1^41.] Account of Arakau. 697 



areas, and they are so liberal in their terms, that they cannot fail to be 

 successful. They confer leases in the first instance for periods varying 

 from eight to sixty-four years, according to the nature of the land ; 

 rent free for half the period of the lease, and at a low rate of rent for 

 the remainder. The hereditary right to the soil is declared as long as 

 the grantee fulfils the terms specified ; future leases for twenty years 

 are guaranteed at a no higher rate than the average of that paid by 

 adjoining government lands. The people do not yet sufficiently ap- 

 preciate the advantages to be eventually derived from these grants, 

 but they are gradually becoming more sensible of their value. Num- 

 bers of the descendants of those who fled in troublous times from their 

 country, and settled in the southern parts of Chittagong, the islands of 

 the coast, and even the Sunderbuns of Bengal, are gradually returning. 

 Rumours of an attack from the Burmese have prevailed among them 

 for the last three years, and retarded their return, but this alarm has 

 now subsided, and during the N. E. monsoon, boats filled with men, 

 women, and children, with all their worldly goods, may be seen steering 

 south along the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal, to return to the 

 land their fathers abandoned 30 or 40 years before. They have told 

 me, that in their exile the old men used to speak with regret for its 

 loss of the beauty of their country ; the fertility of the land, which re- 

 turned a hundred-fold ; the heavy ears of rice ; the glory of their ancient 

 kings ; the former splendour of the capital ; the pagodas, and the famous 

 image of Gautama now carried away, with which the fortunes of the 

 country were indissolubly united. Who would have imagined that 

 Arakan could inspire such sentiments ! 



It is a question of interest to consider how far the people of Arakan 

 are satisfied with British rule. The mass of them are infinitely better 

 off" now as regards personal freedom, wants, and comforts, than they 

 were under the government of their native princes or the Burmese, 

 and they are doubtless sensible of the advantages they now enjoy. 

 During the times of the Arakan kings, and the Burman governors, 

 the people were not called upon to pay much in regular taxes, but 

 there were constant calls on them for labour, for service, and for mate- 

 rials to make or repair the houses of the kywn-aops and other govern- 

 ment officers ; besides which, the /circles were obliged to furnish the 

 public ofliicers with followers for special duties ; the people therefore 



