Coast of Malabar.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



173 



cheap ; they have a particular kind of towels, esteemed the best in India. 

 Here are several Portuguese merchants ; likewise a few Persees. Many of 

 the natives are men of considerable property. 



Duties. — The customs are farmed by a Persee merchant resident at 

 TelHcherry, and vary according to the articles bought and sold ; it is there- 

 fore best to make your agreement to be exempt from all duties, which may 

 readily be done with the merchants. 



Provisions and Refreshments. — Bullocks and water are supplied by 

 the Master Attendant. Ilice and paddy are very dear ; gram is to be had ; 

 poultry is indifferent ; yams and other vegetables scarce and dear. 



It is difficult to procure plank or mats for dunnaging the hold, and 

 stowing the pepper here ; they should therefore be brought from Bombay, 

 or sent for to Cochin. 



Coins. — The coins current here are pagodas, rupees, fanams, pice, and 

 tars. — There are two kinds of fanams; the one is a small gold coin, with a 

 considerable alloy of silver and copper ; the other a silver coin ; the pice and 

 tar are copper, coined in England. 



2 Tars equal to I Pice = 80 Rcas. 



10 Pice I Fanam. 



5 Fanams.... „ 1 Bombay Rupee. 



The following are the rates at which gold coins commonly pass cur- 

 rent at Tellicherry : — 



Porto Novo Pagodas 3 j Rupees, Venetians, o Rupees each ; but if paid, 



Star Pagodas 3$ Ditto. 520 Rupees per 100 Venetians. 



Sultany Ditto 4| Ditto. Surat Gold Mohurs...l5 Rupees each. 



But to pay for Goods, 430 Rupees Bombay Ditto 16 Ditto 



per 100 Pagodas. 



In selling goods, all bargains should be made for Bombay Rupees, 

 or you will lose considerably by the coins you are obliged to take here, 

 more particularly the Venetians, which seldom fetch more than four 

 rupees each at Bombay ; and upon pagodas the loss is from a quarter to 

 half a rupee each. 



Accounts are kept in rupees, quarters, and reas, the same as at Bombay. 



Weights. — The commercial weights arc pollams, maunds, and candies, 

 thus divided :— 20 pollams make 1 maund, and 20 maunds 1 candy, which 

 is reckoned equal to 600 lbs. avoirdupois ; but the maund does not exceed 

 28 i lbs., which makes the candy only 570 lbs. 



Measures. — The long measures are thecovidand the guz ; the former 

 18 inches, and the latter 28* inches. 



