1034 Mission to the Court of Siam. [Dec. 



of Dayeik, or Dareik, of the old maps, is situated on the banks of the 

 latter stream, about half a day above the junction of the two; it is 

 now destitute of inhabitants, but as we are much less troublesome 

 neighbours than the Birmans, the present Myotsa, who is a Taline 

 from Kaling-Aung in the province of Tavoy, has received the royal 

 order to re-establish it with Talines, who he says will be allowed to 

 bring their wives and families here with them ; this is however in my 

 mind very questionable, for the king with good reason, fears the Talines 

 would return to their own country if they could once get so near it, 

 with their families. I here found six thugs who arrived fifteen 

 days ago, having made their escape from the Tavoy jail; I request- 

 ed Myotsa to give them in charge of the Siamese officer now on his 

 way from Bankok to Tavoy, promising the allowance of 10 rupees a 

 head for them when returned to Tavoy ; he said he could not give 

 them up without a royal order, and if he could, the officer would 

 probably not receive charge of them ; a good deal was said pro and con, 

 and he at last agreed, at my suggestion, as he could not take care of 

 them (having only come here to meet me, and see to my provisions, 

 &c. and being again about immediately leaving to return to Be-lank- 

 Kyeung to wash for gold) to send them to Camboorie, as it is probable 

 I shall there meet the officers who annually visit Maulmain and 

 Tavoy from Bankok. I declined receiving charge of them, having 

 no means of preventing them making their escape, and told him I 

 should at all events demand them at Bankok, and he must hold 

 himself answerable that they were forthcoming, this he readily pro- 

 mised, and was altogether very friendly and civil ; he also provided me 

 with a boat, in which to send some of the heavy things, and some sick 

 people to Camboorie, at which place it will arrive at the same time 

 that we shall, the river being so tortuous that it takes five days with 

 the stream to reach Camboorie from this place. In the course of the 

 afternoon some twenty boats with the Laos people from Chandapoorie, 

 who were taken prisoners by the Siamese in their cruel destruc- 

 tion of that place about twelve years ago, passed up on their way 

 to the Belank river to wash the sand for gold; last year was an 

 unsuccessful year ; the number of people employed amounts in some 

 years to 2,500, they are employed three months, and are ordered to 

 produce a maximum of one tickel each of gold, all over which they 

 are allowed to keep ; some only get a half, some a quarter, others less ; 

 they are all sworn to give in all they have obtained on their return 

 to Bankok ; few make up the tickel ; they have the same licence as to 

 provisions as the Taline wood cutters, and it was a party of them who 



