82 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [Coast of Arabia. 



pepper, sugar, spices, turmeric, and a small quantity of European cutlery, 

 glass ware, looking glasses, broad cloth, &c. 



The Imaum has abolished the slave trade here, at Zanzibar, and his 

 other dominions. 



Duties. — Foreigners pay 5 per cent. ; Mahommedans 2\ per cent. 



Provisions and Refreshments. — Provisions, fruits, and vegetables 

 are to be had in plenty, and reasonably cheap. Bullocks are extremely 

 good, at 10 to 12 dollars a head ; a good sheep 2 or 3 dollars ; fowls, large 

 and reasonable. From April to September the market is extremely well 

 supplied with grapes, melons, mangoes, oranges, limes, pomegranates, and 

 other fruits ; likewise greens, pumpkins, onions, and abundance of other 

 vegetables. They are always well supplied with delicious fresh fish, which 

 is the principal support of the natives ; they kill meat daily on shore for 

 sale, but that which comes on board the vessels, must come from Muttrn, 

 in a clandestine manner, as the compradore (or steward) is dependent on the 

 Company's broker, who is a Hindoo, and very desirous of saving the lives 

 of the bullocks, but they have not that authority on shore ; they manage so 

 as to bring the cattle on board in the night-time. The best mode of watering 

 is with the ship's casks, otherwise they will bring ofTthe water in oily boats 

 in bulk, which will smell disagreeably in a few days, although very good if 

 it is taken clear from the reservoir, which is near the sea, the water being 

 conducted to it from a considerable distance inland. The Muscat mangoes 

 are preferable to any in India. 



Coins. — Accounts are kept here in gass and mamoodies ; 20 gass make 

 1 mamoody. The coins current arc 



30 Budgerooks equal to 1 Mamoody. 



31 Mamootlies 1 Surat Rupee. 



4 Ditto • I Bombay Rupee. 



7 1 Ditto , 1 Spanish Dollar. 



All Persian, Turkish, and Indian coins are met with here, but they 

 arc generally sold by weight. 



Wei ours. — The weights arc the cucha and maund ; 24 cuchas making 

 a maund, which is equal to 8 lbs. 12 oz. avoirdupois. 



BURKA. — This place is in latitude 23° 41V N., longitude about 

 67° 54' E., and is strongly fortified. Here the Imaum of Muscat resides 

 in summer: between it and the entrance of the Persian Gulph are several 

 small villages, seldom visited by any European vessels. Ships may anchor 

 at Burka in 5, 6, or 7 fathoms water, 2 or 3 miles oft' shore. As the ground 

 is loose in Burka Road, ships should anchor well out, not under 7 or S 

 fathoms. Provisions are plentiful and cheap here. 



