1841.] A Visit to Kyok Phyoo : 139 



mountainous, rugged, but thickly wooded islands, called the Bolongas or 

 broken islands. As night closed in, the anchor was dropt about a league 

 outside the harbour of Kyok Phyoo. 



There are two or three ' dangers ' in the passage way, and it becomes 

 therefore desirable, that day-light should exist while steering through 

 the harbour. On one occasion, however, the Captain of the Amherst stood 

 in on a bright moon-light night and took up his right position with 

 out the occurrence of any accident. With the exception of the rocks 

 here alluded to, the entrance of the harbour is deep and spacious. 



I confess, as we sailed in, early the next morning, the general appear- 

 ance of the harbour and scenery surrounding it, created a most favorable 

 impression. The first object which attracted my attention was the Saddle 

 Island. It stands on the south side of the entrance of the outer har- 

 bour, (there are, as it were, two harbours) is about three quarters of a 

 mile, or a mile in circumference, and has a peak of about 120 or 150 

 feet in height. On it, a neat bungalow has been built by the present 

 Marine Assistant, Captain Brown. Here it has become the fashion of 

 late, for parties of pleasure to resort, to pass the day in the agreeable 

 occupation of shell picking, coral gathering, bathing, ship sighting 

 or if it suits them better, drawing, reading, or geologizing, while the 

 health inspiring breeze of the sea is blowing on their frames. 



As the ship sails along, new and striking peculiarities claim the obser- 

 ver's attention, and some of the earliest of these, are, the cantonment bun- 

 galows of the officers which stud the beach at irregular intervals, for a dis- 

 tance of three miles as far as ' Sandy Point ;' this forms the northern pro- 

 montory of the inner harbour, and on it stands a two 12-pound battery, 

 with an appropriate flag staff, under the designation of ' Fort Dalhousie.' 

 On the land a little elevated above the sea shore, and about a hundred 

 yards from the pebbly and sandy beach, with nothing to impede the cur- 

 rent of the refreshing sea breeze as it comes off the ocean, are seen those 

 cottages on piles, known as bungalows, overhung and shaded by the lofty 

 Dipterocarpi ; the bank on which they stand is of yellow sand, and along 

 the beach at sunset, or in the morning, the valetudinarian may gallop 

 without intermission on the active sure footed pony of the province for 

 three good miles, and court the healthful breeze. A small thatched 

 bathing house stands conspicuous. It is the resort, every morning, of 

 the lovers of bathing, who delight to wrestle with the waves and luxuriate 

 in the sea. 



Kyok Phyoo has not reached that pitch of celebrity yet, as to call 

 for the erection of bathing machines, but no beach in the world is 



