malaria and then was resettled by Hakka squatters."' Now the Hakka are in almost exclusive possession of the Sha Tau Kok, Sai Kung and Hang Hau peninsulas and of the foot-hills of Tai Mo Shan besides being in the majority in some other area.62 Near the coast and on the islands the Hakka combine agriculture and fishing.63
In a few villages the Cantonese and the Hakka live side by side.65 Although strict exogamy is practised according to the usual Chinese custom, many Cantonese have taken Hakka wives but not often does the reverse take place. In practice, and in spite of differences in language, the Cantonese and Hakka have almost identical customs. Nowadays, indeed, the Hakka talk the standard Cantonese dialect (pun yu),** dress like the Cantonese and are in general indistinguishable from them.69
The Tanka67 form the majority of the sea-dwellers in the waters of the New Territories68 and land-dwellers who have few dealings with any sea-dwellers tend to call both the sea-dwelling communities "Tanka."?? The Tanka dialect, like the Cantonese, belongs to the western section of the Yueh language.” The Tanka have their main centres of population around the islands of Cheung Chau and Lantau but also are to be found around many smaller islands. Their arrival in the region is shrouded in the mists of the past74 but Balfour's description of them is worth repeating:-
“The Tanka or the Tan people are the Cantonese-speaking fishing population. The word Tan is a proper name and dictionaries define it as follows:-
'Tan is the name of a people. They are held to be a branch of the Man tribe. They live in boats along the coast of Fukien and Kwang-tung making fishing their livelihood. They are pearl divers. Since the T'ang dynasty (A.D. 618) they have been counted by able-bodied males for purposes of taxation. In the year 1618 they were classified according to families, headmen were appointed among them and anchorages in the rivers were set apart for them. A yearly tax of fishing produce was collected'
In 1723 an imperial edict was passed allowing them all the privileges of ordinary Chinese citizens, except the right to compete in