Malay Penhumla. | ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 347 



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salute the fort with nine guns, which is considered a great compliment by 

 the. Rajah, and a like number is returned. 



In November this is a lee-shore, and no ships should stay in the roads; 

 December, January, and February arc the blowing months, and a heavy 

 surf rolls in from the China seas and the Gulph of Siam. Commanders are 

 sometimes detained on board ten days on account of the large surf on the 

 bar, and the ship riding with three anchors a head. 



Directions.— The following remarks on the Malays were made by a 

 gentleman long conversant with them and the whole trade to the eastward. 

 — " Though the Malays are not possessed of many virtues, they admire 

 them in Europeans, and invariably give the preference to the man who has 

 dealt honourably with them. Endeavour by all means to learn the language, 

 which, with proper application, may be done in a few months. Your lin- 

 guist arid touchadar are often great knaves, which renders it absolutely 

 necessary for every man to be his own linguist. When you are dealing 

 with them, guard yourself from passion ; it is common for them, when you 

 ask 600 dollars, to offer 150 ; they will tell you not to be angry. Never swear; 

 though you mean no barm to them, their jealous disposition makes them 

 think otherwise, and it may be attended with serious consequences, particu- 

 larly when expressed in anger, which is too common a case. A man of this 

 temper they will keep in constant agitation, in order to harass him, expect- 

 ing by such means he will be glad to sell, in order to get away ; but when 

 they meet with a man who, if they offer one dollar, will put on a pleasant 

 countenance, and tell them they have an undoubted right to offer what they 

 please, they are gratified with his behaviour, and give him the name of a 

 sensible man. If you take a touchadar, be cautious he plays you no tricks 

 in cleaning the gold ; you should therefore always carry a bottle of aqua- 

 fortis, which must have a glass stopper; and likewise some magnets. If 

 you take gold-dust, clear it from the sand as well as possible ; then put it 

 into a glass, and drop some aqua-forlis upon it, which will destroy and 

 turn black every thing else but the gold. Let it dry, then use your magnet; 

 it appears in the gold like black sand, and will all stick to the magnet ; 

 practice will soon make it familiar to you. Be careful of keeping aqua- 

 fortis, as it is easily put into fermentation, and the vapour arising therefrom 

 may be of the most fatal consequence, by either instant death, or the loss of 

 vour sight. Never keep any thing of value on shore with you, and always 

 remember to send otT your gold-dust as you receive it : you will then be 

 safe ; for 100 dollars are sufficient to induce a Malay to assassinate you, if 

 he can with impunity. You should likewise have a set of gold touches and 

 stone, to try the bar-gold, which is done with the different touches, by 



