558 
ACCOUNT OF SULU. 
perhaps, from a want of this consideration, arises the report of 
cannibals on Sumatra, positively averred by the English who have 
resided at Bencoolen. 
CHAP. IX. 
Commerce . 
To understand this chapter, reference must be had to the geo¬ 
graphical description, as it would be impertinent to repeat what has 
been said under that head. 
It is necessary, in the first place, to give an account of the 
articles of commerce met with here; this is chiefly done from a list 
delivered by Sultan Bantilan, in January, 1761, though the quan¬ 
tities and rates are omitted; the former being in many respects 
indeterminate; the list in some.instances being considerably deficient 
of what the country produces, and in others exceeding that produce. 
It is necessary to take notice on the prices settled in the agreement, 
made in 1761 for a cargo, that the goods from India were to be 
received at 100 per cent on the invoice price there, and the Sulu 
goods received in return, were to yield 100 per cent on the Sulu 
rates, when sold in China; all deficiency to be made good by the 
Sulus, and all surplus accounted for to them : so that the rates at 
which they chose to deliver the goods, were not objected to as 
this experiment w r as meant to ascertain the actual value in China ; 
and the conditions were sufficiently profitable, if no accident had 
happened to prevent the execution of this experiment: and in case 
a deficiency had happened, we might have derived, in political 
advantages, an equivalent for that deficiency. 
I shall divide the statement of Sulu produce into four classes. 
1. Articles of considerable value, but such as are either in no 
great abundance, or take little room on ship-board. 
2. Staples, which must form the cargoes. 
3. Goods, which may hereafter become staples; but, as in no 
demand, are at present in small quantities. 
4. Some productions which may be useful to the commerce, but 
can scarcely be reckoned articles of trade. 
FIRST CLASS. 
Sulu Language . 
Gold 
Bu-awan 
Pearls 
Mutya 
Tortoise-shell 
Sisick 
Camphor 
Capoll 
Gum-anemi or cepal 
Tenju 
Bezoar 
Gulega 
extremely fine and plentiful 
in Mangidara and Tirim. 
many of the finest water, 
in great plenty, 
in great abundance on Bor¬ 
neo. 
in considerable quantities, 
considerable quantities; the 
best worth at Passir, eight 
times its weight in silver. 
