SUMATRA. 
3Jt 
not take place without a ftrong oppofition from a faftlon amongfl: the 
orang cay as who winced to fet up a king, and a civil war anally com- 
menced. The two parties drew up on contrary fides of the river, and 
for two or three nights continued to fire at each other, hut in the day 
time followed their ordinary occupations, Thefe opportunities of inter- 
courfe made them fenfible of their mutual folly. They agreed to throw 
afide their arms j and the crown remained in poffeflion of the new elected 
queen.P It was faid to have been efteemed efifentiaJ, that Ihe fliould be 
a maiden, advanced in years, and conneAed by blood with the ancient 
royal line. In this reign, an Engliih factory, which had been long dif- 
continued, was re-eftablilhed at Acheen* In the interval, however, fome 
private traders of this nation, had always refided on the fpot. Thefe 
ufually endeavored to perfuade the ftate, that they rcprefented the India 
Company, and fometimes acquired great influence, which they employed 
in a manner not only detrimental to that bud/, but to the interefta of 
the merchants of India in general, by monopolizing the trade of the 
port, throwing impediments in the way of all Ihipping not configncd 
to their management, and embezzling the cargoes of fuch as were.* An 
afylum was alfo afforded, beyond the reach of law, for all perfons whofe 
crimes or debts induced them to fly from the feveral European fetcle- 
mcnts, Thefe confiderations chiefly, made the Company refolve to af- 
fert their ancient privileges in that kingdom j and a depuution was fent 
all the other Dutch faaories, in confcqijence of the war wltb that nation. In ijZ^ the powdci 
magazine of Fort Marlborough, in -which were four hundred barrels of powder, v,%5 fired by 
lightning, and blew up with an explofion that, but for fome formnntc drcumflances, had annihiiated 
the fettlement and inhabitants. Providentially it only dcftroyed tbcir flores, with the lofs of 3 few 
lives, Subfequent events are yet in the womb ot time. The bifiory of the trade of a countiy, 
which is an entire monopoly, can neither be interefting nor ufeful. Suffice it then to fay, that 
the quantity of Pepper produted in all the Company's diftri£^s on Sumatra, is, communWus am/Sf 
twelve hundred tons j of which the greater part ctmies to Em«pe, and the remainder is fent to 
China. 
F Dampier's voyages. 
♦ The moft diftinguifiicd of thefe independent factors, was one of the name of Francis Dclton, 
who went out fupercargoe of a fliip to Siam, from whence he made feveral voyages to China, and 
at length fettled at Acheen in iGES. The Company's eftablilbment in 1695 icame to nothing, 
whereas Delton's trade ftill flouriihed in 1704, when Lockyer was there, 
5 B from 
