British Burma – A
A-DA. — A village in the Doora circle, Henzada township, Henzada district, about three miles west of the
Irrawaddy- on the banks of a stream of the same name which has its source in the Doora lake, with 1,112
inhabitants in 1879.
A-GYEE-TAW. — A revenue circle in the Ra-thai-doung township, Akyab district. In 1879 the population
was 2,759.
AGWON. — A revenue circle on the sea-coast of the Thanlyeng (Syriam) township, Rangoon district, northeast of the mouth of the Rangoon River.
The southern part of the coast-line is formed by a sandy beach fringed by a belt of tree and grass jungle
whilst further to the north-east the sand gives place to mud. The rest of the country is an open plain
undulating slightly towards the north with here and there, depressed and marshy spots which form the
principal inland fisheries. The inhabitants are engaged in agriculture, in fishing, and in salt-making. The
population in 1876 numbered 11,568.
*Note — This circle has since been divided into two, distinguished as North Agwon and South Agwon ; the
statistics given above are for the two.
A-HLAT. — A village of about 600 inhabitants, in the extreme south-western portion of the Martaban
Township, Amherst district.
A-HPYOUK. — A village, or rather group of three villages, in the Henzada district, on the left bank of the
Irrawaddy, some miles south of the latitude of Zalwon. In 1875 the group contained a population of 2,150
souls.
A-HPYOUK. — A circle in the south-eastern portion of the Zalwon township of the Henzada district, with
much rice cultivation in its southern part and along the bank of the Irrawaddy.
This circle contains numerous lakes and fisheries of which the largest is the Gnyee-re-gyee nearly three
miles long and half a mile broad and from fifteen to twenty feet deep in the dry weather. In 1876 the circle
had a population of 6,605 souls.
A-HTOUNG. — A village in the Thoung-daik circle, Kyoon-pyaw. township, on the eastern bank of the Daga,
near the north-east of the Bassein district, with a population of 541 souls in 1878.
AIN-DA-POORA.— See len-da-poora
AING-GYEE. — A large village in the Henzada district, a little to the north of the great Doora Lake and on
the edge of an extensive rice plain the cultivation of which forms the principal occupation of the
inhabitants.
AING-KA-LOUNG. — A revenue circle in the Hlaing township, Rangoon district, on the right bank of the
Hlaing River and adjoining the Henzada district. The surface of the country is flat and parts of the circle are
subject to inundation during the rains.
The principal products are rice, cotton and tobacco. The inhabitants of some of the villages are largely
employed in the fisheries. Population in 1876 was 3,623
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AING-THA-BYOO. — A village in the Myenoo township, Bassein district, on the Bassein River, a short
distance below Le-myet-hna, containing a population of over 600 souls.
AING-TOON. — A small river in the Shwe-gyeen district, which rises in a spur of the Pegu Yomas and after a
generally easterly course through the Anan-baw circle falls into the Tsittoung near the village of Doungmo.
AKOUK-TOUNG. — The name given to the eastern extremity of a spur running down from the Arakan
Yoma mountains which abuts on the Irrawaddy, less than a mile south of the boundary between the
Henzada and Prome districts, in an abruptly scarped cliff some 300 feet high, artificially honeycombed with
caves containing images of Gaudama Boodha and of Rahans; here the Irrawaddy enters the delta and
gradually spreads out into numerous anastomosing creeks and rivers.
This hill was the scene of two or three engagements between the English and the Burmese during the
second Burmese war. The spur which terminates at Akouk-toung formed the northern limit of the ancient
Talaing kingdom of Pegu, west of the Irrawaddy, and before the formation of the delta was a
Customs station, whence the name “Customs Revenue Hill”.
AKYAB.— A town on the coast of Arakan, 20° 8' N. and 92° 57' E., at the mouth of the Kooladan river, the
head - quarters of the Arakan division and of the Akyab district. Originally a Mug fishing village it was
chosen as the chief station of the province of Arakan soon after the close of the first Anglo-Burmese war
when the extreme healthiness of Mrohoung or old Arakan, the last capital of the ancient Arakanese
kingdom and subsequently the seat of the Burmese governor of Rakhaing, rendered the removal of the
troops and civil establishments a matter of necessity. Continued……
AKYAB. — A district in the Arakan division, lying on the sea-coast in the north of the province, 5,337 square miles in
extent*, separated on the west from Chittagong by the Naaf estuary and the Thooloo hills and on the south from the
Kyouk-hpyoo district by a spur of the Arakan Yoma mountains and towards the sea-coast by straits and tidal creeks.
On the east are the Arakan Yomas, inhabited by wild tribes, with Upper Burma lying beyond and on the north a
country of tangled forest and mountains taken from the district in 1868 and formed into the "Hill Tracts of Northern
Arakan”.
* Note. — In 1871 several square miles of the Mengbra township were transferred to the Kyouk-hpyoo district,
reducing Akyab to the area given above. Continued…….
AKYAW. — A revenue circle in the Douabyoo township of the Thoon-khwa district, on the right bank of the
Irrawaddy and some distance inland. More cultivated in the north than towards the south where there is a
good deal of tree-forest of which a large portion is suitable only for firewood. The inhabitants are
principally traders, fishermen and rice-cultivators. This circle has lately been placed under the Kyoon-tanee
Thoogyee.
AKYAW. — A village in the Thoon-khwa district about four miles to the west of the Irrawaddy with a bricklaid road running through it, containing a population of some 600 souls. The inhabitants are principally Talaings.
A-LA-BHWOT. — A lake in the northern portion of the Rangoon district, on the right bank of the Hlaing
river with which it communicates. In the dry weather it has a depth of about 10 feet.
ALAY-BOUK. — A creek in the Alay-kywon, at the entrance to the Bassein River, about 100 feet wide and
admitting boats of 200 baskets burden at all times.
ALAY-KHYOUNG.— A village of about 50 houses, 18° 57' 50" N. and 95° 1' 20" E., in the Htangouk revenue
circle, Kama township, Thayet district on the Pyagyee, a little mountain torrent which flows down from the
Tswotpoung spur to the Made river.
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ALAY-KHYOUNG. — A revenue circle with an area of 25 square miles occupying the extreme north of the
Ramree Township of the Kyouk-hpyoo district with about 1,600 inhabitants. Salt is made here to some extent.
ALAY-KYWON. — A revenue circle in the Ngapootaw Township, Bassein district, with an estimated area of
65 square miles, occupying the central portion of the island, or rather mass of islands, which lie in the
Bassein River between the Bassein and the Thek-kay-thoung mouths, the northern and southern boundaries being formed by the Lwongan and the Hnget-kywno creeks which flow between them. The country is
flat and covered with jungle but low sand-hillocks appear to the south-west of Thek-kay-thoung village.
Intersected by numerous anastomosing channels communication is usually carried on by water and the
roads are little else than footpaths. The principal villages are Thek-kay-thoung and Oon-khyoung, close together on the bank of the Thek-kay-thoung, which together contain a population of some 1,000 souls. The
inhabitants, who are principally Talaings, are mainly employed in salt making and in fishing.
ALAY-KYWON. — The north-western revenue circle of the Mye-boon Township of the Kyouk-hpyoo district, covering an area of about 27 square miles and lying on the northern coast of Hunter's Bay and west of
the Kyat-tseng, one of the numerous mouths of the Lemro River. In 1875 the population numbered 1,084
souls.
ALEE-RWA. — A village in the Gnyoung-le-beng circle of the Shwe-gyeng Township, Shwe-gyeng district, to
the west of the Tsittoung River, with about 650 inhabitants.
ALGUADA. — A dangerous reef of rocks in the Bay of Bengal, bearing from Diamond Island, S.S.W. 3 and
one quarter leagues, level with the surface of the sea and extending north and south about 1 and a
quarter miles with outlying and detached rocks at a considerable distance from it.
The reef now carries a light-house, standing in 15° 42' N. lat. and 94° 11' 10" E. long., 144 feet high and
built of granite masonry in alternate black and white bands which was commenced in February 1801 and
finished in April 1865 and thus took nearly five years to build, besides two years of preparation.
Considering the difficulty of procuring proper labour and the distance it was necessary to go to obtain suitable materials, (the stone was brought from an island on the coast of Tenasserim), this light-house does
not compare unfavourably with others of a similar type such as the Skerry Vohr and the Bell Rock. It bears
a first order catadioptric light revolving once in a minute and visible 20 miles.
*The reef is known to the Burmese as Nagarit Kyouk , but to all others by its Portuguese name Alguada.
A-LA-MYO. — A village in the Kan-goo circle, Donabyoo township, Thoon-khwa district, about six miles
north of Donabyoo with 506 inhabitants in 1878.
ALLAN-MYO.— A town in the Thayet district, situated in 19° 22' 50" N. latitude and 95° 17' 20" E. longitude, on the left bank of the Irrawaddy close to the old Burman town of Myedai.
During the second Burmese war when the fort at Myedai was occupied by British troops, a native village
sprang up close to it on the opposite or south bank of the Kye-nee stream which here enters the Irrawaddy. The situation being a favourable one as the outlet of the produce of a large tract of country on the
east of the river the village rapidly rose into a town which has of late years been much improved and extended.
A market has been built and an Assistant Commissioner who is also ex-officio Assistant Collector of Customs has been stationed here. The population in 1872 amounted to 0,607 souls. The town was named after Major Allan of the Madras Quartermaster-General’s Department who demarcated the frontier line.
ALAY-KYWON. — A village in the Kyoung-kwee circle, Henzada town- ship, Henzada district, between the
Kyoon-toon and Kyoung-kwee streams, about three miles north of Henzada, with 685 inhabitants in 1879.
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ALAY-THAN-GYAW. — A revenue circle in the Naaf township of the Akyab district. In 1879 the population
was 2,761.
A-LIEN-A-LAY. — A village in the Bhaw-lay circle, Hlaing township, Rangoon (Han-tha-wa-dee) district, on
the right bank of the Hlaing, with 532 inhabitants in 1878.
ALO-DAW-RA. — A village in the Prome district on the North Naweng river seven miles in a direct line from
its junction with the South Naweng and 19 miles north-east of Prome. A small body of Police is quartered
in this village.
ALOON. — A little river in the Henzada district which rises in the Arakan Roma mountains and flowing
through a narrow valley, of which the Tagoung-gyee spur, the northern boundary of the district in that direction, forms the northern watershed, falls into the Tshanda near Bhet-rai after a course of about 25
miles, at first to the north-east then east and for the last few miles south. The lower part of its course is
rocky and boats cannot ascend even in the rains above Tatkoon, a distance of nine or ten miles. The banks
are steep towards its source and flat near its mouth. On the banks are found teak, cutch, ironwood and
bamboos.
ALOON. — A revenue circle in the Kyankheng Township, lying in the north-western corner of the Henzada
district and extending eastwards from the Arakan Roma mountains. The whole area is hilly and covered
with forest containing, amongst other trees, Teak, Pyengma and Pyenggado. The cultivation is carried on
almost entirely in Toungyas where rice, cotton and other hill produce are grown . In 1876 it had a population of 1,634 souls.
A-MAI-KHENG. — A revenue circle in the Oo-ree-toung (west) town- ship, Akyab district. In 1879 the
population was 1,415.
AMAT. — A creek in the Kwengbouk circle, Myoungmya township, Bassein district, connecting the Rwe and
the Pyamalaw, over 20 miles from the sea and navigable by the largest native boats.
AMBARREE. — A revenue circle in the Kyai-let township, Akyab district. In 1879 the population was 1,654.
AMHERST. — A district in the Tenasserim division, occupying the country north, south and east of the
mouths of the Salween, the Gyaing and the Attaran rivers, which unite near the town of Maulmain, the
head-quarter station of the district and of the division, and including Bheeloogywon a large island west of
and not a mile from Maulmain, from where the Thoung-yeng pours its waters into the Salween.
*The district takes its name from the town of Amherst Continued……
AMHERST. — A small town in the Amherst district at the southern mouth of the Salween River in latitude
16° 15' north and longitude 97° 34' east, about 30 miles south of Maulmain by river and 54 miles by road.
A bold range of wooded hills rises within a short distance on the inland side of the town leaving a limited
space of level ground partially cleared of jungle between it and the sea on one side, and the Wakharoo
River on the other.
As a sanatorium for invalids Amherst is highly recommended by most medical men. The town displays a
goodly collection of planked houses belonging to residents of Maulmain, who go down occasionally to benefit from the sea breezes. It is also resorted to by invalids from Maulmain and Rangoon during the hot and
dry months of February, March and April as well for the benefit of change of air as for the enjoyment of the
cool sea-breeze and salt-water bathing.
The chief importance of Amherst is its convenience as a pilot-station. The site was selected, on the cession
of Tenasserim, by the Civil Commissioner, Mr. Crawford, as the capital of the Province and named after the
Governor- General, Lord Amherst. The head-quarters were subsequently removed to Maulmain. The town
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gives its name to the district.
AMHERST. — An island in the Kyouk-hpyoo district. — See Tsagoo.
AMHERST. — A circle in the Amherst district. — See Kyaik-Khamee.
AMHERST. — A township in the district of the same name. — See Kyaik- Khamee.
AN. — A village in the Kyouk-hpyoo district on the An river, the head- quarter station of the An township. It
contains a Court-house for the Extra Assistant Commissioner and a police station and in 1875 had a population of 1,528 souls, largely engaged in trade. Ponies and cattle, dried tea, cutch and other goods are
brought over the mountains from Upper Burma and passed down to the coast for distribution throughout
the country and piece-goods, tobacco and other articles are brought hither for export to Upper Burma in
return.
AN. — A river in the Kyouk-hpyoo district, more generally known as the Aeng, which rises in the Arakan
Romas and falls into Combermere Bay. During spring tides large boats can ascend as far as An village, 45
miles from the mouth, but at all other periods they are obliged to stop some five miles lower down.
AN. — An extensive township occupying the whole of the eastern portion of the Kyouk-hpyoo district from
the Maee river northwards, bounded on the east by the Arakan Roma mountains and traversed by the An
river. The estimated area is 2,883 square miles or more than half that of the whole district. Continued…….
ANEMAY.— See lem-mai.
ANAN-BAW. — An extensive revenue circle covering an area of more than 270 square miles in the Kyoukkyee Township, Shwe-gyeng district, west of the Tsittoung River and adjoining Toung-ngoo on the north. It
has a population of 4,418 inhabitants who are principally Karengs. Silk-worms are bred to some extent in
this circle and the silk exported, principally across the Roma mountains to Prome and Shwe-doung in the
Prome district.
*The name is derived from the Anan tree.
A-NAN-PYAING. — A village in the Keng-khyoung circle, Zaya town- ship, Amherst district, about seven
miles from Maulmain on the west of the Amherst road near the Kyouk-ta-loon hill with 528 inhabitants in
1878.
A-NGOO-MAW. — A village on the southern bank of the Ma-yoo in the A-ngoo-maw circle, Ra-thai-doung
township, Akyab district, with 658 in- habitants in 1878. The Thoogyee of the circle lives here.
A-NGOO-MAW. — A revenue circle in the Ra-thai-doung township of the Akyab district. In 1879 the
population was 2,153.
AN-GYEE. — A township in the Rangoon district over 600 square miles in extent extending from the seacoast northward as far as the Pan-hlaing creek and stretching westwards from the Rangoon river, which
forms its eastern boundary, to the To or China Bakir, the lower portion of which bounds it on the south towards the east. The Tha-khwot-peng, more commonly known as the Bassein creek, the ordinary route for
river steamers from Rangoon to the Irrawaddy during the dry season, traverses it from N.N.W. to S.S.E.
The principal villages are Htan-ma-naing where salt is made, Pyaw-bhway inhabited chiefly by rice cultivators, Lek-khaik, Kwon-khyan-goon and Thoon-khwa where pots for salt-boiling are manufactured. In 1876
the population numbered 75,147 souls.
It contains 14 Revenue circles. The head-quarters are at Twante. The old name of this tract was Dala. It
was changed to An-khyee ("wonderful, "admirable"), of which An-gyee is a corruption.
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AN-KHYOUNG. (An stream). — A revenue circle in the An township of the Kyouk-hpyoo district stretching
westward from the Arakan mountains beyond the An river. It has an area of 481 square miles and a population (in 1876) of 3,036 souls. Its principal produce is sessamum.
AN-LET-WAI. (Left An). — A revenue circle in the Kyouk-hpyoo district 1,200 square miles in extent,
stretching southwards from the extreme north of the district on the right bank of the An river. Exceedingly
mountainous and almost entirely covered by forest: the area under cultivation is very small; sessamum is
its main produce : the population numbers 2,105.
AN-LET-YA. (Right An). — A revenue circle in the An township, Kyouk-hpyoo district, with little cultivation
and a population of 4,997 souls including those of the village of An. It lies in the hilly country towards the
north-east of the district in the valley of the An.
ANOUK-BHET. — A township of Tavoy occupying, as its name {Western Side) denotes, the western portion
of the district. It extends southwards in a narrow strip between the coast and the Tavoy river from the
northern boundary of the district to Tavoy point. Throughout its entire length it is traversed by a low range
of wooded hills nowhere exceeding 500 feet in height which form the western watershed of the Tavoy
River. In the north and separated from the coast by a still lower range is the Hien-tsai basin, a large sweetwater lake 15 miles long and from 6 to 8 miles broad which is fed by numerous streams and empties itself
into the sea by a narrow mouth closed by a sand-bar. The principal products of the township are rice and
the Nipa palm; salt is made in several places.
It is divided into 12 revenue circles and contains no towns or villages of any size or importance. The population in 1876 numbered 26,732 souls.
A-PENG-HNIT-TSHAY.— A village in the Tsam-bay-roon circle, Kyoon-pyaw township, Bassein district, on
the southern bank of the A-peng- hnit-tshay creek, with 503 inhabitants in 1878.
A-PENG-HNIT-TSHAY. {Twenty tree creek) — A creek in the Bassein district flowing between the Daga and
Shwe-gnyoung-beng rivers. It is about 200 feet wide and has a depth of 15 feet increased to 19 at the
flood. In the rains it is navigable from the Shwe-gnyoung-beng as far as Rangoon, but in the dry weather
small boats cannot ascend above Koon-tsabay-oon.
A-POUK-WA. — A village in the Theng-gan-nek circle, Koo-la-dan township, Akyab district, on the right
bank of the Koo-la-dan, with 863 inhabitants in 1878.
ARAKAN. — The most northern of the three divisions of British Burma extending in a long narrow strip along the
coast of the Bay of Bengal from the Naaf estuary in the north to the Khwa River in the south and shut in on the east
by the Arakan Roma mountains. Continued…….
ARAKAN HILL TRACTS.— This district, lying amongst the wilderness of mountains in the north of Arakan,
for many years formed a portion of the Akyab district. Continued……
ASHE-KHYOUNG.— A village in the Mobya circle, Theekweng township, Bassein district, on the Kyoon-langoo stream, in the middle of a large extent of rice fields, inhabited principally by Kareng.
ASHE-MYOUK. — A township in Tavoy occupying the whole of the eastern portion of the district from Amherst on the north to Mergui on the south, and from the high range of hills forming the boundary between
British territory on the east to the Tavoy river as far south as about the latitude of Tavoy town, and below
that to the range of hills forming the eastern watershed of that river in the lower portion of its course.
Continued……
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ASHE-TOUNG (South-east). — A township in Tavoy, divided into ten Revenue circles, lying on the left bank
of the Tavoy River and extending southwards along the seacoast to the Mergui district: a range of hills
which send their spurs down nearly to the river and the coast separates it from the North-Eastern Township. It is drained by numerous streams which have generally an E. and W. direction, with broad mouths
fringed with mangrove. The most important is the Toung-byouk in the south which, rising in the fertile valley towards the N.W. turns west and falls into the mouth of the Tavoy River through an outlet about half a
mile wide. The principal products are rice, sessamum, cardamoms, betel-nuts, fruit, and nipa palms from
which is extracted tari and sugar the leaves being extensively used for thatch. The population in 1876 was
17,943 souls.
ATHAY-GYEE. — A revenue circle in the Bassein township of the Bassein district with an area of about 15
square miles, between the Bassein and Paibeng rivers on the east and west and the Let-khoot on the north.
Towards the Bassein River it is undulating and the soil gravelly. The inhabitants, Burmans and Kareng, are
employed in rice and garden cultivation. A broad belt of forest skirts the rivers and creeks and there is a
good deal of low land in the south. To the north is the large town of Bassein, a portion of which is within
the limits of this circle. There are no made roads but dry weather footpaths from village to village.
ATHAY-GYEE.— A quarter of the town of Bassein. The quarter received its name, Athay, from being occupied in the Burmese time by a class of people who were exempt from regular service under the Government, paying a tax in lieu thereof.
A-THOOT. — A stream in the Tsambay-roon township of the Bassein district, which rises in the Kyoonlaba
lake or swamp and trending gradually towards the south-west meanders through large waste plains
sparsely covered with forest and falls into the Kyoon-khabo a short distance above Bhoora- thoon-tshoo. It
is tidal and for about fifteen miles from its mouth, as far as Kywon-ta-leng-goon, is, in the rains, open for
laden boats of all sizes. In the dry season it is divided off into fisheries.
A-THOOT. — A revenue circle in the Tsambay-roon township — to which is now joined Kyoung-goon — in
the Bassein district about 84 square miles in extent. The northern portion consists of undulating ground
covered with good timber ; the remainder is of low waste plains subject to inundation. The inhabitants,
who in 1876 numbered 4,528, are largely engaged in the lake and pond fisheries which are numerous.
A-THOOT. — A village or rather a cluster of villages in the Bassein district on the stream of the same name
between seven and eight miles from its mouth. The name is Talaing and means "after-birth" (placenta) and
is said to have been given to the village as being the birth place of one of the early kings of Bassein.
A-TSAI. — A village in the Thanlyeng township, Rangoon district, in 16° 35' N. and 96° 32' E. near the
source of an insignificant branch of the Hmawwon and 31 miles west of Kbanoung. The inhabitants, who
are principally Shan and are engaged mainly in rice cultivation, numbered, in 1877, 672 souls. The name is
Talaing and means a glazed earthenware pot, of which there was once a large manufactory here.
A-TSEE. — A revenue circle in the Re Lamaing township, Amherst district, sometimes called A-tsen. It is situated on the sea coast at and south of the mouth of the Re river. The inhabitants are chiefly Talaing. A-tsee
is the Talaing name for the Eria odoratissima a sweet smelling orchid, a favourite with Burmans and Talaing, which is common on the trees in this circle. In 1876 the population numbered 1,185 souls.
A-TSEE. — A village in the circle of the same name in the Re La- maing township, Amherst district, with 664
inhabitants in 1878.
A-TSEN. — A revenue circle in the Amherst district. See A-tsee.
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ATTARAN. — A river in the Amherst district, formed by the junction of the Zamie and the Wengraw, which
falls into the Salween at Maulmain. It is a narrow, deep and somewhat sluggish stream with a N.N.W.
course and is navigable for a considerable distance. Mr. Crawford, the first British Commissioner of the
Tenasserim Provinces, ascended in a small steamer very nearly to the junction of the Zamie and the Wengraw. Two tides or one day's journey from the mouth are some hot springs {vide Amherst district). In former years a considerable quantity of teak was brought down from the forests — now almost exhausted —
which clothe the hills on the banks of the Zamie and the Wengraw.
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