Siam, <$c] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 441 



FAIFOE is situated on the banks of a river, navigable now only lor 

 vessels of about 100 tons burthen ; the river communicates with Turon Hay. 

 Faifoe is distant from Turon about 40 miles. The junks lie about three 

 miles from the town, in another river that communicates with that of 

 Turon, where vessels of 200 tons burthen may enter easily. Opposite the 

 river, about three leagues from the main, lie3 the island of Cham Calloa, in 

 latitude 15° 54' N., on the W. side of which is good anchorage ; and here 

 you ought to anchor till you have permission to trade, and (if your vessel 

 is small enough ) to enter the river. The town of Faifoe is about ten miles 

 from the sea ; it is almost entirely inhabited by Chinese, 5,000 in number, 

 and is at present the principal seat of the commerce with China. 



Trade. — The country ships from India which trade to the different 

 ports in Cochin-China, carry the following European and Asiatic commo- 

 dities, viz. — Brimstone, brasiery, cutlery, clocks, cloths, scarlet, cotton 

 wool, camlets, furs, ginseng, guns, gunpowder, glass-ware, hard- ware, 

 ironmongery, lead, looking-glasses, lace, gold, mathematical instruments, 

 opium, pepper, piece-goods, pistols, tin, tobacco, saltpetre, silver, sandal- 

 wood, swords, shot, vermilion, watches, and woollens. 



The Chinese have the greatest share of the Cochin-China trade ; they 

 supply not merely their own products, hut those of the adjacent countries. 



The Japanese carry on a considerable trade with Faifoe ; their princi- 

 pal import is copper, with several articles similar to those from China, 

 already enumerated. 



The principal article of produce for a cargo to India is sugar, of which 

 there are three sorts : — Sugar-candy, white powder sugar, middling sort, 

 similar to Manilla sugar, and brown powder sugar. 



The sugar-candy is the finest in the world, and is much esteemed at 

 China, forming a considerable part of the cargoes from hence to China ; it 

 is manufactured principally in this neighbourhood. 



The sugar is brought down for sale in June, July, and August ; but 

 the greatest quantity in the end of July, when the Chinese are busy buying 

 it up to send to China. The Portuguese factor who has permission to stay, 

 frequently buys in the latter end of August and the beginning of September, 

 after the Macao ship and all the junks are gone, and prices are lower. 

 The women sometimes sit in the street with small samples; but they will 

 generally come to the houses of considerable buyers, and after the price is 

 agreed by sample, they bring it all into your house, and there, before it is 

 weighed, each basket is tried by a long taper bore, by which you easily 

 detect any fraud. It is always in very unhandy baskets, of four or five 

 Cwt. each ; and each parcel, from 5 to 15 baskets, of a different sort; for 



