Eastern Island*.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE 



419 



inferior to that obtained on the Coast of Sumatra, and to the S. of Borneo ; 

 it is called mas moodo> or young gold, but the price varies according to the 

 demand, so that you must be guided by a strict enquiry, which your lin- 

 guist will make, if you do not understand the Malay language yourself 



Duties, &c— On opium a duty of 100 Spanish dollars per chest is 

 charged ; on other imports and exports 6 per cent. It is necessary to make 

 a present of a piece of each sort of piece-goods you import, on being intro- 

 duced to the King, and likewise to the Shabundar, with whom it is your 

 interest to be on good terms. 



Coins and Weights are the Spanish dollar and Chinese pecul ; the 

 Chinese cash is current among the natives. 



SAMBASS. — This town is 10 leagues up the principal branch of a 

 river, the entrance of which is in latitude I s 13' N., and longitude 109° 3' E. 

 The anchorage is with the river's mouth bearing E., about two miles off 

 shore. It) trading here, more caution is necessary than at some of the 

 other ports. 



Tkade. — The Chinese settlers carry on a great trade. Opium is the 

 largest article of import ; piece-goods the next. Gold forms the chief ex- 

 port, and is the usual return. It is only of the fineness of 7 touch. Pearls 

 are met with occasionally ; likewise tortoisesheli, and a few other Malay 

 articles. An article has lately been discovered in a range of mountains 

 north of the Principality of Sambass, which appeal's to be an ore of anti- 

 mony, of the species called grey foliated antimony. The same mineral is 

 said to exist at Bulang, and at Kamamang, in the territory of Tringano, 

 on the Malay Peninsula. This mineral is extensively used in England 

 medicinally, as well as in the arts, where it is imported from Germany and 

 Spain. It would be a profitable article of export from the East to Europe. 

 The Chinese traders appeared ignorant of its existence as well as uses ; but 

 a sulphuret of antimony is used medicinally in Hindostan, where it is termed 

 Surmeh (Hind.), and Saubira (San.) 



Duties are levied here as at Momparva, at the rate of 100 dollars per 

 chest of opium, and 6 per cent, on other commodities. A few presents to 

 the Rajah and principal men are necessary. 



Coins and Weights. — The Chinese weights are in common use. 

 Spanish dollars are the coin in which all bargains are made ; but hereabouts 

 wax is the currency of the country; it is melted, but not refined, and cast 

 into moulds of an oblong shape, the breadth about two-thirds of the length, 

 and the thickness alwut half the breadth, having a rattan to lift them by, 

 cast in the wax. A piece weighs a quarter of a pecul, and is valued in 



D d 2 



