1§8 Ohfervattom on the Straits efMatacca, 



tcgularly, prevails in the ftraits, they are glad to fee fucti 

 florms, which always begin to be formed in the north-weft. 

 In the night, however, they cannot be ufed with fo much 

 advantage, on account of the many fand-banks, iflands, and 

 even the coaft jtfelf, which muft be avoided. It has been 

 remarked, that during thefe ftorms the magnetic needle is in 

 a continual ftate of perturbation; and I have heard the cap- 

 tain of an Englifh Eaft Indiaman declare that he has feen, 

 during a violent fiorm, the north end of the needle point di- 

 TCClly fouth. 



The European productions brought to Malacca for the 

 purpofes of trade are confined to a verv- few articles. Ricej 

 opium, white and coloured cottons, form the principal part 

 of them. The Malays bring hither pepper, nutmegs, fago, 

 rotangs, Spanifli reeds, and gold-duft. The latter article is 

 firft examined by the officers of the company, and then made 

 tip into fmall packets in Chinefe paper, bound round with 

 a thread and imprefled with a feal containing Malay cha- 

 rafters. Each packet contains a catty, and is worth from 

 460 to 500 piaftres. The Spaniards, who go from the Phi- 

 lippines to Madras for the purpofes of trade, touch here al- 

 ways in order to exchange their piaftres for gold-duft, which 

 they carry with them to the coaft of Coromandel, where, ac- 

 cording to eircumftances, they gain two per cent. Thefe 

 packets, when fold, are never opened, but are taken on the 

 feller's report ; and no inftance is known of any fraud ever 

 ha%'ing been praftifed on fuch occafioris. The fmall Spanifli 

 reeds are fold for about eight piaftres fer hundred, and 

 pepper at fifteen piaftfes per pickel of 17! Spanifli pounds. 

 The cotton and opium brought hither are fold moftly to thi 

 Dutch, who fell them afterwards to the Malays. The branch 

 of trade, however, by which the inhabitants chiefly live, is 

 fupplying the fliips which touch here with provifions,- frefh 

 water, falted and frefh fifl^, poultry and fruit. The price of 

 fowls is generally a piaftre for eight or ten. Pine-apples are 

 fold at the rate of from four to fix per piaftre. Thofe who are 

 acquainted with the number of the ftiips which pafs thtough 

 thefe ftraits eery year to China, the Philippines, the South 

 Sea, Batavia, Borneo, Coringa, &.c, may fomi fome idea of the 



importance 



