1839] on the Tenasserim Provinces, fyc. 985 



tary huts of Kareans are often to be found in places where for 

 many miles in circumference no other human being is to be found. 

 They live exclusively upon the produce of the soil, planting moun- 

 tain-rice, and some other indispensable articles, generally as much as 

 they want for home consumption. Very rarely has a Karean a sur- 

 plus, more frequently not sufficient to subsist upon. 



Migration seems almost incompatible with the occupation of a hus- 

 bandman, and is certainly a strange anomaly in a country highly pro- 

 ductive ; yet the Kareans subsist solely upon the produce of their 

 plantations, and have no permanently fixed habitations. 



Modes of cultivation. — When a Karean family has chosen a place 

 for a plantation, huts of bamboo thatched with palm-leaves are con- 

 structed, and then a part of the forest is cleared, just as much 

 as is necessary to plant the ground with rice, requisite to maintain the 

 number of persons settled for a year. The paddy is sown upon the 

 imperfectly burnt down forest, without any tillage or other prepara- 

 tion, and whatever else is wanted (cotton, indigo, sesam, vegetables, 

 &c.) is promiscuously sown or planted on the same spot. The fol- 

 lowing year, another spot is cleared in the vicinity, and after some 

 years, or when a death happens, the family removes to a great- 

 er distance, and begins again the highly laborious task of felling 

 immense forest trees, visiting only from time to time the old esta- 

 blishment, which yet yields fruits surviving several seasons ; and so 

 the Karean wanders all his life time, without having settled per- 

 manently. 



The reason for this extraordinary custom is differently accounted 

 for. The Kareans say, that one and the same place does not produce 

 rice for several years ; an objection which is refuted by the example 

 of other countries similarly situated, where new lands are not so abun- 

 dant as here. 



Others say, that there is greater trouble in keeping the ground clear 

 from weeds, than to fell a new forest, which seems equally incredible. 

 Probably the roaming propensity of the Kareans, and old establish- 

 ed custom, are the chief reasons ; to which must be added a great 

 superstition and fear of ndts and evil spirits ; such beings, having in 

 their opinion, an allotted dominion over certain districts. 



Whatever may be the origin of this extraordinary custom, cer- 

 tain it is, that the produce must be inferior ; all perennial culti- 

 vation being in this way excluded, and gradual amelioration quite 

 out of the question ; hence it may be that the Kareans have remained 

 always stationary, upon a low scale of civilization. 



