SECTION XXIV.

SUMATRA.

THIS island is the most western of those which may be termed the Malayan Archipelago. The equator divides it obliquely into almost equal parts, its general direction being N. W. and S. E.; the one extremity, Acheen Head, being in latitude 5° 40′ N., and longitude 95° 15′ E., and the other in 5° 56 S.

ACHEEN.-This kingdom occupies the N. W. extremity of the island, and reaches about 50 miles to the S. E. Its extent and power were formerly much more extensive. At present, Sinkell is said to be the limit of its authority on the W. coast. The King at present resides at Telisomaway, at the N. E. extreme, but the Government is by no means settled. The character of the Acheenese is represented as perfidious.

The town of Acheen is in latitude 5° 36' N., and longitude 95° 26' E., on the banks of a river, which falls into the sea by several branches, separating the low country into islands, and this low plain is partly inundated during the rainy season. The principal entrance of the river has a bar, which a boat can hardly pass at low water; but vessels from 20 to 30 tons burthen may enter the river at high water, and proceed about half way to the town, where they occasionally heave down, and repair. The common anchorage in the roads is in 8, 9, to 10 or 14 fathoms water, with the entrance of the river bearing about S. E., distant two or three miles. The town is situated on a plain in a wide valley, formed like an amphitheatre by lofty ranges of hills. It is said to be extremely populous, containing 8000 houses, built of bamboos and rough timbers, standing distinct from each other, and mostly raised on piles some feet above the ground, in order to guard against the effects of inundation. The place differs little from the generality of Malay bazars, excepting that its superior wealth has produced a greater number of public edifices, chiefly mosques, but without the smallest pretension to magnificence. The country above the town is highly cultivated, and abounds with small villages, and groups of three or four houses, with small white mosques interspersed. The King's palace is a very rude and

uncouth piece of architecture, designed to resist the attacks of internal enemies, and surrounded for that purpose with a moat and strong walls, but without any regular plan, or view to the modern system of defence. The King resides generally at Telisomaway. The main street only in the town is raised a little, and covered with sand and gravel, and even this is sometimes overflowed by the swelling of the river, from sudden and heavy rains on the hills behind the town, in which case they make use of canoes.

The King of Acheen, as is usual with the Princes in this part of the world, is the chief merchant of his capital, and endeavours to be, to the utmost of his power, the monopolizer of its trade. His revenue arises chiefly from import and export duties. In 1819, a mission to Acheen obtained for us a treaty with the King, which provides for the residence of a British agent, and a free and uninterrupted trade.

TRADE.-A considerable trade is carried on, as well with private European merchants, as with the natives of the Coast of Coromandel; the latter send annually from Porto Novo and Coringa, the following assortment of piece-goods adapted for the Acheen market :

Blue suckertoons, gold head, 40 cubits by 2 20 ditto.

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Tappies, 4 in a piece, 6 and 8 cubits long 50 ditto.

A few fine long cloths, Pulicat handkerchiefs, taffaties, &c. generally are included in the assortment.

The other articles which are imported from the Coromandel Coast and Bengal, are cotton, dried fish, gold thread, Jaffnapatam tobacco, opium, salt, and sticklac.

Of European commodities imported, the following are the principal:brass wire, broad cloth, cutlery, gunpowder, glass ware, gold thread, hardware, iron in flat bars, muskets, looking glasses, lead, shot, small arms, steel in faggots, and swivel guns.

The trade is in general troublesome, there being no great dealers resident here, so that the goods are sold by retail in a kind of shop under the houses. In this way all dealings are for ready money; but if any considerable quantity is sold together, the purchaser expects credit till he has

disposed of it, which is sometimes three or four months, and it seldom happens that a ship sets sail without leaving several sums behind unreceived. This manner of disposing of goods is seldom adopted by English commanders, as they trade with the King's Minister, or Shabundar.

EXPORTS. The principal article of produce is gold; but the following are also to be procured here :-Betel-nut, benjamin, patch leaf, pepper, camphire, sapan wood, rattans, and brimstone.

In purchasing gold-dust, great care must be taken that no dross or brass filings be intermixed, which is too often the case. Excellent teak and fir grow in Sumatra. Precious stones are occasionally to be got reasonable; but as they are generally set in the country fashion, it is difficult to form a correct opinion of their value.

DIRECTIONS.-On your arrival, go immediately on shore, taking all the samples of goods you have to sell, and enquire for the Shabundar, or Harbour Master. Shew your samples to him, and agree about the prices. It is not necessary to pay your respects to the King, until you have agreed to sell, and are sworn. You pay no duties on any sales made to the King. On all purchases of gruff goods, such as brimstone, betel-nut, rattans, benjamin, horses, and camphire, the King's duties are 6 per cent.; the other petty duties for the Datoo, Shabundar, and Assay Master, amount to about 4 per cent. But whenever you purchase from, or sell to, the King, be sure you agree with the Datoo (or King's Merchant) to be free from all duty, or he will impose it upon you for his own emolument.

The presents are large. If you do business, to the King should be given 1 long shawl, 1 piece (gold end) fine muslin, 1 carboy of rose water, 1 pair of gold slippers, 1 piece of fine cossae, 1 barrel of gunpowder, and 1 handsome fusee, if you have arms to sell. To the Datoo and Shabundar your presents must be in proportion; for the King, professing himself to be a soldier, does not affect to be troubled with merchandise, but leaves the traffic to these two men, with whom you will find it your interest to be on good terms, and fee them, after your first present, with trifles occasionally. These men are fond of parade and attention; it will be therefore necessary, whenever they pay you a visit on board, to salute them on their coming, with three guns, and the same at their departure; indeed, this is expected by every man upon the Malay Coast, who holds any rank or appointment under the King, wherever you are.

It will be absolutely necessary to have a touchadar (or assayer) to try your gold, if paid in that metal, and to have the King's chop or seal upon it, and beware of imposition. Never carry more goods on shore than you have orders for at one time; and as you sell them off, receive the returns, and

give no credit upon any account; for if you give credit even to the Datoo, you will probably be a loser. Houses are always ready for hire; but if your sales are made to the King, he furnishes you with a house gratis, till his payments are finished; after which time you must hire the same, or some other, from the Datoo; for which you will pay one or two buncals of gold for the season, or while you stay there.

In all cases be particularly careful of your ship while in the roads; for the Acheenese are connected with the people and pirates on the Pedir Coast; and if they find you unguarded, will give them information, and you may thereby lose your ship. You run no risk on shore but from fire; though it be proper to have, besides your servants, two or three Sepoys or Europeans with you; and particularly if you have any quantity of goods unsold, it will be also necessary to keep fire-arms in your house; for the shew of being always prepared to repel, may be the cause of preventing an attack.

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PORT CHARGES, DUTIES, PRESENTS, &c.-Present to the King, 2 per cent. King's officers, on the sale of every cargo imported, 7 buncals. Import duties, 5 per cent. Export duties, 6 per cent. Chokey custom, for attendance at the time of chopping goods, 2 mace per bale. Chopping fees, to the man who chops or marks the goods, 1 ditto. Dotchin dues to the weighing-man, mace per bahar. Qualla duties, on every boat load of goods imported, 2 mace.

These taxes have been probably much reduced since Sir Thomas Raffles's mission to Acheen.

The contents of each bale of piece-goods, upon which the above customs are levied, are as follow:-Brown long cloth, 24 corge per bale. Blue long cloth, 7 ditto. Suckertoons, 6 ditto. Blue moorees, 15 ditto.

PROVISIONS AND REFRESHMENTS.-A bazar is held daily during the period any ships are in the Roads; and the following articles are to be procured :-Bullocks in plenty, good, weighing when cut, 2 to 3 Cwt. each, ducks, fowls, and goats. The vegetables are red and white yams, calavances, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes. All sorts of tropical fruits in abundance, particularly mangosteens, rambusteens, mangoes of a superior kind to most in India, pine-apples, oranges, limes, &c. The water is good, and brought off in the country boats at a moderate expence.

COINS.-Spanish dollars, rupees, and other foreign coin, pass current. They have a small gold coin, called a manna, which serves to pay servants and other small disbursements; but it is of very base metal, and difficult to pass also a small lead cash, of which about 2500 are usually obtained for

a mace.

In the gold dust trade, imaginary coins are adopted, viz. tales and maces of gold; and 5 of these are reckoned equal to 4 pieces of the same denomination of the common coin.

The gold dust is reckoned 9 touch of Malabar, or 22 carats fine. A buncal of gold is valued at 7 tales of gold in merchandise, but at 71⁄2 tales in goods.

WEIGHTS.-All goods are weighed by the dotchin, which should be carefully examined and proved. The smaller the quantity of goods weighed at a time to the natives, under 100 catties, the more to the advantage of the seller.

The great weights are the bahar, which equals 423 lbs. 6 oz. 13 drs. avoirdupois, and contains 200 catties, and 4000 buncals.

One Chinese catty and a half is commonly equivalent to a Malay catty, which makes 3 Chinese peculs equal to 1 bahar; but this is under the true equivalent.

In gold, the buncal is 92 touch, and is therefore worth £6. Os. 72d. The buncal is often altered in its proportion to the standard number of mace (80), at the pleasure of the merchants, and consequently the catty varies.

A maund of 75 lbs. rice contains 21 bamboos. The bamboo consists of 4 cauls, when the King's chop is on it; but it is reckoned commonly at 5. MEASURES. With the following they receive and deliver all kinds of

grain.