ARRACAN. This was formerly an independent kingdom; in 1783 it became a maritime province of the Burman empire, and was added to the British possessions in that quarter by the treaty of 1826, dictated by a British army at the gates of the Burmese capital. It is bounded by the Chittagong district on the north, from which it is separated by the small river Nauf; by Pegu on the south, in lat. 18. N.; on the west by the Indian Ocean; and on the east, at the distance of about 50 miles, it is divided from Ava by a range of mountains, through which there are very few passes. It may be estimated at 230 miles in extreme length, and in breadth 50; and the coast is studded with several fertile islands, viz. Ramree, Cheduba, &c. The mountains rise to the elevation of from 3000 to 5000 feet, and decline gradually towards the east in a succession of ranges. They were crossed in 1826 by Lieutenant Trant and a detachment of sepoys, and were found to abound in springs; and it appeared that a considerable commerce had been carried on to the eastward by this route previous to the British invasion. They were crossed farther to the south by Lieutenant Browne and a party of sepoys, and the country was found perfectly wild, and one continued succession of hills, jungles, and ravines. They extend northward as far as the southern bank of the Brahmaputra. The inhabitants of these mountains are averse to mix with the natives of the plains, although the Burmans, after their conquest of Arracan, compelled many, and allowed a few settlers from their native hills, to settle in the villages, where they are treated with humanity, in order to reconcile them to the restraints of civilization. A large proportion of these mountaineers are still independent, and have uniformly rejected a foreign yoke. A range of hills, very inferior in height, skirts the shore; and the valley which lies between them is covered with thick jungles and impenetrable woods, and filled with wild animals, such as the elephant, the tiger, &c. Owing to the moist temperature (the periodical rains continuing from June to November, and often to December, besides occasional showers), this tract of country is frequently flooded, and is at all times intersected with rivers, lakes, and inlets of the sea; so that the communication between the villages must be maintained by means of boats. The soil is fertile, especially in the vicinity of the mountains; but the frequent rains and exhalations under the burning sun of the tropics are adverse to European constitutions. The staple produce is rice, for which the country is well adapted, from its moist and hot climate. The other productions are sugar, hemp, indigo, onions, garlic, turmeric. The fruits are abundant and of a superior quality, viz. pineapples and plantains, mangoes, jacks, sweet limes, cocoa nuts, and other tropical fruits. The forests produce excellent timber; and the teak tree is found, but in such inaccessible parts, that it is usually imported from Rangoon. The rivers wash down from the mountains gold and silver particles, for the liberty of collecting which a certain rent is paid. Salt is produced in great abundance. Limestone is also procured from the islands that lie along the shore. The greater portion of the country is in a state of nature; and it is estimated by Hamilton, the accurate and well-
Arracan. informed writer of the East India Gazetteer, that not above 400 square miles of this extensive territory are under cultivation. The inhabitants do not exceed 100,000, consisting chiefly of a rude and filthy race called the Mughs, about one third being Mahometans, and not more than one tenth Burmese. They speak their own language, which is different from the Burmese tongue; the principal Mahometans use the language of Hindostan, and the lower orders a mixed dialect.
The Mughs appear in their habits to be not far removed from the savage state. They give no attention to agriculture, but live by hunting, fishing, traffic, and rapine. They follow in their religion the Buddhist doctrines, with many Hindoo superstitions, and offer bloody sacrifices to the deities of the rivers, woods, and mountains. They are barbarous in their domestic manners, trafficking without restraint in slaves, and even pawning their wives when they are in want of money. Some bury their dead in coffins richly gilt, and others burn them. They are of a middling stature, but of a robust make, with broad faces, high and wide cheek-bones, flat noses, and, in the obliquity of their eyes, resembling the Chinese. They are so far addicted to the notions of the Hindoos that they scruple about taking the life of an animal; but when dead they eat every species of animal without restraint, and are of the most disgusting and filthy habits in their eating as well as in their persons. Besides the tribes on the sea-coast, there are many rude tribes scattered in the interior, and beyond its limits to the east, as well as those of Chittagong. These different tribes are frequently engaged in mutual hostilities. It has been from time immemorial the practice of these Mughs, like most of the other barbarous nations of Asia, to make predatory inroads on the southern parts of Bengal, and to carry off all the booty which they could collect, including men, women, and children, who are sold for slaves. They have even had the boldness to descend on the coast of Chittagong, to proceed into the country, plunder and burn the villages, destroy what they could not carry away, and make slaves of the inhabitants. It was to an incursion of this sort in 1777 that we owe our first knowledge of this country. In February 1776 it is mentioned by Major R. E. Roberts,1 who was residing at Islaamabad, that a body of them made an inroad on the southern parts of Bengal, and carried off about 1800 men, women, and children, who were brought to Arracan, where the rajah was allowed his choice from the female captives; after which the remainder were conducted with ropes about their necks to the market-place, and being there sold, were employed in the cultivation of the lands and other laborious employments. It was from some of those captives who escaped that any information was obtained of this eastern country.
Before the province of Chittagong was ceded to the company, the British territories were frequently exposed to the inroads of these plunderers, and an immense expense was incurred in maintaining a sea and land force to repel them; and there are still vestiges of a fortification round the town of Islaamabad, which was raised up by the inhabitants as a defence against their inroads. Even the possession of the province of Chittagong, owing to the extent of its coast, did not wholly prevent their attacks; and a considerable force was still found necessary for the protection of the company's territories, which were from time to time molested by their hostile incursions; and Major R. E. Roberts, in an account of Arracan, published in the Asiatic Miscellany at Calcutta in 1777, observes, with a
singularly penetrating and almost prophetic spirit, when he is pointing out the impolicy of merely acting on the defensive against these marauders, "The longer they continue unattacked the more powerful and outrageous they will become, till at last it will be found necessary, for the immediate preservation of all the southern parts of Bengal, to enter into an expensive and perhaps bloody war with them."
Arracan, from the character of its inhabitants, who are rude and indolent, possesses no surplus produce with which to trade to other countries; and salt is the only article of export. This country was formerly the medium of commercial intercourse between Asia and Hindostan, exporting to the former European goods, such as velvet, broad cloths, piece goods, silks, muslins, betel-nut, salt, &c., and receiving in return ivory, silver, copper, sugar, tobacco, oil, and lacquered ware. The country being so poor and unproductive, produces only about 220 rupees of revenue, which will hardly defray the expense of its civil and military establishments; and it is retained, not for profit, but as an outpost of defence against the incursions and growing power of the Burmese empire.
The natives of Arracan trace their history as far back as A. D. 701, and give a lineal succession of 120 native princes down to modern times. According to them their empire had at one time far wider limits, and extended over Ava, part of China, and the Bengal territories. This extension of their empire does not agree with any known facts in history. At different times the Moguls and Peguers carried their arms into the heart of the country. The Portuguese, during the era of their greatness in Asia, gained a temporary establishment in Arracan. But in 1783 the province, with all its dependencies, was finally conquered by the Burmese; and though the inhabitants made desperate efforts to recover their independence, they were always foiled by the discipline and numbers of their enemies, who contrived to extract from this ill-cultivated tract a surplus revenue of 18,000 rupees. In 1825 the British army in Arracan became a prey to the destructive climate, and died in great numbers; and it has since proved equally injurious to the native regiments stationed on the coast.