384 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



each. The crops of two years form the cargo 

 of three fhips, two of which are difpatched in 

 one year, and the other the year following. 

 The exportation of this commodity, like that of 

 the nutmeg, fometimes exceeds the ordinary 

 confumption : it is well known, that, in this 

 cafe, the Dutch Eaft-India Company caufe the 

 furplus to be burnt, in order to keep them al- 

 ways at the fame price. 



Notwithstanding all their care to monopolize 

 ice-trade, it is reckoned that they lofe a 

 fifth of the annual crop by fmuggling. The 

 fcanty lalaries of their agents not leading them 

 rapidly on to fortune, feveral employ means 

 attended indeed with danger, but eafily prac- 

 tifed, in order to emerge from this ftate of dif- 

 trefs. In fpite of the vigilance of the Company, 

 agents contrive to pilfer from them a fmall 

 part of their fpi 



Only a iliort time had clapfed fince the Go- 

 vernor of Bunda and the Deputy Governor had 

 been difmifTed from their employments, and fent 

 to Batavia, for having purloined, for their own 

 profit, part of the. produce of that ifland ; but 

 abuies are carried to fuch a pitch, that this ex- 

 ample will fervc on;y to excite others to conduct 

 tbcm&lves with more addrefs, in order that they 

 mav not be diii.ovcrcd. 



This 



