OG 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [Gulph of Persia. 



All sorts of coins pass here ; the exchanges generally as follow j — 



Venetian ot 28 Shakees. 



Rupee 61 to 9. 



Dollar 13£ to 20. 



Lrarccs {Ispahan money) 2£. 



Abassees and sequins are the common coins ; of the latter there arc 

 several kinds, the Venetians being the best by 2 per cent. When a parcel 

 of Venetian Ducats are mixed with others, the whole go by the name of 

 sequins ; but when separate, one sort is called Venetians, and all the rest 

 indifferently by the name of gubbers. 



Weights. — Gold and silver, and other valuable commodities, are 

 weighed by the miscal, of 2dwts. 23i\ grs. : 2\ miscals are equal to a Surat 

 tola. 



The larger weights are of different sorts, and vary according to the 

 commodities sold. 



The maund tabree weighs 6{ lbs, avoirdupois in commerce, but only 

 6 1 in the Bazar. By this weight, sugar, copper, tutenague, and all kinds 

 of drugs are sold. 



The maund copra is 7* lbs. at the Custom-house, but in the Bazar, 

 from ?i lbs. tol\ lbs. By this weight, rice, almonds, raisins, and other 

 eatables are sold. 



The maund shaw is equal to 2 maunds tabree, or 13 £ lbs. 



Measures. — The long measure is the guz, 93 of which are reckoned 

 to 100 English yards. 



Eight islands have recently been discovered in this Gulph by H. M. S. 

 Favourite, the situations and Arabic names of which are as follow : — Daubs, 

 in latitude 25" 10 N., longitude 52° 45 E. ; Jabnain, in latitude 25° 8 N., 

 longitude 52= 55' E. ; Arzenie, in latitude 24° 56 N., longitude 62° 33 E. ; 

 Dalmv, in latitude 24" 36 N., longitude 52° 24' E.; See* Beni Yass, in 

 latitude 24° 34 N., longitude 52° 40 E. ; Dahie, in latitude 25° 1' N., 

 longitude 52= 20' E. ; Sherarow, in latitude 26 13' N., longitude 52° 18 E. ■ 

 and Hawlool, in latitude 25° 41 N., longitude 52° 23 E. These islands 

 are mostly dangerous of approach, having a coral base. They are situated 

 in the centre of an extensive pearl fishery, which ailbrds perhaps the best 

 pearls in the world. The fishing season is from April to September. 



Passports for the Persian Gulph. — By order of the Supreme Govern- 

 ment of Bengal, 17th Feb., 1821, all British subjects proceeding from 

 thence to any of the ports in the Persian Gulph, for the purpose of visiting 

 or passing through the territories dependent on the Pashalik of Bagdad, are 



