12 MESSRS. ROBINSON AND KLOSS ON 



Through the courtesy of the Governor we made an excursion 

 by motor boat to the river mouth, which is a large fishing centre. At 

 the time of our visit not much work was being carried on, but the 

 methods consisted of seines of various kinds, dip-nets and fish-traps, 

 several of widely different kinds from these used in Malaga. The 

 rail from Chumpon to Koh Lak (now called Prachuap Kirikan) runs 

 through fairly varied country, but in this region, comparatively near 

 the coast, we had entirely left evergreen forei^t, which only exists on 

 the higher slopes of the hill ranges forming the boundary of Siam 

 and Lower Tenasserim. Much of the country was undulating low 

 hills, covered with lalang and other coarse grasses, but as the time of 

 our visit was approaching the end of the dry season, everj'thing was 

 much burnt up and desiccated. Elsewhere was flatter country covered 

 also with coarse grass or large patches of scrub, amongst which a 

 tall and uncommonly thorny bamboo was extremely prominent. Oc- 

 casionally we passed isolated and precipitous limestone hills arising 

 abruptly from the plain and which, while the line was being built, 

 formed a most convenient source of ballast. In places there were 

 small fields of rice and buffalo-grazing lands, but the general aspect 

 of the country, with the exception of the district round Bangtaphan, 

 was one of great poverty and desolation. 



Tradition has it that in the early part of the 19th century one 

 of the terrific storms, which on rare occasions visit this coast, blew 

 down much good forest that originally grew in the district. This 

 destruction was accompanied by fires from which the land never 

 recovered and, owing to the denudation during wet season, has pro- 

 gressively deteriorated ever since. Much of the country, however, 

 looks as if it might be at least as well adapted for stock raising as 

 parts of tropical Australia, in which that industry has been found 

 successful. 



Koh Lak. 



On arrival at Koh Lak we were met by a representative of 

 the Governor and inducted into quarters in a pleasant little house on 

 the beach. These we occupied for some days, but had to vacate on 

 the rumours of the arrival of personages from Bangkok, who, 



JOURN. NAT. HIST. SOC. SIAM. 



