234 Dr Francis Hamilton’s Account of a Map 
Among those islands is found ambergrease, and they produce 
some of the finest swallows’ nests that are sent to the Chinese 
market, together with much biche-de-mer, This is a very large 
marine slug, nearly allied to the genus Onchidium, and when 
dried and smoked, notwithstanding a most forbidding appear- 
ance, is in great request among the luxurious Chinese, as a sti- 
mulating article of food. It seems different from any of the 
species mentioned by Cuvier *, and has not, so far as I know, 
been described by naturalists. Along this coast, and on the 
adjacent islands, is prepared a great quantity of shrimps and 
prawns, which are dried in the sun, and formed into a mass 
called Ngapi by the Burmas, and Balachong by the Indian 
Portuguese, Much balachong is also prepared from fish ; but 
this is not so much valued as that prepared from crustaceous 
animals. This substance is highly offensive to the smell of 
Europeans, and equally so to sight ; but among all the nations 
east from Bengal, and in the great Indian Archipelago, it is 
the grand seasoning for rice, and in universal demand. Besides 
grain, the vegetable productions of this territory that are fitted 
for exportation, are cardamoms, black-pepper, and betlenut. 
It has no mines. 
Breit or Mergui, the chief town of this province, stands on 
an island situated in the mouth of a considerable river; but 
which, I suspect, is not near so large as represented by Mr Ar- 
rowsmith. In this map it is represented as passing through the 
great ridge that bounds this province on the east, and of course 
rising in the dominions of Siam. It comes by two sources from 
the eastern face of the central ridge, and the most remote issues 
from a high peak called Kiaeppue-taun, or Cock-fight Hill, 
which is nearly east from the mouth of the Dawas river, about 
100 geographical miles north from Mergui. The shorter branch 
springs from the vicinity of Sakana, where the tin-mines of 
Dawae are, four days’ journey SE. from that city. On ascend- 
ing this river three or four days, boats come, on the northern 
side, to the ruins of the ancient capital, named Tansensari by 
the natives, and Tenasserim by Europeans. This is nearly east 
of Mergui, and was formerly the residence of the princes who 
Hcgne Animal, vol. ii. p. 410, 
