3S 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE, [E. Const of Africa. 



board vessels, to prevent illicit trade; but by proper management this restraint 

 may lie evaded. Much gold is annually brought here from Sena and Sofala, 

 and ambergris, ivory, columbo-root, tortoise-shell, and cowries are plen- 

 tifully procured. The chief article of export hither, from British India, is 

 piece-goods, of various kinds, principally from Bombay ; and ivory is the 

 chief return. 



Provisions and Refreshments are dear, Mozambique being dependent 

 upon Madagascar and other places for supplies. There are but two good wells 

 of water, one on the island, the other on the main. Wood is procured from 

 the main, where the Portuguese have gardens of vegetables and fruits. 



Coins. — The coins current are Spanish dollars, crusados, and testoons, 

 4 testoons making 1 crusado, the exchange of which with Spanish dollars 

 varies from 250 to 270 crusados per 100 dollars, 



Weiguts. — The weights are the frazil and the bahar, 20 of the former 

 making 1 of the latter, which is considered equal to 240 avoirdupois pounds. 



COMMODITIES PROCURABLE AT MOZAMBIQUE. 



Amber, (Cah-ruha, Hind. & Pers.), is met with on this coast, gene- 

 rally in irregular masses of yellowish brown colour. It should be in fine 

 hard pieces, clean and transparent ; the smell, when rubbed, fragrant and 

 pleasant ; it should attract light substances, as straws, hairs, &c. The foul 

 and opaque should be rejected. The Caroba, or Amber of the bazars, is 

 imported from Bussorah, and is a resin, supposed to be real copal. 



Ambergris (Amber, Hind. Amhara> San.), a concrete substance, light, 

 inflammable, soil and tenacious like wax, slightly odoriferous, generally in 

 solid masses, rough and uneven when broken, and frequently containing 

 pieces of shells and other substances. It is found on various parts of the 

 E. Coast of Africa, as well as in the eastern seas. Its origin is not exactly 

 determined. It is oilen adulterated. The best is ash-coloured, with yel- 

 lowish and blackish veins and spots, scarcely any taste, and very little smell, 

 unless heated, or much handled, when it yields an agreeable odour. When 

 exposed to the flame of a candle, in a silver spoon, it melts without bubble 

 or scum ; it swims on water ; if a small piece is laid upon the heated point 

 of a knife, it should melt entirely away. The Chinese try its geuuineuess 

 by scraping it fine upon boiling tea, when it should dissolve, and diffuse ge- 

 nerally.* The black, or white, is had; the smooth, uniform, and apparently 

 pure, is commonly factitious. It is used principally by perfumers, and 

 varies much in price. 



Colombo Root, (Kalumb, Mosamb.), a staple export of the Portuguese, 

 grows naturally and abundantly in the forests ou the Mozambique coast, 



