This book covers the first part of the author’s journey in Thailand and includes an account of the gunboat incident with France in 1893. As an official in the newly created Department of Mines, Smyth traveled to frontier provinces undergoing the process of cartographic and administrative incorporation into Siam, the process of Siam’s colonization by Bangkok. Smyth’s ability to speak Thai contributed to his unfiltered knowledge of the country, and his work with its lively descriptions and informed understanding of what he observed remains a goldmine for scholars and present-day travelers alike.