1032 The Mergui Coast-line and Islands. [Dec. 



Four miles to the southward of Sading is the entrance to Bokpur 

 creek leading to a village of the same name about seven or eight miles 

 up. Here there is an extensive field for cultivation, and the soil is 

 apparently rich, but the population (chiefly Shans), is extremely scanty, 

 and is scattered over some extent of country in little villages,^ which 

 together with those about Liny a, may be estimated to contain about 

 one thousand inhabitants. The people describe Bokpur* as having been 

 thickly populated at one time, and the country very extensively culti- 

 vated, and the appearance in its vicinity rather corroborates this : 

 it is much to be regretted that there is not a more industrious and 

 extensive population located here. 



I attempted to ascend a high hill overlooking Bokpur accompa- 

 nied by 20 or 30 Shans to cut a path, in order to obtain an extensive 

 view of the coast and islands, for the purpose of fixing its geographical 

 position more correctly, but it came on to rain in such torrents that I 

 was obliged to give it up. The mouth of Bokpur creek is dry at low 

 water for some distance seaward, and two or three miles from the en- 

 trance it divides into two branches, that to the southward leads to the 

 village, off which it dwindles to a stream only 10 yards wide, with 

 sufficient water for very small boats only. To the southward of Bokpur 

 creek about 10 miles is a very extensive group of small rocky islands, 

 most of which I have laid down, but what may be considered the coast 

 line within them, I was unable for want of time to complete. The survey 

 however is incomplete for a very small and unimportant space, about four 

 or five miles only, where the high land approaches so very near the sea, 

 that the streams, if any, only deserve the name of creeks. Proceeding on 

 to the southward, and between the parallels of 10° 20' and 10° 30' N. are 

 two small rivers which by information I obtained afterwards, are called 

 " Chenanghan" and " Champoon ;" the latter or southern one appeared 

 the largest, but this part of the coast having but few islands off it, and 

 being much exposed to the sea during the S. W. monsoon, I was pre- 

 vented doing more than fixing their entrances pretty correctly by means 

 of angles as I passed. The latter stream is, I imagine, the Sarannah 

 river of the old charts, up which I rather think there is a village called 

 " Champoon" where tin is produced. If so it may deserve inquiry 

 whether there is here any communication with the river and place of 

 the same name on the gulf of Siam side. There is no decided ter- 

 mination of the principal range of mountains, running along the 

 Isthmus, into a low land, so as to favor such a conclusion, but when 

 it is considered how deceptive the appearances of a country are when 

 viewed from a distance it is impossible to say, until actual examination 

 * In the map this place h written Boping or Bokpaling. 



