174 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [Coast of Malabar, 



MAHE is about 5 miles to the S. of Tellicheny, on the banks of 

 a small river, in latitude ll c 41 N. ; the river lias a bur, but is navigable by 

 boats for a considerable way inland. 



CALICUT is in latitude U 15 N., and longitude 75° 49 E. The 

 town is close to the shore, making a handsome appearance from the sea, but 

 is far from being so in reality. The streets are narrow and dirty, nor are 

 there any handsome buildings. It is well peopled, and has a considerable 

 trade with the inhabitants of the N. eoast A short distance to the N. 

 of Calicut is a river, navigable by boats for more than 100 milts. 



Large ships anchor in 5 or ti fathoms, with the flagstaff bearing E. by 

 N., off the shore two or three miles. 



Tbade. — Vessels from the Red Sea, Arabia, and the northern posts, 

 freemen t this place for timber and plank, bringing with them the commodities 

 of their respective countries. Very little European merchandise is sold. 



Some piece goods are manufactured in the neighbourhood, similar to 

 the Madras long cloth ; they are of six calls fineness, that is to say, contain 

 in the warp 744 threads, and the pieces are 72 covids long, by 2{ in width. 

 Very few are made of a superior kind. They are sometimes bleached, and 

 sent to Europe. 



Duties on exports are rated ad valorem ; it is therefore advisable, 

 in making bargains at Calicut, to agree at a certain price deliverable on 

 board. 



Coins. — The principal coins in circulation are tars, fanams, and rupees; 

 but accounts are kept in rupees, quarters, and reas, as at Bombay :— 



16 Tars, or Vis equal to 1 Fanam 



5 Panama « 1 Rupee 



S I Rupees « I Star Pagotla 



3\ Ditto * 1 Porto Novo Pagoda 



16 Ditto 1 Bombay Gold Mohur. 



The Spanish dollar, full weight, is accounted 2\ rupees, but,, passes in 

 the bazar only from 10 fanams 4 tars, to 10i fanams. 



The fanam is a small gold coin, with a considerable alloy of silver and 

 copper; and the tar is a small silver coin. 



The Calicut fanams have been found, by assays made at Bombay, 

 to contain 52 £ parts gold, 29 silver, and 17 l x copper. They are worth 

 6d. sterling. 



Weights. — 100 pools make 1 maund of 30 lbs. avoirdupois ; and 20 

 maunds make 1 candy of 000 lbs. 



In the Malabar weights, commonly used here, the maund is 24 lbs. 



