Trích "Account of Pegu and the Voyage to Cambodia and Siam in 1718" của Alexander Hamilton. Hà Tiên ở đây được gọi là Cambodia, nhưng chỉ là phần bờ biển thuộc về Nam Hà và có một "vị vua".
Quá lười để dịch, nên tóm tắt thế này: Theo ghi chép này, năm 1717, vua Xiêm La đem 5 vạn quân bộ và 2 vạn thủy quân tiến đánh Lũng Kỳ (đây là nơi Mạc Cửu đến lập phố đầu tiên). Không thể chống lại số quân này, Mạc Cửu cho người ở Lũng Kỳ lui hết về Giang Thành, đốt hết Lũng Kỳ để tạo thế vườn không nhà trống.
Theo ghi chép này, Mạc Cửu đã cho người cầu viện Nam Hà - nhưng sử VN có lẽ ghi nhầm 1718 thành 1708. Sử VN ghi Mạc Cửu đến triều đình Nam Hà sau khi cuộc chiến này kết thúc nhưng không ghi Nam Hà có động binh giúp Hà Tiên - Nếu có, hẳn là lực lượng quân đội ở Gia Định - điều này cũng lý giải được cho mối quan hệ thân thiết của Mạc Cửu và Trần Thượng Xuyên. Quân Nam Hà yểm trợ là 1,5 vạn, cùng với 3000 thủy quân. Tuy nhiên, số quân tổng hợp của cả 2 cũng chỉ bằng nửa quân Xiêm, số thuyền cũng chỉ bằng 1/4.
Quân đội Xiêm La bị mắc kẹt ở Lũng Kỳ, cả người lẫn voi bị nạn đói hoành hành. Trong lúc đó, quân Hà Tiên - Nam Hà vẫn bám sát gót tấn công du kích. Quân Xiêm vào đốt thành phố Lũng Kỳ, bị quân Hà Tiên phục kích đốt thuyền, dẫn dụ các thuyền khác vào đoạn sông cạn, mắc kẹt không ra được, rồi sau đó quân Hà Tiên rút lui, bỏ mặc quân Xiêm sợ bị chết đói mà chạy về.
- Người Hà Tiên (miền Tây) rất đẹp, đặc biệt là phụ nữ. Điều này được lịch sử chứng minh. 
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"In anno 1717, the king of Siam made war on his neighbour of Cambodia, and invaded his country with an army of fifty thousand by land, and twenty thousand by sea, and committed the care of his armies to his Barka-long, a Chinese, altogether unacquainted with war. The China Man accepted of he charge with much reluctancy, but the king would not be denied. The war proved unsuccessful, but I'll leave the particulars till I treat of Cambo-dia, and return to Siam, where I had some difficulties to meet with."
Cambodia
The first sea-port to be met with is Cupangsoap, a town in the dominions of Cambodia, It affords elephants teeth, sticklack and the gum Cambouge or Cambodia, but there is no free commerce allowed there, without a licence from the court of Cambodia.
The next place is Ponteamass, a place of pretty good trade for many years, having the conveniency of a pretty deep but narrow river, which, in the rainy seasons of the South-west monsoons, has communication with Bansack or Cambodia River, which conveniency made it draw foreign commerce from the city of Cambodia hither; for the city lying near one hundred leagues up the river, and most part of the way a continual stream running downward, made the navigation to the city so long and trouble-som, that few cared to trade to it, for which reasons foreign commerce chose to come to Ponteamass, and it flourished pretty well till the year 1717, that the Siam fleet destroyed it.
When the Siam army and fleet threatned Cambodia, the king knew his inability to withstand the amers, so the inhabitants that lived on his borders had orders to remove towards the city of Cambodia, and what they could not bring with them, to destroy it, so that for fifty leagues the country was a mere desert. He then addrest the king of Couchin-china for assistance and protection, which he obtained, on condition, that Cambodia should be-come tributary to Couchin-china, which was agreed to, and he had an army of fifteen thousand to assist him by land, and three thousand in nimble gallies well manned and equipt, by sea.
The Siam army by land was above double the number of the Cambodians and Couchin-chinese in conjunc-tion, and their fleet above four times their number. The land army finding all the country desolate, as they marched into the borders of Cambodia, soon began to be in distress for want of provisions, which obliged them to kill their carriage beasts, and their elephants and horses which they could get no sustenance for, and the soldiers being obliged to eat their flesh, it being a diet they had never been used to, an epidemick flux and fever seized the whole army, so that in two months one half was not left, and those were obliged to retreat towards their own country again, with the Cambodian army always at their heels.
Nor had their navy much better success, for they coming to Ponteamass, sent in their small gallies to plun-der and burn the town, which they did effectually, and, of elephants teeth only, they burnt above two hundred tuns. The ships and jonks of burden lying in the road, above four miles from the town, the Couchin-chinese taking hold of that opportunity, attackt the large vessels, and burned some, and forced others ashore, whilst their gallies were in a narrow river, and could not come to their assistance till high-water that they could get out. The Couchin-chinese having done what they came for, retired, not caring to engage such a superior number, and the Siamers fearing famine in their fleet, steered their course for Siam with disgrace. In anno 1720, 1 saw several of the wracks,
and the ruins of the town of Ponteamass.
The City of Cambodia stands on the side of the great river, about fifty or sixty leagues from Ponteamass by land, or by water in the South-west monsoons. The country produces gold of twenty one caracts fine, raw silk at 120 dollars per pecul, elephants teeth at fifty to fifty-five dollars for the largest. The small are of different prices. They have also much sapan-wood, sandal-wood, agala-wood, sticklack, and many sorts of physical drugs, and lack for Japaning. They are very desirous of having a trade with the English; but they will not suffer the Dutch to settle fac-
tories in their country provisions of flesh and fish are plentiful and cheap, and are the only things that may be bought without a permit from the king. I have bought a bullock, that weighed between four and five hundred weight, for a Spanish dollar; and rice is bought at eight pence per pecul, which is about 140 lb. but poultry are scarce, because the country being for the most part woody, when the chickens grow big, they go to the woods, and shift for themselves. Tigers and wild elephants are numerous in the woods, and there are also wild cattle and buffa-loes, and plenty of deer, all which animals every body is free to catch or kill.
There are about two hundred Topasses, or Indian Portugueze settled and married in Cambodia, and some of them have pretty good posts in the government, and live great after the fashion of that country; but they have no priests, nor will any venture to go among them...
When I arrived at Ponteamass, an officer came on board, who could speak a little Portugueze. He brought a present of refreshments along with him, and advised me to send to the king, to give him an account of my arrival, and acquaint him that I designed to trade with his subjects by his permission, which I did, and in twelve days, re-ceived an answer that I might, but desired me to send some person up with musters of my goods, that he and his merchants might see them, and sent two Portugueze for interpreters, one to stay with me on board of my ship, while I staid, and the other to accompany the person I designed to send to him with the musters. On their arrival I dispatcht my second supercargo, with an equippage of twenty-five men, well armed with fuzees and bayonets, with two small bales of musters, and presents for the king, with instructions to let me hear from him once a week by an express, if no other opportunity offered.
After he arrived at the city, he had a large house allowed him for the accommodation of him and his retinue, and had store of provisions sent him, and many folks of distinction visited him, but ten days past before he could see his majesty, who at last received him in great state, sitting on a throne like a pulpit, with his face vailed below his eyes, and after many gracious speeches, some whereof were pertinent to my purpose, but many not, he gave me liberty and encouragement to trade.
... When the king bestows his favour on any person whom he has a mind to honour, which he never does without a considerable present, he presents the person with two swords to be carried always before him when he goes abroad in publick, one is the sword of state, and the other of justice. All people that meet him when those swords are carried before him, must give him place, and salute him by a set form of words, but if he meets with another court minion, then they compare the dates of their patents, and segniority takes place, and must be first saluted. Wherever those mandareens go in the country, they hold courts of justice, both civil and criminal, and they have the power of laying on fines, but they are paid into the king's treasury; but in capital crimes, his sentence is law, and speedy execution follows sentence.
The Cambodians are of a light brown complexion, and very well shaped, their hair long, and beards thin. Their women are very handsom, but not very modest. The men wear a vestment like our night-gowns, but nothing on their heads or feet. The women wear a petticoat reaching below the ancle, and on their bodies a frock made close and meet for their bodies and arms, and both sexes dress their hair."
