Coast of Malabar.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



181 



with rocks ; it is customary to moor with two or tlirce anchors and hawsers fast 

 to the shore, to prevent a vessel from sheering about. The boats belonging 

 to the natives lie inside the rocks, the passages between which arc seem ed at 

 night by booms. The houses are built of wood, and covered with leaves of 

 the coco-nut tree, and are scattered about, not together in a town. 



Formerly these islands were much frequented by trading ships from 

 India; but from the difficulties experienced in procuring a cargo for a large 

 vessel, and the danger attending the navigation, it has lately been given up, 

 and the trade is carried on in their own boats, some of them of 30 tons bur- 

 den, which are formed of coco-nut trees. They arrive at Balasore, in fleets 

 of about 20 or 30, in the months of June or July, when the S. W. monsoon 

 is steady in the Bay of Bengal. They are Mahometans, dress after the 

 manner of the Moors of India, and appear to be an industrious quiet people. 



The American navigator, formerly quoted, states that these islands are 

 not so dangerous as believed, the reefs being near the land, and visible day or 

 night. He adds, " They are formed in circular clusters, enclosing smooth, 

 shallow seas, and are surrounded by chains of coral reefs, generally level with 

 the water, extending from half a mile to 50 yards of the land. Where bays 

 are formed by projecting parts of the clusters, there is, in some places, 

 anchorage over a sandy bottom, mixed with >UtAl& and coral. Many of the 

 islands furnish fresh water a few feet from the surface. The natives are 

 poor and inoffensive, and generally shy.^ — A tolerably full account of 

 Male is derived from the Captain of the Hayston, wrecked near there in 1819, 

 who experienced the most hospitable treatment from the Sultan, who refused 

 any recompence for his services and supplies. 



Trade. — In return for the goods they carry to Bengal and Madras, they 

 bring back broad-cloth, betel-nut, coarse cutlery, china-ware, cofFee, glass- 

 ware, hard-ware, iron in bars, looking-glasses, opium, piece-goods, rice, 

 sugar, silk-stuffs, steel, and spices. 



The produce of the coco-nut tree, viz. coco-nuts, coir, and oil, with 

 cowries, form the principal part of their exports to Bengal. To Acheen 

 they send large quantities of dried bonito, in small pieces of two or three 

 ounces weight, which, when properly cured, is as hard as horn ; it is dried 

 in the sun, and is with them a staple commodity. Some tortoise-shell is to 

 be met with, which is black and smooth, having many curious figures in it. 

 They make some beautiful reed mats at these islands. Ships going from 

 Madras to Rangoon generally call here for coco-nuts, in exchange for blue 

 cloth of Coromandel, and coarse white cloths from Madras; the nuts are bar- 

 tered at Rangoon for timber. Small hatchets are much desired by the 

 Maldivans, and are a very good article of traffic. 



