ON THE POPULATION OF RAMBREE TOWN. 
271 
I the cane rope that the least jirk causes it to 
i fall. The platform is laid upon the path fre- 
quented by the tiger (generally a gap in a 
I fence, or a ravine), and carefully concealed 
I with grass and leaves. The animal treads 
I upon it and it gives way, disturbing the bar 
I E, and peg B, on which the pole springs up 
to its natui’al position, bringing the wooden 
cylinder with such violence upon the arm of 
the tiger (already caught in the noose) , that 
; it is generally broken by the concussion. This 
; cylinder covers that part of the leg that has been 
I entangledin the noose, andis of great^use in pre- 
' venting the animal from gnawing the rope. The 
I beast hangs suspended in the air at the mercy of 
t the villagers, who dispatch him by means clubs 
I or bamboos hardened in the fire, and pointed at 
! the end so as to resemble pikes. 
Arrived at the highest point of the ascent over 
1 Koyandowng, the large and pretty town of Ram- 
1 hree, surrounded with hills and dividedby a creek 
[ that is seenin the distance meandering towards 
! the sea, appears spread out to view in the vale 
below.” 
The town of Rambree* ** , with its meander- 
ing creek, fine wooden bridges, and the hand- 
some temples that surround it, is perhaps 
the prettiest spot upon the island ; and from 
no place is it seen to such advantage as from 
the hills of Koyandowng. The creek is not 
very broad, but it contains sufficient water to 
admit of the approach of large boats to the 
market place — a matter of some importance 
in a country where land carriage is not to be 
obtained ; or, if procurable, would scarcely be 
available, from the absence of good roads, 
bridges, and ferries, throughout the island. 
The town is divded into the following com- 
partments ; viiz. Oung-tshiet, Shuwe-dong , 
Wedt-chu, Tath-twengy and Taing-kuman. The 
former commemorates the landing of the 
first Burmah chieftain at the ghaut of Ram- 
bree, when the island was first annexed to the 
dominions of Ava. In Shuwe-dong, a large 
pole, covered at the top with gold, was erect- 
ed ; and in its immediate vicinity, stood a 
house in which the conjurors^ used to dance, 
invoking the aid of their favourite idol on the 
occasion of any calamity. Wedt-chu was so 
called from the great assemblage of pigs in. 
that quarter. Tath-tweng was the site of the 
Burmah stockade, and now the locality of the 
Government jail, formed chiefly from the 
materials of that stockade. Taing-kuman is 
the place occupied by the Kuman-thsiy a class 
that shall be more particularly noticed here- 
after. It is generally admitted that the town 
has increased in size (though perhaps not in 
wealth) since it fell into the hands of the 
British ; but this augmentation has been 
slow, and by no means equal'to the expecta- 
tions that might have been indulged on the 
change of rule. It would be foreign to the 
purpose of this brief sketch of Rambree to 
enter into a detail of those causes that seem 
to obstruct the accumulation of capital ; but 
this much may be said, that the multiplication 
of taxes, by the intricate division of trades, 
and the vexatious nature of many of these 
taxes, is one grand check to the industry of 
the population ; and from thence it is easy to 
deduce its consequences, as they may affect 
the revenue, or the morals of the people. 
The whole of those improvementswhichhave 
been made in the town of late years, and con- 
tribute so much to the comfort and convenience 
of the inhabitants, it owes to the taste and li- 
berality of themagistratef (now residing there), 
who has devoted large sums of money from his 
private purse towards the erection of bridges, 
market stalls, and other public buildings. 
Noticing each class under a separate head, 
with the distinction of sexes, the number of 
souls residing in Rambree town will be as 
much as follows : 
Adult males. 
Adult females. , 
Boys. 
Girls- 
Total of each. 
Mughs, 
1549 
1637 
1393 
1224 
5803 
Burmahs, 
554 
473 
359 ' 
375 
1761 
Kuman-thsi, 
407 
383 
324 
\ 323 
1437 
Grand total of souls, 9,001 
* Also called “ Taingy'^ or “ Yaing^ Ruali‘* 
by the Mughs ; the provinces Rambree, Maong, 
and Thandowey having suffered considerably 
from the incursions of the Burinahs and Thali- 
ens during the year 791 M. S. the Raja Chou- 
Mioeiig, on his restoration to the throne of 
Rukkhein-preh (Arracan), adopted such means 
as were likely to restore them to their former 
flourishing condition; and, for that purpose, 
deputed his minister Anunda-Suyah to proceed 
to those provinces, taking with him such Bur- 
mah or Thalien agriculturists and artisans as 
had been able to quit thecountry. Anunda- 
Suyah, in the first place, visited Aawdree Island, 
forming colonies, and giving names to the 
several new settlements, according to the 
various ominous appearances that presented 
themselves. It is said, that, during the night 
his vessel lay at anchor in the Rambree Creek, 
a voice was heard to exclaim, 
** Thain’lo « Thain-lo V* Stop ! Stop ! a 
favourable omen, inducing a further stay at 
the place, and the foundation of a town that 
In addition to the above there are a few 
Musalmans and Hindus ; but their number 
is comparatively small, and their residence in 
the town (especially of the latter), attended 
with so much uncertainty, that I have not 
thought it necessary to include them in the 
census. The Musalmans were either (origi- 
nally) adventurers from Cathai and Ava, 
or owe their extraction to the Musalmans 
of Bengal, who fell into the hands of the 
received the name of “ 7'aing"‘^ or “ Taing- 
Riiah.^* 
• A set of vagabonds, receiving little counte- 
nance from the people At large. A man, attir- 
ed in woman’s apparel, connects himself with 
another of the profession, whom he calls his 
husband, and obtains for this husband a woman 
as his second wife ; every respectable native 
looks upon all this with disgust and horror. 
t Captain Williams, 45th Regt. B. N. 1. 
