1832.] to the Tenasserim Sapan Forests. 545 



lulls. They always select a rising ground on the brows of bills, to sow 

 their grain — a practice quite contrary to that adopted by their neigh- 

 bours, the Burmese, who invariably choose a low flat ground fur this 

 purpose. Their manners and habits are also different from the Burmese ; 

 their houses are generally neat and well built, standing as high as fif- 

 teen or eighteen feet from the ground, with a moveable ladder, which 

 is drawn up at nights; — this is done to protect themselves from the 

 nocturnal visits of tigers, elephants, and other wild beasts ; — the in- 

 side of their houses and their simple rustic furniture are kept extreme- 

 ly clean. Accustomed always to migrative habits, a Karian is na- 

 turally indifferent to laying out his plantations with any judgment or 

 taste, and consequently little labour is devoted to the rearing of trees, 

 the fruit of which may be reaped after a lapse of time. The soil pre- 

 ferred by them is of a red kind, found near the base of the hills, and 

 on this they plant vegetables, roots, and yams. Some of the stumps 

 of the jungle trees answer them as supporters to their betel, yam, and 

 other vines. Although in disposition they are far from resembling 

 savages, yet in their way of living they may be identified with them ; 

 every animal or reptile, that comes in their way, serves them as 

 an article of food. Met boats with Chinese and Burmese proceeding 

 up the river for sapan-wood : — freshes strong : — shores covered with 



brush-wood : — passed another range of hills : — commenced tracking : 



passed a Siamese fort : — river apparently not navigable in the dry 

 season : — constant rain : — saw tracks of wild elephants and buffaloes : 

 —passed several creeks, islands, and mountains : — nothing of interest 

 occurred until 



September 3rd, 1830, (near Kotoung.) — At noon we came to a 

 creek called Phia Hat-thwet ; the Burmese maintain, that their god 

 came out of this creek, and took up his abode for some time in a cave, 

 on a rising ground, a short distance from it. The rock under which 

 the cave is may be about three hundred and eighty feet high. On 

 its south side, it forms three squares ; — the entrance is towards the 

 westward. Its north-east angle slopes gradually down to the base of 

 the hill ; — the entrance to the cave is on a gradual ascent for about 

 two hundred yards, when you come to an irregular arch, about four- 

 teen feet in diameter. The inside is very spacious, and one is struck 

 with wonder and amazement on beholding such a spacious cave. Its 

 length from the entrance, east and west, is about one hundred and forty- 

 six feet, and from north to south, two hundred and sixty-seven feet. 

 The dome inside at its highest part is one hundred feet from the 

 ground. The rock of the cave is of a porous nature. In former times, 



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