JA N SEILAN, or JUNK CEVLON, is an island of Asia in the Bay of Bengal, situated on the west side of the INIalay peninsula. it is separated from the continent by a narrow sandy isthmus, about a mile long and half a mile in breadth, which is covered at high water, and whereon spring tides rise 9 or 10 fect. This island is between 40 and 50 miles in length, about 15 in breadth, with good anchorage around its whole circuit, and it has an excellent harbour on the north, called Popra, besides others. Its name, Jan Seilan, is of uncertain etymology, and it is frequently called Junk Ceylon by Europeans.
The climate here is particularly agreeable, for the heat is moderate. Rains begin to fall gently in July, and con tinue until November, with frequent intermissions of fine weather, attended with cool north-east winds at night. There is no considerable river in the island, both from its size, and the hills being low ; but several streams run through flat marshes of mangroves into the sea.
A great quantity of tin is obtained in this island, of which about 500 tons arc exported yearly. The produce was greater formerly ; but it seems to have been reduced by restrictions on the miner, who was obliged to carry ' all his ore to a Chinese smelter farming this privilege from the government. Besides paying 12 per cent. for smelting, the miner could only obtain the metal on having delivered a certain quantity of ore, though the extract ex ceeded what he received, and after all a duty of 25 per cent, was payable previous to exportation.
The interior of the island contains large plains of rice well cultivated, and hither the inhabitants can come up the creeks in their small vessels; but the skirts are kept in a state of nature, for the purpose, it is supposed, of obstructing the access of an enemy. Rice is the staple product ; and of other vegetables there are oranges, limes, and most of the tropical fruits and roots. The wild ani mals are deer and hogs : the domesticated ones are ele phants, and a few goats; hut the islanders have neither horses, sheep, dogs, ner cats, and their common poultry i6 not numerous.
The population of the whole island has been calculated at 12 000. This number, however, must be dependent on a state of peace or warfare, and during the latter it is pro bably lower. The features of the people resemble those of the Malays, intermixed with a good deal of the Chinese aspect. They arc well made, but rather slender ; they
speak the Siamese language, and in general understand the Malay tongue ; and, like Europeans, they write from left to right. Unrestrained polygamy is practised, as every man marries as many women as he can afford to maintain; but it is the privilege of the first wife to rule the house hold. No woman is permitted to leave the country.
The inhabitants are distributed in towns and villages, of which 16 are named, but all of them are inconsiderable. Terowa, the chief town, situated on a creek, where a strong current runs, consists only of about 80 houses. A wooden pagoda, covered with palm leaves, stands here, which is served by about 20 talapoins or monks, who live in a state of celibacy, and dwell in small apartments adjoining to it. Their heads are shaved and uncovered : they wear a liow garment, and carry a white rod in their hands, hut it ap pears that they can resign their monastic vocation at plea sure. The governor of Jan Seilan has also a dwelling at Terowa, and another eight miles inland.
Tin is the principal export of the island, which formerly carried on considerable commerce with several Asiatic ports; but this has greatly decreased since the establish ment of a British colony on Penang. Its exports, besides that metal, are elephants' teeth, biche demer, and sayhan. The imports are principally opium, a contraband article, for which there was a great demand about the middle of the preceding century ; and after being carried in British vessels from Bengal, it was sold to the Malays and Buggess prows for the tin of the island. Hindostan piece goods, brass utensils of Java, European cloth and cutlery, were likewise among the imports. Commerce is injured, from a practice not unusual in the East, of the government or its officers being the principal dealers. Hence the king's merchant sometimes purchases a whole cargo on the arri val of a vessel, and immediately upon its being landed, retails it at a great profit. This impolitic interference re strains the competition and consequent advantages of un fettered commerce. The currency of the island consists of conic frustums of tin, of two or three pounds weight, with correspondent halves and quarters, which cannot be exported without payment of duty. Spanish dollars are the most acceptable money, but all kinds of Indian coin age pass current.
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