Betigal to the Malay.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



nued wars between that nation and the Burmans, the latter power obtained 

 possession of the coast of Tenasserim, with the two important ports of Mer- 

 gui and Tavay ; acquisitions of great moment, when considered either in a 

 political or commercial light. 



The narrow part of the continent, which separates the Bay of Bengal 

 from the Gulph of Siam, is sometimes called the Isthmus of Kraw. The 

 whole extent of coast, from Tavay to Junkceylon, is generally called the 

 Coast of Tenasserim, having several bays and harbours, seldom visited by 

 Europeans. 



JUNKCEYLON, or JAN-SYLAN.— This island is divided from the 

 continent by a narrow isthmus of sand, about a mile in length, and half a 

 mile in breadth, and is covered at high water; it shuts up, on the N. part, 

 an excellent harbour, called Popra, where a vessel drawing 20 feet water 

 may get in, on the springs, over a mud bar. The island extends from lat. 

 8° to 7° 46' N., and is about 24 miles long, ami 10 broad. A high moun- 

 tain on its S. part is in long. 98 > 20' E. 



The place where ships generally anchor, is in a good road, well shel- 

 tered behind a small island, joined to the main at low water, in lat. 8° 10' N. 

 On the main, opposite to this island, is a creek, that leads to a village called 

 Terowa, consisting of about 80 houses, built of timber, and covered with 

 palm-leaves. Here resides the Viceroy, or Governor, from the Court of 

 Ava . On the S. W. side of the island is another good harbour, where 

 vessels occasionally stop. 



Trade. — A considerable trade used formerly to be carried on here ; but 

 in consequence of orders from the Burman Government, the use of opium is 

 forbidden to the natives, and a heavy duty laid on the exportation of tin. 

 The trade has much declined. It is occasionally visited by country ships, 

 which bring the following articles : — Coarse cutlery, China ware, iron in 

 bars, looking-glasses, opium, piece-goods, steel in faggots, tobacco, and 

 woollens. 



The Malay and Buggess proas, previous to the establishments at Pinang 

 and Singapore, used to exchange their produce here, which consisted of 

 Buggess canibays, Java painted cloths and handkerchiefs, China gongs, brass 

 utensils, the blue and white coarse cloths, called kangan, &c. with the country 

 vessels for opium, giving in exchange the tin they procured here for their 

 own imports. 



The principal export is tin, of which article upwards of 800 tons have 

 been in some years exported ; a few elephants' teeth are occasionally to be 

 met with. The tin ore is here pounded in wooden mortars. Before it is 



