Sumatra.] 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



357 



uncouth piece of architecture, designed to resist the attacks of internal 

 enemies, and surrounded for that purpose with a moat and strong walls, but 

 without any regular plan, or view to the modern system of defence. The 

 King resides generally at Telisomaway. The main street only in the town 

 is raised a little, and covered with sand and gravel, and even this is sometimes 

 overflowed by the swelling of the river, from sudden and heavy rains on the 

 hills behind the town, in which case they make use of canoes. 



The King of Acheen, as is usual with the Princes in this part of the 

 world, is the chief merchant of his capital, and endeavours to be, to the 

 utmost of his power, the monopolizer of its trade. His revenue arises chiefly 

 from import and export duties. In 1819, a mission to Acheen obtained for 

 us a treaty with the King, which provides for the residence of a British 

 agent, and a free and uninterrupted trade. 



Trade. — A considerable trade is carried on, as well with private 

 European merchants, as with the natives of the Coast of Coromandel ; the 

 latter send annually from Porto Novo and Coringa, the following assortment 

 of piece-goods adapted for the Acheen market :— 



Blue cloth, 9 calk — ************* — **** 100 corge. 



Ditto, 7 and 8 calls *********^**^*~******* — ** 100 ditto. 



Blue suckertoons, gold head, 40 cubits by 2 ™ 20 ditto. 



Blue ditto, fine, ditto *************™~**« — ****** 2 ditto. 



White ditto, ditto**™ — ****** 2 ditto. 



Brown cloths, 8 and 9 calls ****** 100 ditto. 



White ditto, ditto**** >*** 100 ditto. 



Tappies, 4- in a piece, 6 and 8 cubits long******** 50 ditto, 



A few fine long cloths, Pulicat handkerchiefs, taffaties, &c. generally 

 are included in the assortment. 



The other articles which are imported from the Coromandel Coast and 

 Bengal, are cotton, dried fish, gold thread, Jaffhapatatn tobacco, opium, 

 salt, and sticklac. 



Of European commodities imported, the following are the principal: — 

 brass wire, broad cloth, cutlery, gunpowder, glass ware, gold thread, hard- 

 ware, iron in flat bars, muskets, looking glasses, lead, shot, small arms, 

 steel in faggots, and swivel guns. 



The trade is in general troublesome, there being no great dealers 

 resident here, so that the goods are sold by retail in a kind of shop under 

 the houses. In this way all dealings are for ready money ; but if any con- 

 siderable quantity is sold together, the purchaser expects credit tiU he has 



