586 Excursions to the Eastward. [July, 



ditch on this side and the space betwixt the foot of the wall and the 

 river's bank is a gentle slope of a dozen yards. This fort, as the na- 

 tives term it, could not withstand for a quarter of an hour an attack by 

 a regular force. 



Piles had been driven into the river below the town leaving only a 

 narrow passage. In descending, the tide carried our boat against these, 

 and it narrowly escaped being wedged in betwixt two of them. 



11th. Set sail in the direction of Sittool, a small town on the 

 bank of a river of the same name. Finding that it would delay us did 

 we ascend this river we returned to the vessel. The bason into which 

 it empties itself and which is formed by islands is very shallow. Pro- 

 ceeding along the coast the general aspect is monotonous. Here and 

 there an open spot covered with long grass and interspersed with fine 

 trees seems to give an earnest of cultivation. But a nearer approach 

 dissolves the spell. In fact the cultivation on the Keddah coast, with 

 a very few exceptions, does not begin until a distance of a mile or two 

 from the sea. 



I have in a former paper* described the Lancavy Islands and others 

 adjacent to them, and shall therefore here omit that part of the journal 

 which relates to them. 



16th. Having encountered nothing but contrary winds we ran in for 

 Trang harbour, but were forced to come to an anchor before reaching 

 it, after having with great difficulty and hazard weathered two high 

 limestone rocks which lie off the south end of Pulo Tilibong. There 

 being no endurable cabin, the tents were got up and spread out so as to 

 shelter us from the torrents of rain which fell during the night, 



17th. Finding that no progress could be made, the boat was got out 

 and I proceeded to the island to examine it. There was a very heavy 

 swell and a double surf at the shore of the small bay on the south side 

 of the island where we landed, and we narrowly escaped being swamped. 

 The island is uninhabited, and had been deserted since the Burmese 

 descent on Junkceylon in 1808; several droves of wild buffaloes were 

 seen on a plain in the middle of the island. At these a few shots were 

 fired without much effect. On returning to the Bay no boat could be 

 found. At length the Arab who had been left in charge of it was dis- 

 covered seated in moody silence below a tree. He significantly point- 

 ed to the surf, adding " she lies there? As this was our only boat, and 

 the Commerce was hull down, our case appeared somewhat desperate. 

 Fortunately the rope attached to the anchor on shore held fast, and by 

 help of this and the exertions of all hands after two hours hard work 

 * As. Res. Trans. Phys. class, part I. paper VI, 



