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all events there is reason to suppose it will enable us to procure the commodities of China at a much more reasonable rate than now purchased by our factors at Canton, and certainly on less humiliating terms to the nation. Large colonies of Chinese have from time to time emigrated from the parent country and fixed their abode in different parts of Cochin China; these have their corre spondents in every seaport of the empire; through their means, teas, China ware, and the various other articles, the objects of our commerce with China, might be imported in junks to our own set tlements, equally good in quality, and cheaper, as the Chinese are exempted from the exorbitant duties levied on foreigners. Some of the best workmen might be encouraged to settle in Cochin China, and under their direction manufactories carried to as great a degree of perfection as in China itself.

The intercourse between Japan and Cochin China might be renewed, and we might participate in a trade for many years mono, polized by the Dutch.

An advantageous trade might be carried on with the Philippine Islands, and Madras and Bengal goods introduced amongst them by means of the junks for the consumption of Spanish America.

The Siamese and Cambodians would bring the produce of their respective countries and barter or sell them for such articles as they wanted from Cochin China. Amongst them it is probable a vent might be found for quanti ties of Bengal cloths.

The lower class of people in Co

chin China are, for the most part, clothed in canvass, a coarse cotton cloth brought from China; but the preference which I had opportunity of observing they gave to Bengal cloths, on account of their being wider and cheaper, would soon induce them to adopt the use of them.

The demand for opium, already, in some measure, become a necessary of life to the Chinese, would increase in proportion to the facility of procuring it. The importation of it no longer confined to Canton, but carried by the junks in every seaport in the country, would spread the demand of this drug to the remotest parts of the empire.

But what inspires the most flattering hopes from an establish❤ ment in this country is its rich gold mines; celebrated for ages as producing the richest ore, so pure that the simple action of fire is said to be sufficient to refine it; I omitted no opportunity of making inquiries respecting this valuable article, and was informed that mines were formed in different parts of the northern provinces, particularly in Hué, where the ore lay so near the surface of the earth that it was dug up with little labour. Under the direction of a skilful metallurgist, what might not be expected from such a source?

Great as the commercial advantages are, the political ones resulting from a settlement in Cochin China would be scarce inferior. Turon Bay would not only afford a secure retreat to our Indiamen in case of their losing their passage to China; but from thence we might also intercept the fleets

of

of any hostile power, either going to or returning from that country: we should become forinidable neighbours to the Dutch and to the Spaniards, and in the event of a war with either of them, attack with advantage their most valuable settlements. In short, all the arguments in favour of a settlement at Balambangan may with much more propriety be urged for one in Cochin China.

Should any thing that has been said, appear sufficiently wellgrounded to induce the Company to form a settlement in Cochin China, it may be effected on principles strictly just and at a small expense. Several of the royal family, besides the Mandarines who were in Bengal, with many officers of the late government, urged me to use my endeavours with the government of Bengal to induce it to afford them assistance, promising a powerful support whenever we should heartily engage in their cause: to restore their lawful sovereign to the throne, would be now a measure so popular, that the sincerity of their offers cannot be doubted. To relieve an unhappy people groaning under the weight of the most cruel oppression would be an act worthy the humanity of the British nation. Fifty European infantry, half that number of artillery, and two hundred seapoys, would be sufficient for this and every other purpose. The natives of Cochin China are infi

nitely below the inhabitants of Hindustan in military knowledge; I have however no doubt that a body of them well disciplined and regularly paid, would prove as faithful to us, and contribute as much to the security of any possessions which we might acquire to the eastward, as the sepoys do to our territories in India. In case of any distant expeditions, they would be found superior; being entirely free from all religious prejudices, and having no objection to the sea.

While Cochin China remains in its present distracted state, a favourable opening is presented to the first European nation that may attempt to obtain a footing in the country. Three years ago, the French sent a frigate to Turon Bay, and from the pains taken to be informed of the produce and political state of the country, there is strong reason to conclude some such design was in agitation. Since that period, the accurate accounts Mr. Chevalier must have received of Padre Loreiro during his residence with him at Chandernagore, added to the loss of all their settlements in India, will most probably induce them to resume it. If they do not, some other power may adopt the scheme. Should the Company therefore entertain a design of making an establishment in Cochin China, no time should be lost in carrying it into execution. 1778.

POETRY.

began to drink immediately, and it was some time before we found out our mistake, so much was our taste injured. On the 17th at sunset we thought we saw very high land right ahead, but having been often disappointed by mistaking clouds for high land, we paid but little attention to it. During the night the heavy swell from the N.W. went down, when a cross sea took its place, and a fine breeze sprung up from the eastward.

On Friday at day-light the water was much discoloured, a general sign of being near land, but still none could be seen. One of the men was now so senseless, and so weak, that he could not sit upright. As the sun arose, and cleared away the clouds, we had the heartfelt satisfaction of seeing high land. What a joyful sight was this to poor creatures nearly sinking under fatigue and want of food. As we neared the land, we saw a number of huts and the natives walking on shore. About noon we ran the boat on the beach, but were in a condition too weak to walk. The natives assisted us, and as soon as they knew our situation, fetched us hot congy (the water in which rice is boiled) and gave it us to drink, of which we took a great quantity. Each man was led between two people to the hut appointed to us, and we were farnished with every thing we wished for, except cold water. We had no desire to eat, but craved cold water, which the natives would not give us, but supplied us plentifully with hot congy. Just as we were sitting down on the straw, we were informed that one of our people was dead. It was

the poor man who had been so bad in the morning.

The name of the place at which we arrived, is Poondy. It is situated about sixty miles to the southward of Ganjam, and thirty to the northward of Calingapatam. On the 25th Captain Harman went to Calingapatam to procure a supply of money and clothes from the Beach master at that place. He returned on the 28th, and on the 29th, after furnishing the men with money enough to carry them to Bengal, the Captain and myself started in Doolis carried by four men. We followed the coast and travelled almost without intermission night and day. On the 15th of December we reached Tombuke, when we took a boat for Calcutta, and on going up the river, to our very great astonishment saw our brig at anchor waiting for the flood tide to carry her up. We went alongside, and every soul on board was thunderstruck to see us, having given us up as dead. They waited four days at Diamond Island, expecting our return. In running across the bay they had bad weather, and on seeing any drifts went down to them, expecting they might be the boat. We weighed on the flood and arrived at Kuddupore on the 16th of December, and on the 23d our poor fellow sufferers arrived, looking very well after so long a march.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE FUNERAL CEREMONIES OF A BURMAN PRIEST.

Communicated by W. Carey, D. D.

(From the same.)

The manner in which different nations dispose of their dead, is

one

one of those circumstances, which have been thought worthy of peculiar notice, by all who have studied the history of man, as it is in most instances connected with the idea which they entertain respecting a future state.

Those nations who believe in the doctrine of the resurrection, practise inhumation. The Hindus and other nations, who believe the doctrine of the metempsychosis, and consider fire as the element which purifies all things, usually burn their dead, with a variety of ceremonies suited to those religious notions which are peculiar to the different sects. The inhabitants of Thibet, differing from most other nations, either totally neglect the bodies of their dead, or treat them in a manner which to us appears highly barbarous.

The Burmans burn their dead like the Hindus, though with a great difference in the method and the attendant ceremonies. With them, the wood of the coffin (which is made larger and stronger than with us) is nearly all the fuel used to consume the bodies of the common people.. The Priests, or Poongees, are like them burnt by the wood of their own coffins, but the fire is communicated by means of rockets. As this is a very singular practice, and has not been noticed by any writer whom I have met with, I take the liberty to communicate to the Asiatic Society the following account of the funeral ceremonies of a Poongee or Burman priest, as communicated by my son, Mr. Felix Carey, who resides at Rangoon, and was an eye-witness thereto.

"The man whose funeral ceremonies I am going to describe;

died about two years ago. After the death of a Poongee, the body is embalmed in the following manner. First, the intestines are taken out, after which the body is filled with spices of different kinds, and the opening sewed up. A layer of wax is then laid all over the body, so as to prevent the admission of air; upon that is put a layer composed of lac and some other ingredients, and the whole covered over with leaf-gold. The body of this person was stretched out at full length, with the arms laid over the breast. When one of these people dies, the body is thus prepared at the house where he died. After about 12 months, the corpse is removed to a house built for that purpose, where it is kept a year or two longer, till the Poongees order it to be burnt. At one of these places I saw the body of this man, about a month before it was taken out for the purpose of being destroyed, It was then placed upon a stage, which was in a house made like one of their Kuins, rising in a conical form, and about thirty feet in height. The stage was made of bamboos and wood, and the house which contained it was covered with paper, and overlaid with leaf-gold. with leaf-gold. By the side of this stage lay the coffin in which the body was to be carried out; this, also, was overlaid with gold, and ornamented with several figures, designed to represent death in a variety of forms. In the court yard two large four-wheeled carriages were preparing, one to carry the coffin, and the other the stage with its apparatus. The carriage in which the corpse was to be drawn had another stage

O'er coral rocks and amber beds;

Whose mountains, pregnant by the beam
Of the warm sun, with diamonds teem;
Whose rivulets are like rich brides,
Lovely, with gold beneath their tides;
Whose sandal groves and bowers of spice
Might be a Peri's Paradise!

But crimson now her rivers ran

With human blood-the smell of death
Came reeking from those spicy bowers,
And man, the sacrifice of man,

Mingled his taint with every breath
Upwafted from the innocent flowers!
Land of the Sun! what foot invades
Thy Pagods and thy pillar'd shades—
Thy cavern shrines, and Idol stones,
Thy Monarchs and their thousand Thrones?
'Tis He of GAZNA-fierce in wrath

He comes, and INDIA's diadems
Lie scatter'd in his ruinous path.-

His blood-hounds he adorns with gems, Torn from the violated necks

Of many a young and lov'd Sultana;
Maidens, within their pure Zenana,
Priests in the very fane he slaughters,
And choaks up with the glittering wrecks
Of golden shrines the sacred waters!

Downward the PERI turns her gaze,
And, through the war-field's bloody haze
Beholds a youthful warrior stand,
Alone, beside his native river,—
The red blade broken in his hand

And the last arrow in his quiver.

"Live," said the Conqueror, "live to share
The trophies and the crowns I bear!"
Silent that youthful warrior stood-
Silent he pointed to the flood
All crimson with his country's blood,
Then sent his last remaining dart,
For answer, to th' Invader's heart.

False flew the shaft, though pointed well;
The Tyrant liv'd, the Hero fell!-
Yet mark'd the PERI where he lay,

And when the rush of war was past,

Swiftly

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