92 ' WESTERN H I N D O O S T A N. 



Arabs ftill keep up a confiderable trade iii fliips of a thouland 

 tons, either Indian built, or old hidiamen bought from the com- 

 panv. One article is the Kufmiftj raifin, a fpecies without 

 ftones, brought from Kafmi/Jj^ an ille in the Perfian gulph. 

 The exports from India are chiefly cottons, 8cc. to a great 

 amount; but the trade between thefe parts and the Perjlan and 

 jirabkui gulphs, has of late been much injured by caravans 

 crofling the iil:hmus oiBaJJbra^ conduced by the Syrians them- 

 felves. The whole bay is full of llioals or rocks, yet with chan- 

 nels of fufficient depth of water for the fkilful pilate to bring 

 in fecurely the largett fliips ; and here, even our military fleets 

 find conveniencies for heaving down and refitting. Admiral 

 JVatfon^ and again Admiral Hughes, found here every fpecies of 

 naval ftore ; here his Majefty's fliips winter and refit. 



Although Bombay is a place of very great trade, it is wholly 

 as a magazine ; its native productions are nothing in the ac- 

 .aip- Building, count, uulefs you reckoR fliip - building. There the fineft 

 merchant fliips in the world are built, and all of Teek. The 

 durability of this timber is beyond belief, greater than that of 

 our heft Englijh oak; it refifls the worm longer than any other; 

 but whether this be owing to the nature of the timber itfelf, or 

 to the cement with which the plank is joined and covered, I 

 cannot tell. Surat or Bombay built fliips w^ill certainly laft 

 threefcore years (fome fay many more), in which time, how- 

 ever, they are generally doubled once or twice, fo that the fides 

 of an old Qiip are as thick as the walls of an houfe. Much is 

 likewife faid of the number of years they fometimes run without 

 having occalion to ufe a pump; but of this I cannot fpeak 



with 



