136 BLACKAN MATTEE. 



of the settlement, and in the administration of 

 justice. At present slavery is totally unknown 

 in the island, for the treaty emancipated even 

 the retainers of the native chiefs."* 



I have quoted the foregoing extract to serve 

 as an explanation of the first treaty, and to 

 show how the possession of the island was per- 

 manently obtained by the British, which will 

 be interesting to the many who may not have 

 had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with 

 the circumstances. 



Besides the Government-hill, which rises in 

 picturesque beauty behind the plain, upon w^hich 

 the settlement has been formed, there is an 

 elevated hill to the westward, known by the name 

 of Blackan Mattee,"}" on which there is a signal sta- 

 tion, removed from St. John's Island. There are 

 other elevated hills clothed with lofty timber trees, 

 and rising inland, which bestow a picturesque cha- 

 racter upon the scenery of the coast ; many of the 



* Crawford's Embassy to Siani and Cochin China, 4to. 

 pp. 565 to 567. 



f Blackan Mattee is derived from the Malay word 

 '' Blackan," behind ; and Mattee, dead or lost: it was sup- 

 posed to be so named, because the hill, when this place was 

 resorted to by pirates, concealed them from the view of the 

 settlement or village— the present town. The explanation, 

 however, of the name is not very satisfactory. 



