528 Visit to the Pakchan River. [No. 139. 



dropped down to our first anchorage, and on the same day visited the 

 settlement of Malewan, which is on a branch of the Malewan about 

 seven miles from its junction with the Pakchan. On the flood tide, 

 junks of twenty or thirty tons can approach it ; but at low tide there 

 is no water to float the smallest canoe. 



Malewan is but a recent settlement, and is particularly interesting, 

 as being the only spot in these Provinces, where people have located 

 themselves for the purpose of collecting tin. Although inhabited only 

 for three years, there are already about 100 Chinese, 160 Malays, and 

 about as many Siamese on the spot, more than 500 in all, including 

 women and children. The surface of the country is pleasingly undu- 

 lated, having a range of high hills between it and the sea. It possesses 

 a rich moist soil, highly favourable to cultivation. The sugar cane 

 shewn to us was of large size, and the areca tree, which in other parts 

 of Tenasserim does not fruit till the 7th or 8th year, was seen here in 

 flower after being three years in the ground. Two heavy falls of rain 

 occurred while we were in this neighbourhood, and it would appear 

 that its climate, more resembling that of Penang than any other part 

 of our coast, would be well adapted, with the advantages of soil before 

 mentioned, to the cultivation of nutmegs, spices, &c. 



8. The Siamese and Malays are occupied principally in clearing 

 for cultivation, and the Chinese are the chief adventurers in tin. The 

 head Chinaman has established a store of provisions, consisting of every 

 description of supply suited to the wants of the people about him, 

 which he exchanges for tin ore, to those who may be industrious 

 enough to collect it. Of this he had three or four tons on hand, from 

 which sample A was taken. It is precisely similar to specimens I have 

 forwarded on other occasions, and consists of pure peroxide of tin, col- 

 lected by washing from the beds of streams in that neighbourhood. 



On the 17th, I proceeded to a spot which one of the Chinamen had 

 fixed on for a stream work, and reached it after walking between four 

 and five miles. 



The stream is one of the tributaries of the Malewan, marked No. 1 

 in the plan. Their principal work was not on the main stream, the 

 course of which we had followed to reach the place, but on a small 

 branch, which then afforded water scarcely sufficient to clean and exhi- 

 bit a sample of the ore dug out with its sand and gravels before me. 



