ACCOUNT OF SULU. 
561 
CHAP. X. 
Their Weights and Measures. 
It cannot be doubted the Chinese communicated their weights 
to all the adjacent countries; these are sufficiently known to 
Europeans: a pekul being equal to 133^ lbs. avoirdupois, and 4 
lbs. being equal to 3 catties ; 100 of which make a pekul. But 
as the Stilus have adopted some terms, not common to the Chinese, 
and corrupted others by pronunciation ; I have in the following 
table, represented the Sulu weights, and their relation to the 
Chinese terms : 
Sulu Weights. 
10 Muhuk 
10 Ulandang or ^ 
Chuchock i 
10 Animas . 
16 Taile 
5 Caties 
10 Bubut 
2 Lacksa 
Chinese Weights 
10 Cash make 
10 Candarins 
10 Mace 
16 Taile 
(5 Caties) 
(50 Caties) 
100 Catties 
Sulu Weights. 
1 Candarin | 
1 Ulandan: 
Chuchc 
1 Mace 
1 Ammas 
l Taile 
1 Taile 
1 Catty 
1 Catty 
1 Bubut 
I Lacksa 
1 Pikul 
I Pikul 
or 
The weights of the Bajows, in the Sulu Islands, are said to be 
heavier than the standard ; however an implicit confidence is not to 
be rested in their dotchin j and as there is no absolute rule, for 
determining the difference, it is impossible to reduce them to a 
table. 
The necessity of a current coin, is no how more obvious, than 
from the inconvenient expedients, they are obliged to make use of. 
Having no money, they reckon by sanampury, cangan and eowsung, 
or nankin: the first a term only, aud the second a coarse China 
cotton cloth, which goes in payment of goods, and are reckoned 
equal to a dollar. In small payments they make use of paddy or 
rice in the husk ; which rises and falls according to the plenty or 
scarcity of grain. In their accounts they sometimes reckon by 
Spanish money, but commonly by cang-gan and sanampury, of 
which the following is the rate : 
4 Sanampury 1 Cang-gan of 6 fathoms long. 
4 Sanampury 1 Cowsung of 4 fathoms. 
The Cang-gan was formerly 7 fathoms long, but as the Chinese 
suffered by impositions here, they have debased the manufacture, 
and contracted the measure; which example the natives so well 
imitate, that it scarce happens a Cang-gan is found even 6 fathoms : 
This, added to the natural inconvenience of such a currency, makes 
them extremely desirous that a coin may be introduced, and also 
that a measure be fixed on, instead of the precarious one of a man’s 
fathom and cubit. 
The use of paddy as a currency, may perhaps have introduced 
