332 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1819, for them in rupees, or bartering them for gun- 
OcT 24. powder. On repeating the question for water, 
their constant reply was, tradaaer! tradaaer! 
(no water, no water.) No misunderstanding 
could have taken place, for, on our inquiry, 
thinking it was for present use, they brought us 
some to drink. They afterwards conducted us 
to a shallow well or spring, in which there were 
about ten or fifteen gallons; and this was all 
there was near the sea. 
Amadima, on our landing, sent a horseman to 
the town with a message, who soon after returned 
with a paper which w r as shewn to us ; but, the 
substance being in Dutch, we could not under- 
stand its purport; the sum of seventy-four rix- 
dollars was, however, sufficiently plain to shew 
that money was wanted, and this conjecture was 
afterwards strengthened, by a petition whispered 
in my ear by Amadina himself for “ salo rupee” 
(one rupee); but, not having provided myself 
with any, I could not satisfy his wants. 
Gunpowder was in great request among them, 
and we were given to understand that we might 
obtain every thing we required, excepting water, 
for money or for gunpowder. “ Trada aer ” was 
so often repeated, that we re-embarked quite dis- 
appointed. 
On our way to the boat we were accompanied 
