Eastern Islands.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



refreshments, except rice, are to be procured here, and reasonable, chiefly in 

 barter for cloth, cutlery, small looking-glasses, &c. The water is good and 

 plentiful. Green turtle may be had in great abundance, and for a mere 

 trifle. Yams and sweet potatoes are plentiful ; and of fruits they have 

 oranges, equally as good as those of China ; jacks, mangoes, guavas, man- 

 gostcens, &c. 



Coin's. — They have no coin at Sooloo, only a currency which they rec- 

 kon by sanampoory, cangan, and cowsoong, or nankeen : the first is a term 

 only, and the second a coarse China cotton cloth, which goes in payment of 

 goods, and is reckoned equivalent to a Spanish dollar, a few of which are 

 occasionally met with among them. In small payments they make use of 

 paddy, or rice in the husk, which rises and falls according to the plenty or 

 scarcity of grain. In their accounts they sometimes reckon by Spanish 

 money, but commonly by the cangan and sanampoory, of which the following 

 is the rate : — 



4 Sanampoories make 1 Cangan, of 6 fathoms long. 



4 Sanampoories 1 Cowsoong, of 4 fathoms long. 



The cangan was formerly seven fathoms long; but as the Chinese 

 suffered by impositions here, they have debased the manufacture, and con- 

 tracted the measure, which example the natives so well imitate, that it 

 scarcely happens a cangan is found six fathoms in length. 



The use of paddy as a currency has introduced the custom of 

 measuring instead of weighing grain and some other commodities, as 

 cowries, &c. 



Weights. — The Sooloo weights are similar to those of the Chinese; 

 hut they have given them other names, and they correspond with the latter 

 in the following manner : — 



10 Moohooks make 1 Choochock equal to 1 Candariue 



10 Choochocks.... * 1 Araraas » I Mace 



10 Ammas „ 1 Tale • 1 Tale 



16 Tales • 1 Catty - 1 Catty 



5 Catties.... 1 Booboot • 5 Catties 



10 Booboots ji 1 Lacksa * 50 Catties 



8 Lacksas 1 Pecul 1 Pecul 



The weights in some of the islands are heavier than the standard ; 

 however, as implicit confidence is not to be placed in their dotchins, it 

 will be necessary to compare them with English weights. 



Measures. — Their smallest grain measure is a half coco-nut shell, 

 called a panching. 



