G4 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



[Red Sea. 



The above statement will he found pretty correct, exclusive of mintage, 

 which amounts to about 4 per cent. One hundred ounces of standard silver 

 will bring 259 \ or 250 Arcot Rupees ; and there being only one per cent, 

 difference between Arcot and Madras Rupees, makes it 7 per cent. : 

 better thus to sell to the shroffs, than coin it into Madras Rupees. 



Weights are Vakias, Maunds, Frazils, and Bahars, and are thus 

 divided : 



15 Vakias make 1 Rattle. 



2 Rattles 1 Maund. 



10 Maunds 1 FraziL 



10 Frazils 1 Bahar = 292 lbs. 6 oz. nearly. 



But as all goods are weighed by the steelyards, after the Turkish 

 manner, the European as well as the Turkey merchants are obliged to rest 

 contented with such weights as the weigher thinks propeY to give them. 

 No merchants are allowed to weigh goods, when bought or sold, at their 

 houses ; besides this, there is an unreasonable custom of certain allowances 

 on all weighable goods; the particulars of such allowances, besides the 

 tares, being as follow ; 



Agak-vroocl 10 per cent 



Betel-nut 10 ditto 



Cloves 10 ditto 



Camphire & ditto 



Cardamums. 10 ditto 



Calambac 10 ditto 



Cinnamon 10 ditto 



Ginger 10 ditto 



Long Pepper 20 ditto 



Lump Lac 20 percent. 



Metals of all kinds 5 ditto 



Nutmegs 10 ditto 



Pepper 10 ditto 



Sugar 20 ditto 



Sandal -wood 10 ditto 



Stick Lac 20 ditto 



Thread lo ditto 



Turmeric 10 ditto 



Provisions and Refreshments. — Sheep and a few bullocks are pro- 

 curable at high prices. The bazar is well supplied with fruit and vegetables. 

 Europeans are subject to much insolence from the natives in going to the 

 bazar. 



LOHEIA, a considerable town, in latitude 15° 44 N. longitude 42° 44' 

 E* It is at the bottom of a deep bay, protected by the large island Camaran, 

 and a group of smaller to the N. W. Most of the houses are mud huts ; 

 some are of stone. It is unwalled, but not quite defenceless. The harbour 

 is so shallow, that even the smallest vessels anchor at a great distance from 

 the town ; and at low water laden boats cannot approach it. 



Trade. — A considerable trade in coffee is carried on, though the com- 

 modity is not reckoned so good as that from Beetlefackie, shipped at Mocha 

 and Hodeda, but is cheaper, and the carriage to Judda costs less. Some 

 Cairo merchants reside here, and Banians employed in different trades. 



