1840.] Mission to the Court of Siam. 11 



containing in all 300 houses, and there may be 200 more in 

 the small streets running off, and in the fort. The See-sa-wat 

 is here 150 paces, perhaps 250 feet wide, and 3J feet deep; 

 from the water at its present height, to the point it reaches 

 in the rains, is nearly the same distance as the width of the 

 stream. There are lying here about 122 boats, of which thirty- 

 eight are canoes, the others are boats of considerable size. A 

 brick fort has lately been built here, of about 500 paces long by 

 300 broad, without defences, unless two semi-lunar breastworks 

 outside on the river face, with five old guns each, may be so 

 called ; the wall appears about sixteen or eighteen feet high, 

 and there are said to be twenty guns within the fort; three 

 gates on each side, and one at each end ; there is no bazar in 

 the town, but a few stalls on the single bed of the river, 

 where the Chinese have a gambling shop, and where salted 

 eggs and gnapee are sold in small quantities. Upon the whole it 

 is rather a paltry place, considering the importance attached 

 to it by the Burmans, and that it is within six days of the 

 capital. Many of the Cochin- Chinese who can speak Siamese, 

 have been questioning our people as to the possibility of reach- 

 ing Maulmain, and the Talines are equally anxious that some 

 means for their deliverance could be arranged ; I have however 

 checked all idea that my visit was connected with such an 

 object. 



January 28th. — Small green pool, S. 36 E. 4h. 40m., fifteen 

 miles. Started at 9h. 15m. having been detained about half 

 an hour for the boat, and in giving a list of the things to be 

 put into it ; ten minutes brought us to the end of the village or 

 city, and travelling along near the bank of the Camboorie river, 

 formed by the junction of the May-nam-noi and See-sa-wat, 

 we passed several large plantations of tobacco, and one or two 

 small fields of sugar cane, cultivated by the Chinese ; at lOh. 

 55m., cross the smaller branch of the river, about half-leg deep, 

 and passed along a sandy island, with a kind of short willow 

 on it ; cross the larger branch by a boat, this however though 

 rather rapid is of no great depth ; just after crossing the river, 

 we pass two small villages, since which we have seen no sign 

 of inhabitants. The road has been level throughout, and well 



