The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-26 00:00:00

A BURMESE ROBINSON CRUSOE.

A Burman, says a letter from Rangoon, of the 20th
of June, arrived here a few days ago, having been picked
up by a Chinese junk at sea, in a small-boat by himself,
about ninety miles east of Tavoy. The man's history of
himself is a strangonne. •
He was one of six men who proceeded about seven
months ago, in a boat from Tavoy, to one of Preparis
islands, named Bundur. Their ohj,ct was fo obtax
cargo of c,c3a nuts. It is an understood and au no-
knowledged rule among the Burmese tribes that inhabit
the western soaats of TeriasieriM, that the first pa. fy
arriving at any of these islands has . the sble right and
title to the cecoa, nuts of the season.. •
A day or tw- after the Tavoy Men had reached the
island of Bundur, a party of the Monlinein men arrived
at the same place fur the saine object,- and were of
course somewhat annoyed to find the Tavoy men had
arrived before them. They asked- to be allowed tai go
halves in the no's, but the Tavoy men insisted on their
right to the whole, and told the Moulmein men they
might get the cocoa-nuts from the'neigaonrieg island of
a. The Moulmein men went aryl returned the same day,
saying there were no nuts worth having, and said they
would remain on the island of Bonder and would take
what were left by the Tavoy men. This was accordingly
settltd between them. It seems that nuts could only-be
obtained in fine weather, or from sonic reason or another
they did not try to get any when it raiaed, but fished for
sea-slugs instead, a fish highly piized by the Chinese,
and fetching a good price where then) are Cainamen.
One rainy day, as the Tavel, men were fishing, three
being on the sea-shore and three in the water, of whom
the narrator was one, being fired at, swam out to sea.
Two of these, after swimming some hours, sunk, and the
third and only survivor, being a very good swimmer,
floated on his back, and while doing so, slates that he
went to sleep, and awoke in the middle of the night,
finding that the tide was drifting him into the island
again. Ile regained the shore before it was light,
and finding that, as he s'enubled along the shore, a
hollow trunk of a tree standing upright with
a hole at the top, he got into it; and that tree
actually was his place of concealment fur six monthS.
He could see through a chink in• it when the Mold-
mein men went abroad, and managed to get cocoa-
nuts when he knew they were not about. The kernel
was his food, and the water or milk his drink. At
last he found his enemies had gone, and venturing
abroad and going round the island he perceived that
they had taken both boats with them. He declares
that one night he dreamt that in a certain part of the
island there was lying a small boat, and on proceed-
ing to the spot next morning he found it.
This seems like romance, but the man gave his evi*
deuce in a calm and clear manner to the magistrate
here, Dr. Martin, .and had told the Same story to the
captain of the. Chinese junk as soon as he came to
himself after being taken on board, for he was at first
too agitated to se)/ anything. Tu continue the strange
narrative, our Robinson Crusoe remembered that one
of his comrades had broken the blade of his knife in
opening a cocoa nut, and had thrown it down in a par-
ticular spot. Ile found the knife on the ground among
the grass, and, though the blade was broken, managed
to cut a rudder and a mast. These he attached to ti,e
little boat, and taking a supply of cocoa-nuts with him,
started for Tavoy, being guided by the, sun
,by day
and the stars by night. He was proceeding on his
course when he was picked up by the junk. • •
The truth of the man's story was partly confirmed in •
court, for one of the native officials connected therewith
told the magistrate that his Wife, who bad lately*re.
turned from Moulmein, had mentioned to him that the
wife of the person whom our Robinson Crusoe had
named as the head of the Moulmein crew, had lately
come out in very costly garments, and that her Baugh.`
tors also were very richly dressed, and that it. was gene.'
rally known that the man had made lately a very sue
cessful expedition to one of the Preparis Islands, and bad •
brought back a rich load of cocoa nuts.
Robinson Crusoe bas been sent to Moulmein to idea.

tify the murderers, whom he knows by name ae well as
by their appearance. Conceive their horror and amaze.
ment, when they are confronted with the man they must
have long ago considered drowned and devoured by
sharks.
Time will show whether the man's story turns net
true. His narrative was clearly and dispassionately
given.

NEW CHANCERY STAMPS.— On Monday next new
Chancery adhesive stamps will be issued from 6d. toll.
Fees are not taken in the offices.
THE SITSPEOTED MURDER AT HAMPTON COURT...
EXHUMATION OF THE BODY.—Yesterday, in accordance
with previous arrangement, Mr. Brent, the deputy cm.
nor, attended, in company with Mr. Heskett, an nate.
mica' dissector, from London, at the Hampton church.
m ight undergo
suspected
yard, to witness the exhumation of the remains of Lewis
salmons (who, as already stated, y
is
the
been murdered), in order that
more
e
minute examination. Dr. Garrett, who had made the •
previous post mortem examination, was in attendance.
The examination was principally intended to find out, if
possible, whether deceased died from the effects of seve-
ral stabs, as considered by Dr. Garrett, or whether the
wound in his side was inflicted by a gun or pistol shot.
The body having been carefully reopened, Mr. Heskett
directed his attention to the more seriously injured in-
ternal organs, the heart and lungs, and after a careful.
examination several large swan shot were discovered in
the left lung. The stomach of the deceased, with its
contents, together with other portions of the body which
might have become impregnated with 'poison having
been secured for subsequent analysis, if necessary, and
sealed up in a suitable jar, the body was once more cony
signed to the grave. The police have been unable to •
discover anything of the large sum seen in the possession
of the deceased man the day he was missed for the first
time. It is supposed that the stomach of the deciasctl
and its contents will be analysed to discover, if possible,
whether he was drugged or mot,