48 
of rice. The Ava Government, during the late war with 
ing rations to each soldier: 
Rice being nearly 34 chupahs by measure 
Belachan ... .... 
Chillies 
Salt 
Salt-fish occasionally only ... 
The Siamese require about a similar supply. 
A common labouring Malay requires, monthly; 
Rice, 30 chupahs or 56 lbs, (value in cents) 
Salt, 1 \ chupah 
Fish 
Chilli and other condiments 
Tobacco, sirih, areca, lime and gambir 
the British,* gave the follow- 
64 lbs. 
08 )) 
4 » 
3s „ 
„ 
9° 
o j- 
"4 
30 
60 
Total, pice, or cents 197^ 
The value of pice is fluctuating, and is now 106 per Spanish dollar. 
For a family of five persons, an addition of ninety cents monthly will be require 
to the above items, and rice in proportion. 
The expense of the year will therefore be 2,367 pice or cents, which at an aver 
age of 105 cents or pice per Spanish dollar will be Sp. dollars 22.57 
Clothing & Housing. 
A man : — 
2 sarongs 
1 baju or jacket ... ... ... 
1 pair pantaloons 
1 head-dress or kerchief 
... cents 60 
... „ 30 
a 3 ° 
... ,, 20 
A woman : — 
4 sarongs ... ... ... .... 
2 bajus 
...cents 120 
... „ 70 
Housing ... 
Extra luxuries, such as durians, &c. &c. 
190 
Total, yearly expenses, Drs. 27.01 
A substantial ryot lives much bbtter and will wear out yearly 2 sarongs, two long 
sashes, called kain panjang, two bajus or jackets, 2 pairs of pantaloons, two 
kerchiefs, two handkerchiefs, besides keeping by him a complete festival suit of these 
clothes. It has been estimated by writers on India that the poorer ryot of Hindus- 
tan expends in living only fourteen rupees a year. The Chinese and the Malays 
consume nearly an equal quantity of rice, but the former use much more animal food 
than the latter and dress much better, in the lower classes. 
Upon an average, it will be found that those Malayan householders who have 
been several years settled, and who occupy from two to five acres of land in perpetuity 
are possessed of personal property, to an amount varying from ten up to a hundred 
dollars. This property consists of, perchance, a koran, also brass kitchen utensils, 
cuspidors of brass, about a dozen China cups and plates, bedding and mosquito cur- 
tains of coarse muslin, and mats, water jars — often of Peguan manufacture — a chest, 
rice mortars and sieves, betel-box and apparatus of brass, fishing apparatus, grain and 
oil measures : a spear and kris, and knife or parang, baskets of rattan work, a boat 
when close to the sea or on the bank of a river; — massive gold earrings, for the 
women of the family, also gold and silver buLtons and silver bracelets, chains and 
others ornaments; — silk and cotton dresses. 
The worldly goods and chattels of a ryot of the poorest class who occupies an 
orlong of land, or perhaps who is merely a tenant for the year, may be of the average 
value of ten dollars. His house may be worth five or six. 
* * * * * * * 
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