GINGHAM. O 



of the question ; and liad our government been 

 once committed on the other, and troops intro- 

 duced, we should soon have been so deeply in- 

 volved, that a worse than Candian war might 

 have been apprehended. In a country like 

 Acheen, by military operations, we had every 

 thing to lose, and nothing to gain." 



It was discovered, when too late, by the super- 

 cargo, that the village of Pedir was the worst 

 place on the coast to procure either a quick dis- 

 patch or a cheap cargo of the Areka-nut ; for 

 the rajah is obliged to treat with merchants, to 

 supply the ship with the requisite quantity which 

 has been agreed upon : the other European ves- 

 sels had anchored at the village of " Gingham," 

 about eight or nine miles further to the east- 

 ward. At this place, the contracts are made 

 with merchants, not with the rajah ; and the 

 merchants pay the rajah his dues. It is always 

 best to contract with the merchants, who can 

 supply it at a quicker and cheaper rate than the 

 rajahs, who must themselves apply at last to the 

 merchants ; and the payment proceeding through 

 the hands of the rajah, or his ministers, the 

 latter take care that some remains behind for 

 their special use ; and, at the termination of 

 the affair, the buyer will find that he is the 

 loser, not the seller. Sawang, Tellisomoy, and 



