12 VILLAGE OF GINGHAM. 



is situated about a mile distant from the entrance 

 of the river ; the thatched-houses, of which it is 

 composed, were partially concealed by the grace- 

 ful and elegant Bamboo, Eju, Cocoa, and Areka 

 palms. Having landed and ranged about the 

 village, I made inquiry of the native merchants, 

 who were the Moormen of Hindostan, many of 

 whom had been born in India, and others on 

 the coast, respecting the trade of the place, 

 which consists exclusively of the Betel-nut ; 

 they informed me that they contracted with the 

 supercargoes of vessels* visiting the coast, pay- 

 ing to the rajah a certain tribute. The export 

 is from forty to sixty thousand peculs annually, 

 during the months of May, June, July, and 

 some part of August. The total amount col- 

 lected upon the coast, the greatest portion of 

 which grows some distance inland, is computed 

 at or about eighty or ninety thousand peculs. 



The number of vessels, of all classes, freighted 

 every year upon this coast during the season, 

 varies, and depends a great deal upon their size ; 

 sometimes forty of all classes had been loaded, 

 but when a large Bombay Indiaman comes and 

 takes ten thousand peculs at one time, of course 



* Most of the country vessels that visit the coast have 

 native supercargoes, as they effect much better bargains 

 with the native merchants upon the coast than Europeans. 



