56 THE SIAMESE MALAY STATES. 



the mines. These are interesting- from the fact that they are in 

 the former bed of the sea, an embankment being carried a 

 quarter of a mile or so out to sea so as to enclose the mine. 

 Two or three thousand Chinese miners, all Hokkiens, are em- 

 ployed here and there must be quite as many pigs as Chinese. 

 These pigs are exported to Penang. Within the embankment 

 which keeps the sea out the sand and clay have been excavated 

 to a depth of some 50 or GO feet below sea level. It is an 

 enormous work which may or may not be rewarded by success. 

 I was told that there was a loss of $50,000 during the present 

 year but this may not be true. We saw some tin sand being 

 washed in the usual way. At present the average yield is 12 

 pikuls a day but it is hoped soon to reach a richer stratum. The 

 particles of tin are very small whereas in the mines near the 

 hills large biji are said to be found. After inspecting the mines 

 we drove to the Government Offices and were introduced to the 

 Treasurer and a youthful looking Chief Justice aged between 

 30 and 35. I wanted to post a letter but we were not taken 

 to see the Post Office, which being a relic of the old Governor's 

 regime is not one of the show places. The Chief Commissioner 

 has a good Office. Here we saw several typewriters in Siamese 

 character at work. On the walls were some recent Siamese 

 maps. During the day we received typewritten formal invita- 

 tions to dine with our host. After breakfast at 10.0 we drove 

 to the Central Police Station where I was presented with two 

 petitions from K lings. One was about the division of some pro- 

 perty of a deceased Kling man. It appeared that he traded in 

 cattle and several persons were indebted to him. Before his 

 death he called his friends and told them to bury him decently 

 and have a feast, collect what was due to him and keep the 

 money for his widow in India. They appear to have carried out 

 part of the trust and the recollection of the goats and 

 fowls slaughtered in honour of deceased was still in their 

 minds. So far as I could ascertain there remained a 

 sum of about $2.50 for the relatives, deposited with a 

 Siamese official. The other petition related to a matter w r hich 

 is still sub judice. Two Kling British subjects had a difference 

 about some accounts and one was alleged to have assaulted the 

 other. The case came before the judge and one w T as mulcted 



