relation to the water-system of the
Salwin that that of the Siamese does to the river Menam. There are
Kariens as far south as 11 deg. North lat. and there are Kariens as far
north as 25 deg. North lat. Hence we have them in Maulmein, and in
Tenasserim, and in the intermediate provinces of Ye and Tavoy as well.
All these, like the Mon, have been eased by the transfer from Avan
oppression to British rule; though this says but little. Hence, with one
exception, the other members of their family are decreasing; the
exception being the so-called _Red_ Karien.

This epithet indicates a change in physiognomy; and, indeed, the
physical conformation of the Burmese tribes requires attention. It is
Mongolian in the way that the Siamese is Mongolian; but changes have set
in. The beard increases; the hair becomes crisper; and the complexion
darkens. The Kyo,[24] the isolated occupants of a single village on the
river Koladyng, are so much darker than their neighbours as to have been
considered half Bengali; and, as a general rule, the nearer we approach
India, the deeper becomes the complexion. The Mon, too, of Pegu, are
very dark. What is this the effect of? Certainly not of latitude, since
we are moving northward. Of intermarriage? There is no proof of this.
The greater amount of low alluvial soils, like those of the Ganges and
Irawaddi, is, in my mind, the truer reason. But this is too general a
question to be allowed to delay us. The Red Kariens are instances of an
Asiatic tribe with an American colour; just as the Red Fulahs were in
Africa. Such are the occupants of the _continent_.

5. _The Silong._--In the _islands_ of the Mergui Archipelago, there is
another variety; but whether it form a class itself, or belong to any
of the previous ones, is uncertain. Their language is said to be
peculiar;[25] but of this we have no specimen. As it is probably that of
the oldest inhabitants of the continent opposite, this is to be
regretted.

They are called _Silong_, are a sort of sea-gipsy; and amount to about
one thousand. Of all the creeds of either India or the Indo-Chinese
peninsula theirs is the most primitive; so primitive as to be
characterized by little except its negative characters. They believe
that the land, air, trees, and waters are inhabited by _Nat_, or
spirits, who direct the phenomena of Nature. How far they affect that of
man, except indirectly, is unascertained. "We do not think about that,"
was the invariable a