CHAPTER I: ARRIVAL IMPRESSIONS (Bangkok)

Yesterday we met a charming Italian couple who had recently arrived from Australia. They told us wonderful tales of the interior of Ceylon and Candia, including the railroad... from Colombo to Candia. It makes us wish we could have stayed a few days like them. (...) As we prepare to settle in, we are going to inspect the stores of the famous Kiam Hoa Heng, a wealthy Chinese who sells everything: bicycles, watches, preserves, earthenware, sewing machines, shoes, utensils, books, crystals, perfumes, spirits, stoves, blankets, etc. There's nothing you can't find at his place.

CHAPTER 2: EUROPEAN HOMES

A peculiarity of life here is the system of payment by check, which is universally widespread. The smallest expenses are paid by chits, i.e. vouchers for one, two or more ticals, which you sign in the book of the coachman, the baker, the grocer, etc. At the end of the month, on presentation of the chits, you hand over a cheque for the import of the total. In this way, you never have any change with you, barely fifty or so ticals at home to pay peddlers and the like, and you have all your funds in the bank in a current account.

CHAPTER 3

Many of the police officers here are Hindus or Burmese. The police department is in the hands of the English, formerly based in India, who bring in their auxiliaries from this country. They are tall men of fine stature, with a majestic turban adding to their presence. Tanned complexion, bushy black beard - these are the physical traits that differentiate them from the Siamese, who are rather small and delicate, with a coppery complexion and never a beard on the chin. The latest legislation in India is said to have been highly effective in many respects. For example, to put an end to the brigandage that was rampant in Burma, it was decided to make neighbors liable for all damage and oblige them to compensate the robbed one, unless they could prove that they had been unable to prevent the theft. Within a year, brigandage had dropped significantly.