978 Br. Heifers Third Report [Dec. 



The interior of these large and interesting islands is entirely unex- 

 plored. The sea-shore is visited by the Burmese inhabitants of Tenas- 

 serim and the Malays, for the purpose of collecting sea-slugs, and edible 

 birds' nests. These occasional visitors have no intercourse with the 

 savage inhabitants, and live during the season of collection either in their 

 boats, or build a sort of temporary stockade for their defence. 



Notwithstanding the favourable situation of these islands in the 

 bay of Bengal, notwithstanding the beautiful harbour of Port Corn- 

 wallis, the attempt to form an establishment there, made several times 

 by the English for the sake of a military and commercial depot, has 

 been given up entirely. 



The Dutch. — The Dutch is the only European power which has 

 possessions in the post-Asiatic countries, besides the British (if the 

 Philippine islands be excepted.) However not only their vicinity, but 

 even their very existence is unknown to the people of Tenasserim ; 

 there is no intercourse, no communication whatever with their ports, 

 and I believe that not a Dutch vessel has even approached the coast of 

 the territory since its occupation by the British. 



The French. — Some old inhabitants remember the French. In the 

 last war, their fleets had for a time their station in King's Island Bay, 

 for the purpose of intercepting the Indiamen trading to China ; and their 

 rendezvous place, as well as the rivulet from whence they supplied 

 their ships with water, were pointed out to me by the Burmese. The 

 French however never ventured upon an inland excursion, and the 

 inhabitants then having scarcely any notion of the existence of Eng- 

 lishmen, could of course have no suspicion of the relations which ex- 

 isted between the two nations. 



Intercourse with the Chinese. — Though a number of Chinese are 

 settled in the provinces as merchants, yet there is no intercourse direct- 

 ly with China either by land or water. A caravan from the Chinese 

 province of Yunan approached last year within fifteen to twenty 

 days' march from Maulmain, and intended to penetrate as far as 

 that settlement, for the purpose of trading; however, jealousy, and 

 apprehension in general, as well as the then already manifest ini- 

 mical intentions of the Burmese usurper, prevented those enterprising 

 men from accomplishing their purpose. A considerable loss to them 

 it is said was the consequence, and probably no other attempt will 

 be made on their part, until the relations with the petty states to the 

 north, through whose territories the Chinese have to pass, are based 

 upon a more secure and solid foundation. 



The different nations and tribes inhabiting the Tenasserim Pro- 



