1839.] on the Tenasserim Provinces, $c. 989 



Their occupation. — The first forms in which Chinese appear in a 

 foreign country are, either as merchants if they have any capital, or 

 as artificers, if they have none. In Tenasserim the Chinese are 

 merchants and ship owners, or ship-builders, spirit brewers, carpenters, 

 blacksmiths, bakers, and gardeners- The introduction of Chinese in 

 great numbers ought to be encouraged ; they would be a great blessing 

 in the wastes of Tenasserim if they would turn husbandmen. 



To the generality of this people, Tenasserim as a promising place of 

 resort is unknown, and it is the interest of the Chinese already settled 

 to obstruct a more general introduction of their countrymen, in order 

 to avoid competition. All Chinamen settled here confine themselves to 

 the chief places on the sea-coast. All are married to Burmese women, 

 and their children, if males, are brought up as Chinese, adopting 

 the customs, manners, and dress of their fathers ; they are however 

 easily distinguished by their features, which are generally, in the 

 eyes of Europeans at least, more comely than those of either of their 

 parents. 



People from India. 1. Chinlias. — The natives of the Coromandel 

 coast, here generally known under the name of Chinlias, somewhat 

 resemble the Chinese in their voluntary expatriation, which has its 

 origin in the too great population of their own country, as they say; 

 but probably much more from the facility of acquiring abroad in a short- 

 er time, a sum of money with which they think to return like the 

 Chinese into their own country again. By far the greater part of both 

 however, have either not had time to accumulate enough, or think 

 they have not enough, and they die before they accomplish their 

 design. Their progeny, a mixed race by native women, is settled 

 for ever in the country. A considerable number of these Chinlias are 

 to be found in Penang and the other Anglo-Malayan possessions. 

 They partly preceded, but many more followed, the extension of the 

 British power in Tenasserim. 



Their numbers. — Their number is not great, and they are confined 

 to the places where Europeans reside, with whose customs and wants 

 they are much more acquainted than the natives, and by administer- 

 ing to which they gain their livelihood. 



2. Bengalees. — The same may be said of the Bengalees, who how- 

 ever are always inferior to the people of the peninsula of India in 

 enterprise and capacity. 



3. Convicts. — The convicted felons transported from Hindoostan, 

 form also a part of this class of foreigners. Their number exceeds at 

 present one thousand seven hundred. 



6* L 



