54 THE SIAMESE MALAY STATES. 



Saturday, 15th December. — Mr. KHAW SlM Bee when in 

 Penang had kindly placed at my disposal the small steamer 

 Damrong Eat, so I left orders for the Seabird to meet us 

 off Telibon Island on our return from Tongkah. Mr. 

 KHAW Sim Bee also very kindly sent his nephew Mr. Khaw 

 Ju KExiT, who speaks English and Siamese, with us and he 

 proved of the greatest assistance. A Marine Police Guard 

 (Siamese) was drawn up at the jetty when we drove down 

 and we took leave of the governor about 7.0 A. M., the Da- 

 mrong Rat flying the consular flag. Outside the mouth of 

 the Trang River we found the S. S. Artsadong, the small steamer 

 that runs between Penang and Pung-a owned by Mr. KHAW SlM 

 Bee, high and dry on a sand bank. She had left Trang for 

 Pung-a at night and not being able to make out the narrow 

 channel marked by stakes had got on the bank about 2.0 A. M. 

 on the 14th. After passing round Telibon Island the sea got 

 rougher with a strong breeze from the land. The long island 

 of Pulau Lontar sheltered us part of the way. After passing 

 Pulau Lontar the sea got rougher as we got further from the 

 land. Then after rounding a small island Ave altered our course 

 for Tongkah with a following sea. The anchorage at Puket 

 resembles that of Malacca during the S. W. monsoon. The 

 harbour is very shallow and is exposed to the N. E. The 

 Siamese gunboat Ran Rule and S. S. Petrel were lying a mile or 

 so from the shore. Captain RING of the Ran Rule kindly sent a 

 boat off at once, and owing to the heavy sea running we had 

 some difficulty in getting off. However we got ashore in 

 safety about 6.0 r.M. Captain RING met us at the jetty, took us 

 to his house, which is near, and introduced us to his wife, the 

 daughter of Captain Webek of Tongkah. The Chief Commis- 

 sioner of the Western Siamese States had sent his carriage for 

 us and we were met by the Acting Superintendent of Police 

 (Siamese) who talks English well, having been formerly employ- 

 ed in the Penang Land Office. We were received by the Chief 

 Commissioner who introduced us to his wife in a large reception 

 room furnished in European style. He hospitably placed rooms 

 at our disposal and asked us to make ourselves at home. His 

 Excellency did not understand English but with the help of the 

 Superintendent of Police and Mr. Ju K.EAT we got on very well 



