10 VISIT TO PUKET, ETC. 



this I rested in peace. Passed a long island on the left of Pulau 

 Panjang where there are said to be 300 or 400 Malays who 

 plant mangostins, the soil being good, and a few Chinese who 

 advance money to Malay fishermen. No signs of habitation 

 were visible and it was said they were at the back of the island. 

 Passed under some high limestone rocks with caves with rattans 

 hanging down said to be used by edible birds-nest collectors. 

 No sign of life till a little North of Ghirbee where there was a 

 fringe of coconuts with a mountain somewhat like Kedah Peak 

 inland (Khaw phanum. ) There were masses of limestone hills 

 as at Punga but not so high. There are two mouths to the 

 Ghirbee river and we followed the one to the right, the usual 

 mangrove creek, and after two or three bends came to a land- 

 ing stage on the right bank about 1.30. 



The Assistant Governor came off in a house boat and I was 

 received on the jetty by the Governor whom I had met before at 

 Trang. Officials and a Police guard were drawn up. This is 

 the new town site. The Governor took us to a temporary house 

 where we were served with tea and cigarettes. He said " This 

 is a poor house. I am making the new road you see and I 

 hoped to move the town here but it will not be till next year." 

 1 said I should very much like to see it and we walked round 

 preceded by Police with a man carrying an umbrella over me. 

 The Siamese seem to have a craze for moving towns. It is in- 

 teresting work no doubt and gives the Governor something to 

 do but when these new roads. — a kind of circular road with two 

 roads leading to the sea and a very steep one to a wharf on the 

 river — are completed the question is whether, except under 

 compulsion, the people in the old town or village some miles 

 further up the river will occupy the sites. The site is said to have 

 been approved by Prince Damrong. I had not time to visit the 

 present town so I cannot say if it is worth moving. As in all new 

 Siamese roads trees are planted at intervals on either side of the 

 road buttheansana stumps {Pterocarpus endicus) do not seem to 

 grow as they do in the Straits probably owing to the prolonged 

 drought. Other trees are doing well. The Governor is a pleasant 

 genial man and a sportsman. He talks a certain amount of 

 English. He said it was a very good country for sport. He 

 had shot an elephant and another was shot a few days ago. 



Jour. Straits Braaji 



