235 
drawn by a Native of Daw & or Tavay , 
governed both districts, never perhaps as independent princes, 
but certainly at least as hereditary tributaries. 
In going by land from Tanaensari to Piappi, a town on the 
Gulph of Siam, the traveller crosses many streams all running 
towards that sea, which would seem to imply, if the two branches 
of the Mergui river spring from the east side of the central 
ridge, that immediately beyond Tanaensari there is another ridge, 
on the farther side of which the route between this city and 
Piappi lies, while the upper part of the Mergui river is con- 
fined in the valley between the two ridges. 
From about Lat. 10° N. to the frontier of the Malay state 
called Queda, the western coast of the peninsula formed a go- 
vernment fully subject to Siam, and governed by an officer cal- 
led by the Siammese Bhura Silan or Lord of Silan, because 
his principal residence was on the island of Junk Ceylon of our 
mariners, which Mr Arrovvsmith calls Salanga Island, This 
governor was not a hereditary prince like the King of Queda, 
but held his office at the pleasure of the Siammese monarch. 
The town where he resided was at the SE. end of the island, 
some way up a river. Captain Thomas, who commanded the 
Seahorse, in which I went to Rangoun, visited the place, where 
he was politely received, and traded with the governor for tin, 
on account of the King of Siam. The mines are on the island, 
and are under the management of Chinese. On the continent, 
opposite to the NE. end of the island, is a large town called 
Papara, from which the strait separating the island from the 
main derives its name. The Mranmas, I believe, call this is- 
land Salaemo, and say, that from thence boats can go to Piappi, 
a town on the Gulph of Siam, in six or seven days. If there 
be not some mistake in this, there must be a passage from the 
Bay of Bengal to the Gulph of Siam, leading from the Straits 
of Papara, and thus rendering Malaya an island, and not a 
peninsula. Such indeed at Ava I always heard alleged to be 
the case ; but as the accounts I received were contradictory, 
and in general placed the passage at or near Mergui, which was 
entirely denied by the natives of that . place, I should have 
abandoned all ideas of such a passage, were it not from the re- 
port given concerning Salsemo by the natives of Mergui ; not 
that I look upon this as sufficiently conclusive, but still it de- 
