30' N. It produces great store of fine
benzoin, and many rich precious stones, which are brought from Pegu.
A
taile is 2-1/4 dollars. There is here much silver bullion, which comes
from Japan, but dollars are most in request, for 2-1/4 dollars in coin
will purchase the value of 2-1/2 dollars in bullion. Stammel
broad-cloth, iron, and handsome mirrors are in much request, as also all
kinds of Chinese commodities are to be had there better and cheaper than
at Bantam. The Guzerat vessels come to Siam in June and July, touching
by the way at the Maldive islands, and then at Tanasserim, whence they
go overland to Siam in twenty days. At Tanasserim there is always 5-1/2
to 6 fathoms water.
Borneo is in lat. 3 deg. S.[151] This island affords great store of gold,
bezoar, wax, rattans, cayulacca, and dragons blood. At Bernermassin,
[Banjarmassen] one of the towns of this island, is the chief trade for
these articles; and at this place the following commodities are in
principal request: Coromandel cloths of all kinds, China silks,
damasks, taffetas, velvets of all colours but black, stammel
broad-cloths, and Spanish dollars. Bezoars are here sold by a weight
called taile, equal to a dollar and a half, and cost 5 or 6 dollars
the taile, being 1-1/3 ounce English. Succadanea is another town in
Borneo, in lat. 1 deg. 30' S. and is about 160 leagues N.E. of Bantam. The
entrance to its harbour has five fathoms water at the height of the
flow, and three at ebb, only a falcon shot from the shore, upon ooze.
There is great trade at this place, which produces great quantities of
the finest diamonds in the world, which are to be had in abundance at
all times of the year, but chiefly in January, April, July, and October,
but the greatest quantities in January and April, when they are brought
down the river Lavee in proas. They are said to be procured by diving,
in the same manner with pearls; and the reason why they are to be had
more abundantly at one season than another is, that in July and October
there falls so much rain, that the river deepens to nine fathoms at the
place where they are got, and occasions so rapid a stream that the
people can hardly dive in search of them; whereas in other months it is
only four fathoms or four and a half; which is found to be the best
depth for diving.
[Footnote 151: This is rather a vague account of so large an island,
which reaches from the lat. of 4 deg. 20' S. to 6 deg. 40' N. and between the
longitudes of 100 deg. 12' and 119 deg. 25' E. from Greenwich; being above 700
English miles from N. to S. and 670 from E. to W. - E.]
The commodities most vendible at Succadanea are Malacca pintados, very
fine sarapa, goobares, poulings, cherujava, calico lawns,
light-coloured China silks, sewing gold, sleeve silk, stammel
broad-cloth, all sorts of bugles, especially those blue ones which are
made at Bantam, shaped like a hogshead, but about the size of a bean.
These cost at Bantam a dollar for 400, and are worth at Succadanea a
masse the 100, a masse being three quarters of a dollar.
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