980 Dr. Heifer's Third Report [Dec 



drawn, and to have been supplanted by the inhabitants of Bur- 

 man. 



Forcible introduction of people — In many cases the introduction of 

 new inhabitants was forcibly effected ; of this we have still a proof 

 among the Burmese inhabitants of the village of Tenasserim. After 

 the conquest and destruction of this once important town, the gover- 

 nors of the province intended to rebuild it. The Burmese however, 

 transplanted to that place, were more than any others exposed to the 

 continuing invasions of the Siamese, who used to carry every Burmese 

 into slavery. The inhabitants returned therefore repeatedly to the 

 sea-coast, and Mergui became in consequence the chief town of the 

 province. To force however the inhabitants to remain at Tenasserim, 

 a number of people, formerly runaways, were marked with a painted 

 ring round their eyes, and an inscription upon their chests, and many 

 of the older inhabitants of Mergui and Tenasserim are yet to be found 

 with these indelible signs. 



People now inhabiting Tenasserim. — The people now inhabiting 

 the Tenasserim provinces, altogether in number not exceeding one 

 hundred thousand, are Burmese, Talians, Siamese, Kareans, Seelongs, 

 and foreigners. 



1. Burmese. — The Burmese, the former conquerors and lords, are to 

 this day the most numerous. Their chief seat was Martaban ; the 

 settlement of Mergui was the second in importance; Ye the third. 

 Maulmain is of recent origin, sprung up since the occupation of the 

 country by the British. 



Situation of their villages. — All villages, hamlets, and even soli- 

 tary plantations of the Burmese, are near the sea-coast, or on the 

 banks of navigable rivers, or creeks. They never established them- 

 selves far inland, even since the time of their first settlement in the 

 country. 



Apprehensions of Siamese incursions, natural predilection for water, 

 and the facilities of transporting themselves and their goods through 

 a country where roads do not exist, and if they exist, are with great 

 difficulty kept in order, will be found the reason. 



2. Talians— from whence. — The Talians are the inhabitants of the 

 kingdom of Pegu, formerly the lords of Burmah, now subdued, and 

 the slaves of the Burmese, by whom they have been since that time 

 always treated with severity and barbarity. The greatest part of the 

 original country of this people consists of plains of fertile rice-ground ; 

 and from the disposition of the Talians it would seem that nature had 

 marked them out for husbandmen, and especially rice planters. 



