307 



remark that tlie Dutch have ever endeavored to 

 prevent the most industrious portion of their cu- 

 loniists returnihg to their native country in too 

 wealthy a condition. The same policy, which 

 has leil them to impose au enormous carriage 

 and cattle tax, (which by its exorbitancy has near- 

 ly defeated its object), and to oppress their Chi- 

 nese subjects with a poll tax, and another Tor 

 tlie privileore of quitting the settlement, hns na- 

 turally led the under officers t»t' government to 

 over- rale the population. 



In a great variety of Dutch papers that have 

 passed under my inspection, I have here and 

 there met with complatats as to the difficulty of 

 inducing the Chinese in the interior to give a fair 

 estimate of their numbers, and the reason as- 

 signed is their wish to evade the poll tax.* It 

 therefore appears to roe probable th.xi the Chi- 

 nese crowd themselves into houfees by way of 

 enforcing an idea of the smallness of their popu- 

 lation, whilst, the Dutch, aware ol' the practice, 

 fix an arbitrary and excessive estimate of the 

 same. 



The third settlement in Sebong is Simpo, 

 which was established about seven or eight years 

 ago, and lies about half an hour s journey, in a 

 south easterly direction from Sebong, on a 

 branch of that river, which is navigable up to 

 this point. Simpo contains thirty three houses, 

 one Chinese temple, and a hundred iuhabitants, 

 or only about three to a house, which number 

 falls below the proper average. I therefore con- 

 ceive that it U likely that at least one half of the 



* In all die Ooitcii «etU#m«titi, tfie ChtaeM »re required to pay, £ 

 think, ouc doUu-per uiaom for Uie liberty of weamg their ttiite. 



