1840.] on the Tenasserim Provinces, fyc. 183 



3. It being well situated for commercial intercourse over- 

 land with Bankouk, and in general with the population scatter- 

 ed along the gulf of Siam, being placed in the narrowest part 

 of the Malay peninsula. 



Besides the rich mines of the country, there is also antimony, 

 silver, and gold, in the country, which are, however, to men 

 of capital of minor importance. 



Antimony will perhaps be worked, if Maulmain continues to 

 be a flourishing settlement, on account of its neighbourhood 

 to that place. The silver mine to the north of Maulmain is too 

 engirded by the mountains, and its value as yet too problem- 

 atical to recommend it to private enterprise ; and gold is to be 

 found in too small quantities in the rivers to merit attention. 



The fisheries are not unimportant, as may be well expected in 

 a country which possesses 600 miles of sea-coast ; but they are 

 the most considerable amongst the islands of the archipelago of 

 Mergui, where the young brood find an appropriate shelter 

 between the inner islands. In the month of February and 

 March, the sea is covered for miles with a green mucilaginous 

 mass, which envelopes myriads of spawn ; the variety of fish 

 is great, and Mergui is famous for the most delicate species. 



The fisheries are farmed out to the natives ; Malays and 

 Chinese share in this occupation, but it is carried on on a very 

 diminutive scale. 



During some periods of the year the fishermen retire to certain 

 spots on the uninhabited islands to the south of Mergui. It is 

 however, done very imperfectly; the fish is spread over a frame- 

 work of mangrove trees, and permitted to dry in the sun, being 

 daily trodden with the feet twice. No salt is ever employed in 

 the curing of fish. Certain kinds of fish are bought in the 

 market smoked. 



They have small and imperfect nets, these being sufficient 

 to get the quantity desired near the towns and villages; fish are 

 caught in stakes. 



Some little fish oil is also collected. It seems that a fishery carried 

 on by Europeans, on a similar scale with that of Newfoundland, 

 would be much more remunerating, as a ready market here 

 and in India will always be found, cured fish forming an univer- 



