I 
\ 
THE 
JOURNAL 
OF THE 
THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO 
AND 
EASTERN ASIA. 
REMARKS ON THE METALLIFEROUS DEPOSITS AND MINERAL 
PRODUCTIONS OF THE TENASSERIM PROVINCES. 
By Edward O’Riley Esq. 
. The principal metallic ores of these provinces of which the loea* 
lities are known, are those of tin, antimony, iron and lead (galena); 
in addition to these however, specimens of the carbonate of lead, 
the sulphnrets of copper and bismuth, and an ore of silver in com¬ 
bination with copper and antimony, have been obtained through the 
agency of the wandering tribes of Karens who inhabit the hilly re¬ 
gions of the provinces ; the sites of the latter have still to be in¬ 
vestigated 5 but it will be obvious from the following remarks that 
such researches must be the work of untiring application to secure 
the good will of these sons of the forest, whose local experience is 
so intimately connected with the end to be attained. 
Under the Rurman rule, it is customary on the discovery of any 
metallic deposit becoming known to the Government, to compel 
the Karens to work in the extraction of the ores at a rate of remu¬ 
neration depending upon the consideration of the Government of¬ 
ficers in charge, which is consequently reduced to the lowest possi¬ 
ble rate ; and in many instances such labor is enforced as a feudal 
right, without any payment from the Government. Such was the 
system pursued by the Burmese ; and although a sufficient period 
has elapsed, one would suppose, since our occupation of the coun¬ 
try, to admit of a knowledge of the British institutions affecting 
labor and property having more generally obtained, it is certain 
that the impression is still strong with those Karens, who 
from their localities are comparatively isolated from immediate 
contact with the executive power, that the same oppressive mea- 
VOL. in. NO. XII. DECEMBER, 1849. T 20 
