1839.] on the Tenasserim Provinces, fyc. 991 



ing wealthy. Until now Maulmain is the only place where they 

 have settled, because it is the only place in Tenasserim carrying 

 on trade. 



The Portuguese. — The descendants of the Portuguese, so generally 

 spread along the sea-coasts on both sides of the peninsula of Hindoo- 

 stan, are also found in Tenasserim. No nation left so many survivors 

 of its transient glories in the East as the Portuguese ; but the pro- 

 geny of Vasco de Gama's followers is sadly degenerated ; they have 

 retained nothing of their renowned forefathers, but the type of their 

 religion, which is however with them only a heap of superstition and 

 show of outward ceremonies, besides their language is barbarously cor- 

 rupted by numerous Indian idioms. The European features are re- 

 cognizable in many, but their condition and state of civilization are 

 nearly the same with those of the natives amongst whom they live, 

 and frequently much lower. They have all formed connexions with 

 native women, and have no tie which unites them with Portugal, of 

 which they are altogether ignorant. Their being nominally Christi- 

 ans, and their steadiness in adhering strictly to their faith, preserve 

 them as a distinct class. 



American missionaries. — Their are a number of American Baptist 

 missionaries in the provinces. They have made little progress in the 

 conversion of the natives. The Burmese do not well know how to 

 draw a difference between Englishmen and Americans, and they con- 

 sider the latter to be a peculiar variety of itinerating white people, 

 whose real aim and purpose are to this day unknown, or indistinctly 

 guessed at by the multitude, and to the knowing few, a puzzling 

 enigma. They pass under the name of foreign teachers. 



Englishmen almost all in official capacities. — There are besides the 

 civil officers of government, and the body of military officers belong- 

 ing to the regiments, and besides the Europeans constituting the re- 

 giments, (two at present), few English residents here, and these are 

 almost all congregated in Maulmain, where they are chiefly engaged 

 in ship building, or otherwise connected with the teak forests in 

 Amherst Province. Until very lately not one English gentleman 

 thought of settling for the purpose of calling forth into practical use the 

 numerous resources of the country. All Englishmen have hitherto 

 been on friendly terms with the natives, in every part of the country. 

 The Burmese population have too much regard for their new go- 

 vernors, not to treat with politeness, affability, and good- will every 

 individual with European complexion, and no European can ever have 

 had reason to complain. The awe which European superiority, and 



