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88
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL, 1897.
simple people so debauched for the time being as to be oblivions to their own and their families pressing necessity for rice. When I arrived in the bay many of their boats had no rice and they had been reduced entirely to live on fish and shell-fish, and the younger children, in some instances, were crying for hunger, as their parents had no rice to give them.
The islands produce some valuable timber trees, and from the configuration of the islands, and the way their steep slopes approach the sea, the trees are easily accessible and the timber could be floated with little difficulty. I at first thought that perhaps the tides might present some obstacle to the floating of the timber to the mainlaud, but, this anticipated difficulty does not appear to exist, because a Salone boat manned by some men and women arrived at Mergui, while I was there, with a derelict raft of timber from the island of Domel, having thus come through a part of the Archipelago noted for the strength of its currents. The learning of the direction of the currents is only a matter of observation, and their course being known, instead of being a hindrance, would aid the transit of timber. Anyhow, the fact exists that this comparatively small boat, in rather stormy weather, towed a number of large logs of teak into the harbour of Mergui.
II.
From the Commissioner of the Tenasserim Division, to the Secretary to the Chief Commissioner, British Burma-21st June 1882.
It may perhaps not be out of place if I record such little information as I have been able to collect regarding the Salones and the general impression couveyed to my mind by Dr. Anderson's memorandum. I have always taken an interest in the carious race in question, though I have never been able to visit them at their homes. When I first visited Mergui, now over 10 years ago, I believe such a circumstance as a Salone visiting the place was extremely rare, if it ever occurred. Some six years later I found that they did occasionally come there, and during the last two years I cannot call to mind any occasion, on which I have been there, when I have not seen some of them. There are a few Chinese traders who seem to be on very good terms with them, as parties of them every now and then come to their houses; and on my last visit to Mergui I was particularly struck by meeting a party dressed out in a sort of Burniese costume, and evidently proud of their newly-acquired garments.
Now, there may be, and probably is, some foundation for most of the statements made to. Dr. Anderson; but, I think, from the above facts, it can hardly be doubted that the Salones are not, as a rule, oppressed and ground down by the tyranny of traders or others, for if that were so, a race so shy and suspicious, as they have always shown themselves, would more and more avoid the haunts of men, and seclude themselves in the islands, whereas, as a fact, they are apparently, from their own choice at least, beginning to emerge from that seclusion and to have intercourse with other places and people. With regard to the allegations that they are precluded from cultivation, I must say it sounds very like similar stories I have heard from Karens and other savages in excuse for their not doing that which they really were too indolent to do. It is extremely probable that here and there some garden or granary may have been robbed by passing traders, just as gardens are frequently robbed by boatmen on the banks of all our large rivers; but it is difficult to believe that such depredations have been carried to such an extent as to prevent the Salones from cultivating anything, if they really wished to do so, or that they could not find in the Archipelago some spot suitable for the purpose, and seldom, if ever, visited by traders.
I fear that it is but too probable that the Salones are frequently imposed upon in various ways, and that spirits, drugged or not, are frequently introduced amongst them by unscrupulous persons; but from these evils, as also from the petty thefts complained of, it will be extremely difficult to afford. them adequate protection, until they change their habits of life, and until there are better means of communicating with them available by the District authorities than now exist.
