rravels into 1 N D I E S. Part HI. 
as it could : From thence v/e were carried aftiore upon Mens backs, who 
came up to the middle in the Water to take us up, and immediately wc 
were led into a large Court ; having croffed it, we entred into a Mall, 
where the Cuftomer ¥/aited for us, to have us fearched. 
Vihted we Vv?ere ^ but in fo feverc and vexatious a manner, that tho' I 
did cxped: it, and had prepared my felt" for it before hand, yet I had hard- 
A liria fearch ly patience enough to fuffer the Searchers to do whatfoevcr they had a 
Blind to, tho' I had nothing about me but my Cloaths -, and indeed, it is 
incredible what caution and circumlpedtion thofe People ufe to prevent be- 
ing cheated. And in this manner they proceed. 
The Bar is fix 5o foon as a Ship comes to an Anchor at the Bar, the Mafter is oblig'd to 
rh ^^''"vn to go afhore in his Boat, and acquaint the Cuftom-Jioufe with his arrival, 
and prefcntly he is fearch'd from Head to Foot, at the fame time a Waiter 
is fen t on board the Vcffel, to hinder them from breaking bulk, running 
any thing afhore, or on board another Ship that hath been already fearch- 
ed -, and in the mean time, if they have dill time enough, thev lend off fe- 
vcral Barks to bring the Men and Goods afhore to the Cufl:om-houle. The 
y^hjffy 18 Waiter has for his dues from every Paffenger an Abajjji which is worth a- 
^'dfa^f fl« ie ^^'s''^'^'^^'^ Pence -, and the Bark has half a Roupie a Head, that is, about 
ï'sfence"^'^ fifteen Pcuce for the paflage. If when the Paffengers come to the Town, 
the Cuilom-houfe be not as yet fhut, they prefently come afhore-, but if it 
be, they muft tarrv in the Bark : In the mean while it is never open but 
from ten in the Morning till Noon, and it requires a whole Tide to come 
from the Bar to the Tov/n, unlefs by good luck one have the Wind and 
Tide with him. 
Seeing the reft of the Day and all the following Night are to be fpent in 
the Bark, Waiters are fet over it. Who keep confiant Watch to fee that 
none enter in or go out. When the CuHom-houfe is opened, and the Paf- 
fengers fuffered to come afhore, then double diligence is ufed, and the num- 
ber of Waiters encreafed. One Bark advances at a time, and fhe lands 
juft againfl the Cuflom-houfe Gate which is upon the Key. 
There isaKtochk^ or covered Pavillion, where Sentinels are placed to 
obferve and view all that goes in or comes out of the Bark-, and the Cu- 
flom-houfe Porters go into the Water, and bring the Men and Goods a- 
fhore upon their Backs. 
In the mean time, there are upon the Rivcr-fide, a great number of Fi- 
07:s, who are Men ready to be employ'd in any kind of Service, and to be 
hired by the Day, if one pleafes, as the Staffieri in Italy are. Thefe Tions of 
the Cuftom-houfe have great Canes in their Hands to keep off the People 
with, that thofe who come afhore may not have the leaff communication 
with any body -, and for the greater fecurity, they draw up in both fides, 
and make a Lane for the Paffengers. This is no inconfiderable fervice to 
new comers, for if any body came near them, they would certainly be ac- 
cufed of fmuggling Goods -, and then befides the Caning they would be ex- 
pos'd to, they muft alfo exped to be roundly fined, and fome have been 
, fined in above Ten thoufand Livres, though, in reality they had not faved 
a bit of Goods. And, indeed, they who have a mind to conceal any thing, 
and defraud the Cuilom-houfc, order their Affairs more truly : They ftay 
not till they come to thereto beg the affiftance of their Friends. I 
have known fome bring in a great many precious Stones, and other rich 
Jewels, which the Officers of the Cuftom-houfe never faw, nor got one Far- 
thing by, becaufe the Dutch Commander was their Friend, and had aiîîfl- 
cd them. 
From that Court of the Cuftom-houfe, one is led into the Hallj where 
the chief Cuftomcr fits on his Divan^ after the manner of the Orientals, 
and his Clerks underneath him. I fhali fay nothing of the I»dian Divans 
in this place, becaufe they are like to thofe of Turk/ and Per/ia. The Paf- 
lengers enter into that place one after another, and but one at a time. Pre- 
fcntly they v/rite down in a Pvcgifter the name of him that enters, and 
then he is fearched. He muft take off his Cap or Turban, his Girdle, 
Shoes, Stockins, and all the reft- of his Cloaths, if the Searchers think fit. 
They 
