee Kõon, of the Hog.
The years of the cycle of 10 are:-Eka sok, let of the cycle; T'o sōk, 2nd; To sōk, 3rd; Treenì sốk, 4th; Benya sōk, 5th; Ch'áw sõk, 6th; Sapp'á sōk, 7th; Aatt'a sõk, 8th; Nōpp'a sõk, 9th; Samrett'i sōk, 10th of the cycle.
In writing the number of their Era, the name of each cycle, as it chances to be, is always given in the same connection. Every Siamese is taught to remember carefully the name of each year of the cycle of 12, and by no means to forget the name of the particular year, moon, day of the moon, and day of the week in which he was born. So that at any time, when he would count up the number of the years he has lived, he begins by repeating the names of the years in succession from the one that gave him birth, until he comes back again to his birth-year, keeping tally with his fingers. Thus he counts on until he makes another cycle of twelve, more or less, as the case may be in regard to his age. 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 bis reckoning, through 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 Buddha died, which was 2,400 years at the full moon in May, 1866. This reckoning is never used except in their religious matters. It is denominated Põōta Sakkárát (Era of Buddha). Their civil Era, called Chöölá Sakkárát (little Era) is reckoned from the time when Pra Rooang, a Siamese king of great celebrity, established it, and that was 1,227 full years in March, 1866. Siamese in writing their dates always show first the year 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 month is very concise.