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Show 2 PAPERMAKIN IN SIA inquiries along the dusty roads that lead to the waterfront, finally brough us to a dilapidated wharf on th Nénam Choa Bhraya where we found the owner of river gondola who thought he could convey us to th paper mill in Bangsom. The roof of the boat was so lo that I could not sit upright on the narro and the heat of the equatorial sun upon th ing, to say nothing of the swarms of flies an made travel rather bothersome, even wit wooden sea metal covermosquitoes the prospec ofseein a primitive paper mill at the end of the journey We floated quietly along the river, passing all manner o quaint barges loaded down with the colourful product of Siam. Finally the boatman who seemed to knowever nook and twist of Bangkok's vast canal system, left th busy riverand turned up a narrow watery passage scarce ly wide enough for even his small gondola to slip throug without scraping the muddy banks of the stream. W glided silently along, past drab houses and shops of ever description all built on stilts in the marsh, grown hig with tropical aquatic plants which permeated the clos still air with their exotic odor. Each house had its ow wooden steps leading into the canal so that every famil could, without inconvenience have the morning bath i the filthy brown water. The men, women, and childre who were bathing and washing their clothesin the strea scrambled cheerfully up thesteps to permit our weather Al rights reserved |
