72 Journal of the F.M.S. Museums. 1 Vol. X, 



point of Koh Gah is a fine sand beach with some flat grass 

 land and Casuarinas behind, a mangrove swamp and some 

 dense scrub. A mile or two farther south, concealed by 

 mangroves, lay a small Chinese village in a bight between 

 hills whence comes an excellent stream of good water in a 

 rocky bed. The hills above are covered with penetrable 

 forest in which meander paths connecting oil trees which 

 after tapping are caulked with bundles of soft bark jammed 

 into the holes. Here in the hills are some very pretty rocky 

 water-holes in the bed of the stream : very few plants 

 were in flower. Near the mouth of the stream were two or 

 three houses belonging to Chinamen who have married 

 Siamese women : they have good vegetable gardens, areca 

 palms and pepper plots. 



On the 17th we moved up channel and anchored off* the 

 northernmost little hillock on Koh Pra Tung, passing on 

 the way the small exit which seemed quite clear and without 

 breakers though there were rollers across the mouth. There 

 is a large space in the interior covered with Melaleuca trees. 

 On the mainland opposite much the same feature occurred 

 — a large plain about 10 ft. above high-water level of dry 

 white sand over which grew grass and scattered shrubs, very 

 thick at their bases which were clothed with much moss and 

 immense numbers of orchids. This sand was pure white 

 and crunched exactly like frozen snow when walked on : it 

 looked like snow too. Here occurred Bromheadia palustris 

 while several of the bushes bore pretty pale green or white 

 flowers {Holarpena pauciflora, Eugenia zeijlanica, etc.). 

 Elephants were said to be common inland near the moun- 

 tains. 



On the 18th we reached Koh Jam Yai (Big Jam Island) 

 at 1 p.m. and after passing along a rocky shore in depths of 

 3 fathoms anchored in a shallow bay on the south-east side, 

 south of the summit (700 ft.), where there is a neck of low 

 land behind a considerable reef. Along the north-eastern 

 part of the island runs an almost continuous beach and the 

 land is low, dipping from the central hill which shows faces 

 of rock. Koh Jam Yai (Lat. 9° 30' N.) is about 3 miles long 

 and one wide and about 5 miles from the mainland. 



On the 19th I rowed across depths of 3 — 5 fathoms ;to 

 the west side of Koh Jam Noi (Little Jam Id.) : here are 

 no beaches but patches of sand above rocks : the sides were 

 steep with much large bamboo above them. The Sugar 

 Loaves to the north are pretty little hilly islets with sand 

 spits and Casuarinas : we found depths of 4 — 7 fathoms 

 between them. On Feb. 19th we reached Delisle Island, 

 about 5 miles long by 2 wide. There are two attractive 

 bays on the west side, in the southern a few houses, but 

 the coast is a foul one with many rocks off'-shore : a hill 

 forming the western point of the island separates the bays. 

 Rounding the north point we found sand beaches running 

 for a mile or so towards the eastern point and anchored 

 in 3 fathoms otf the first (Lat. 9° 45' N.) . A broad flat reef 

 and sandbank bare at low springs made landing difiicult 



