SKETCH OF EORNEÓ. 41 



In the year 1790 the Dutch withdrew their 

 filctories from both Poiitiana and Mampav/a, 

 after a residence of 14years, findingthat though 

 they had imposed what duties they pleased, and 

 given the Sultan only what share they liked, 

 their profits vvere far from coiiipeiisating the 

 expence of the establishment. We have no 

 detail of the expeace and profits of this factory 

 unless for the year 1779 when the expence 

 amounted to abont 884^ pounds sterling and the 

 receipts only to about 160 pounds. The resi- 

 dence of the Dutch at Pontiana was not without 

 occasional misnnderstandings occurring betweea 

 them and the Sultan. One of the most serious 

 of these seems to have originated entirely froiu 

 their ignorance of Malay customs. Soon after 

 the seltlement of the factory at Pontiana a siri 

 or prepared betel was presented by a male slave 

 io the Surgeon. Among the Malays this is re-- 

 garded as an overture to an intrigue from some 

 femule of rank, hut the Surgeon was ignorant 

 of this custom^ and the slave had retired with- 

 out speaking a word. The Surgeon holding 

 the siri ia bis hand met thé Sultan, and related 

 to him the circumstancej expressing his sirrprize 

 at what it couid mean. The Sultan requcsted 



