90 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [Gulph of PereU*. 



Bussorah, vix. 3 per cent from Europeans, arid 8 per cent, from all Turks, 

 Persians, and other Asiatics ; one duty is paid at Bussorah, the other at 

 Bagdad. These goods arc rated at their current prices, on their arrival at 

 each place, with the exception of such goods as are conveyed directly by the 

 caravan from Bussorah to Aleppo, which must pay two duties at Bussorah, 

 one on arrival, and another, called the Bagdad duty, before departure. No 

 caravan can depart for Aleppo without leave first obtained from the Basliaw 

 of Bagdad ; so that he receives 6 per cent from Europeans, and 16 per 

 cent, from all others, and half this duty only on goods consumed at 

 Bussorah. By a recent account (1S22) it however appeal's, that Indian 

 piece-goods pay an import duty at Bussorah,Jof 7{ per cent, upon prices 

 aflked to them ; and that sugar, indigo, and all drugs, pay 8| per cent on 

 the actual prices. 



Provisions and Refreshments.— Provisions are very good here, and 

 at reasonable prices, particularly beef, mutton, and butter, a3 well as camel's 

 flesh, which the Arabs prefer to beef, especially when young. The fruits 

 are apples, grapes, peaches, nectarines, promegrauates, dates, &c 



Coins. — Various sorts of money are met with, which are constantly 

 fluctuating in value ; being higher during the monsoon than after it, when 

 all the foreign ships are gone. Few of the coins current in Persia are 

 coined in the country. The consequence of this want of standard coins, and 

 the introduction of foreign money, is such a constant variation in the price, 

 that it is impossible to ascertain, for any length of time, the value of gold 

 coins ; and the Governors of the different districts often alter their standard 

 value without assigning any reason. All coins are taken at a disadvantage, 

 except the tomand, and the Turkish coins. The latter have a fixed value; 

 though merchants, in dealing with strangers, generally rate them some- 

 thing above their legal price. 



Accounts are kept in mamoodies of 10 danims or 100 floose. 100 



mamoodies make 1 tomand, which is valued at 15 rupees. The real 



money is as follows: 



10 Florae equal to 1 Daiiira. 



12 Danims 1 Mamoodie. 



Mamoodies . 1 Knisc or Dollar. 



75 Ditto 1 Tomand Zelotte. 



100 Ditto 1 Tomand Howcss. 



Weights. — Gold and silver are weighed by the Cheki of 100 miscals 

 or 150 drachms. The miscal weighs about 72 English grains. A miscal of 

 the finest gold is worth about 22£ mamoodies : a cheki of fine silver is worth 

 ISO mamoodies nearly; hence, the mamoodie is equal to 3? grains of fine 

 gold, or 40 grains of fine silver, or about 5^d. sterling. 



