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alfo affords good Camphire, and the Bezoar-ftone is allo found here. The Monfons and Seafons are the fame in the Ifland of Ceylon, as on the

Ceylon.

neighbouring Continent, and the Rains begin to fall much fooner on the Western Coaft than on the Eastern: The Northern Part of the Ifland is fubject to great Droughts for several Years together; which is the more fenfible Affiction, because they have fearce any Springs or Rivers in that Part of the Inland, but must be supplied, with Difficulty, with Water, as well as Food, from the South: This often renders this Part of the Country very fickly, but the rest is

Produce,

The Cinnamon-tree.

Japan.

Borneo,

efteem'd very healthful. The Tree peculiar to this Ifland, and more valuable to the Dutch, than any of the Mines of Potofi to the Spaniards, is the Cinnamon: This Tree is as common as any other, in the Woods, on the South-weft

Part of the Ifland. GOVERNMENT.] The Japan Iles are under the Government of fifty or fixty petty Kings, vefted with Sovereign Power in their refpective Territories, but fubject to one grand Monarch, who can Philippine depofe and panifh them as he fees fit. The Ijlands. Philippine Islands, being moftly fubject to the King of Spain,, are rul'd by a Viceroy, or Captain General, who keeps his Court in the City of Manila. The Ile of Borneo is divided into feveral petty Kingdoms; and, when any Prince grows more powerful than the reft, he ufually brings his Neighbours into a State of Dependence, and fometimes obtains the Name of Sultan, or King of the whole Ifland. Sumatra feems to be very differently conftituted; and moft of them have experienc'd great Alterations and Revolutions in the laft Century. The Crylon. King of Ceylon is abfolute, being restrained by no Laws or Cuftoms from doing what he thinks fit. When he goes abroad, his Guards are very numerous, and is preceded by Drums, Trumpets, and other Wind-mufic, and with Singing-women. When his Subjects come into his Prefence, they fall three times upon their Faces; and then do not ftand, but fit upon their Legs before him, and addrefs him in Terms little inferior to thofe they ufe in Divine Worship; and when they go out of his Prefence, -they creep backwards till they are out of Sight. His Courtiers, while they are in Waiting, are not permitted to come near

Sumatrn.

their Wives; nor will he fo much as fuffer their Wives to remain in the City, infomuch that if they are taken with a Lady, while they are in his Service, it is capital. This Prince manages moft of his Affairs by two great Minifters, to whom the Subjects may appeal from inferior Judges, or Governors. The Cinnamon Plantations are wholly in the Power of the Dutch, and they have oblig'd the King to retire farther up into the Country, and fuffer him to entertain no Commerce or Correfpondence with the reft of the World: This Ifland may be faid, in general, to be under the Dominion of the Hollanders.

TRADE.] As to the Trade of the Japonese, they have very little at prefent, but with Jeo, the Chinef,

and Dutch. The Inhabitants of Mindanao trade of Mindanao. chiefly to Manila, whither they tranfport Gold,

and Bees-wax; and bring back Calicoes, Muflins, and China Silks they maintain a Trade alfo with Borneo; the Dutch come hither, in Sloops, from Ternate and Tidore, and purchafe Rice, Bees-wax, and Tobacco. The Island

of Manila lies fo conveniently between the rich Manila, Kingdoms of the Eaft and Weft, that it has been

efteem'd the best Situation for Trade in the World, especially when the Molucca Iflands were under the fame Government; then the Spaniards might be faid to have the best Share of the East as well as the West-Indies: Hitherto Silver was brought from New Spain and Peru; Diamonds, and other Precious Stones, from Golconda; Cinnamon from Ceylon; Pepper, from Sumatra and Java; Cloves and Nutmegs, from the Moluccas; Silks, from Bengal; Camphire, from Borneo; China Ware, and Silks, from China, &c. Two Ships fail yearly to Acapulco, in New Spain, loaded with the Riches of the East; thefe Veffels are returned to Manila, freighted with Silver, and make four hundred per Cent. Profit, 'tis faid. The Goods our Merchants deal in, in

Borneo, are chiefly Pepper, Gold, and Precious Borneo. Stones; though it affords feveral other valuable Commodities. Goods proper for Exportation thither (befides Dollars) are Guns, Sheet-lead, fhowy Calimancoes, Knives, and other Cutlers Wares, but not Forks; Iron Bars, finall Steel Bars, Hangers, Nails, Graplings, Red Leather Boots, Spectacles, Clock-work, Fire Arms, Gunpowder, and Looking-glaffes. The Dutch fuffer no Europeans

to trade in fava; but there come to Batavia Java. fifteen or twenty Sail of Chinese Junks every Year, from three to five hundred Tons apiece, which furnish

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the

the Hollanders with all the Merchandize of China, at an eafier Rate, than they could by fending their Fleets thither. Batavia is the great Magazine of the Dutch East India Company: Hither they import the Merchandizes of Japan, of the Spice-Iflands, Prfia, Surat, Bengal, and the Coast of Malebar and Cormondel, as well as every thing that Europe affords. One fort of Goods they barter for another all over the Indies; and having furnished themfclves with what is most valuable in the Eaft, tranfport it into Europe, Sumatra, where all is converted into Money. The Trade of Sumatra is chiefly carried on at the Port of Achen, where there is feldom lefs than ten or fifteen Sail of Ships of different Nations. The principal Merchandize of this Country is Pepper and Gold Duft; and, notwithstanding they have greater Quantities of Gold here, than in any other Country in India, the great Demand for it keeps it at a very high Rate.

Of Japan. Of the Philippines.

RELIGION.] The Japonese are Idolaters, and worship the Heavens and the Planets, with feveral monftrous Idols. The Natives of the Philippine Iflands retain fome Traditions, in their Songs, concerning the Genealogy and heroic Acts of their Gods or ancient Heroes. By thefe it appears, they formerly worshipped one Supreme Being, the Maker or Father of all their fubordinate Deities. They adored alfo Birds and Beafts, like the Egyptians; and the Sun and Moon, like the Affyrians: And indeed there is not a Rock or Stone, Promontory or River, but what they facrifice to at prefent. The Religion of the People of the Inland Parts of Borneo is Paganifm, which they receiv'd from their Ancestors the Chinese, who firft planted this Ifland; but all the Sea Coafts are Mahometans, being the Pofterity of thefe Colonies which transported themfelves from Afric, Arabia, and Perfia, to the Oriental Islands, between three and four hundred Years fince; invited hither by the Spices and other rich Merchandizes, for which the Eaft has been famous many Ages paft. The Natives of Ceylon.

Borneo.

Ceylon worship one Supreme God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth; they fall down before the Images of their Saints, or Heroes, whom they fuppos'd to have liv'd upon the Earth, and are now become Angels, or miniftring Spirits, to the great Creator: But the principal of their inferior Deieties is their God Buddou, who, they be

lieve, came from Heaven, to procure the eternal Happiness of Mankind, and afcended into Heaven from the Top of a Mountain, leaving the Impreffion of his Foot there in the Rock, which is now become the Object of their Worship.

CUSTOMS.] The Japonese wear several Vefts one upon another, with a loose Gown over all, not much unlike the Chinese; they have Drawers alfo, Dress. which come down very low upon their Legs ;

and Slippers without Heels, like the Chinefe; but wear no
Caps, though their Heads are shaved: They have Fans and
Umbrellas to defend them from the Weather; they wear a
fhort Dagger in their Sash, and a heavy Broad-sword on the
Right Side. They eat little Beef or Mutton, or

of the Flefh of any tame Beaft, but chiefly that Diet.
which they take in Hunting: Some Sects look
upon themselves to be prohibited, by their Religion, to kill
any thing, or eat any thing that has Life; and will not fo
much as eat Milk, Butter, or Cheese. Their common Food
is Rice, Pulse, and Herbs, as it is in most Eastern Nations.
The Generality of the People drink a Liquor made of Wheat,
and draw a Spirit from Rice; but the ufual Liquor is Tea.
They eat with two little round Sticks, like the Chinese, and
ufe neither Linen, Knives, Forks, or Spoons. Thefe People,
it is obferv'd, fpend great Part of their Night in Eating
and Drinking, which others fpend in Sleep: And because their
Manners and Cuftoms are acknowledg'd to be

different from the reft of the World in many In- Salutations.
stances, fome Writers affirm, that they resemble

us in nothing; and particularly, that, inftead of bowing, to fhew their Respect to their Betters, they ftand up as ftiffly as they can: But I find, by the best Writers, that they bow their Bodies as we do, and never approach their Magiftrates, but upon their Knees. They delight much in Maf

querades and Plays, at which the King and Court Diverfions. are often prefent; the Minifters of State, and

great Men, being frequently the principal Actors. When
they celebrate their annual Feftival of vifiting the

Tombs of their Ancestors, every Houfe is illu- Festivals.
minated; and they march out of the Town at
Midnight, in a folemn Proceffion, to the Graves of their de-
ceafed Friends, where they eat, drink, and make merry, for
feveral Nights fucceffively: At the Conclufion of the Feast,
they march round the Town with Flags, Streamers, and Ban-
ners; beating upon Brafs Pans before the Temples of their

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Idols

1

Idols, and at the Doors of the great Men. Whert Entertainments, a great Man makes an Entertainment, it is ufual, at the End of the Feast, to call his Servants together, it is faid, and demand which of them will kill themselves, before the Guests, for his fake; and thereupon they contend who fhall firft rip up their Bowels: This is also common, it is faid, upon the Death of their Masters, or upon the laying the Foundation of a Palace, or magnificent Building. In Japan they burn their dead Bodies, as in India. On

Funerals.

the Day appointed for the Funeral, a large square Pile of Wood is erected without the Town; and, the Friends and Relations of the Deceased being affembled, the Women firft move forward, cloath'd in White; which is the Colour ufed in Morning here, as well as in China. The Women, of any Quality, are carried in Litters of Cedar; after thefe follow the Men, richly drefs'd; then come the Priefts, cloath'd in Linen, one of them with a lighted Torch, finging, with his Brethren, all the Way they march: Some carry Brafs Bafons, which they beat upon; and others Baskets of Flowers, which they ftrew in the Way, fignifying that the Soul is gone to Paradije. Several Banners, with the Names of their Idols, and Lanterns full of Lights, are carried before the Corpfe; which is fet upright, in a fort of a Couch, cloath'd in White, and his Hands join'd together in a praying Pofture; and is follow'd by his Children, the eldeft carrying a Torch to light the Fire. Having three times furrounded the Funeral-pile, about which are placed Tables, with Meat and Drink upon them, the Chief Prieft begins a Hymn; and, having wav'd a lighted Torch three times about his Head; fignifying that the Soul is without Beginning or End, he flings the Torch away; which the Children of the Deceafed taking up, kindle the Funeral-pile, throwing on Oil, and coftly fweet Woods, till the Corps is burnt to Afhes. After which the Children offer Incense, and adore their Father, as being become one of the heavenly Inhabitants. The next Day they return to the Place, and put the Bones and Afhes in a gilded Urn, which is hung up in the Houfe for fome time, and afterwards interred with much Solemnity. They ufe neither Tables, Beds, or Chairs; but fit on Mats when they eat, and lie on them when they fleep. The Natives along the Coafts of Borneo eat chiefly boil'd Rice, Fowls, hard Eggs, Fish, and Venifon; their usual Liquor is Water, or Tea. They fit cross-legg'd, on Mats,

Furniture.

Borneo Diet.

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