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. Likewise
Chinese cashes and dollars are in request, but more especially gold;
insomuch that you may have a stone for the value of a dollar in gold,
which you would hardly get for a dollar and a half, or a dollar and
three quarters, in silver. On this account, therefore, when intending to
sail for Succadanea, it is best to go in the first place to
Banjermassen, where you may exchange your commodities for gold, which
you may purchase at the rate of three cattees of cashes the Mallayan
taile, which is nine dollars, as I have been credibly informed it has
been worth of late years. Afterwards carrying the gold to Succadanea,
and paying it away for diamonds, at four cattees of cashes the
taile, each of which is the weight of 1-3/4 and 1/8 of a dollar, you
gain 3/4 of a dollar on each taile: Yet, after all, the principal
profit must be upon the diamonds.
The diamonds of Borneo are distinguished into four waters, which they
call varna, viz. Varna Ambon, varna Loud, varna Sackar, and
varna Bessee. These are respectively white, green, yellow, and a
colour between green and yellow; but the white water, or varna ambon,
is the best. Their weights are called Sa-masse, Sa-copang, Sa-boosuck,
and Sa-pead: 4 copangs are a masse; 2 boosucks a copang; and 1-1/2
pead is a boosuck. There is a weight called pahaw, which is four
masse, and 16 masse are one taile. By these weights both diamonds
and gold are weighed.
In regard to goods from China, the best raw silk is made at Nankin,
and is called howsa, being worth there 80 dollars the pekul. The best
taffeta, called tue, is made at a small town called Hoechu, and is
worth 30 dollars the corge. The best damask, called towa, is made at
Canton, and is worth 50 dollars the corge. Sewing gold, called
kimswa, is sold by the chippau, or bundle, each containing ten
pahees; and in each paper are ten knots or skeins, sold for three
pawes, or two dollars, the best having 36 threads in each knot. Sewing
silk, called couswa, is worth 100 dollars the pekul. Embroidered
hangings, called paey, are worth for the best 10 dollars the piece.
Sattins, called lyn, are worth for the best one dollar the piece.
Great porcelain basons, Called chopau, are sold three for a dollar.
White sugar, called petong, the best is sold for half a dollar the
pekul. The small sorts of porcelain, called poa, of the best sort,
sell for one dollar the cattee. The best pearl boxes, called chanab,
are worth five dollars each. Sleeve silk, called jounckes, the best
sells for 150 dollars the pekul. Musk, called saheo, seven dollars the
cattee. Cashes, 60 pecoos for one dollar.
Broad-cloth, called toloney, is worth seven dollars the sasocke,
which is 3/4 of a yard. Large mirrors, called kea, are worth 10
dollars each. Tin, called sea, worth 15 dollars the pekul. Wax, called
la, 15 dollars the pekul. Muskets, called cauching, each barrel
worth 20 dollars. Japan sabres or cattans, called samto, are worth 8
dollars each. The best and largest elephants teeth, called ga, worth
200 dollars the pekul, and small ones 100 dollars. White saunders,
called toawheo, the best large logs sell for 40 dollars the pekul.
In China, the custom of pepper inwards is one taile upon a pekul, but
no custom is paid outwards. Great care is taken to prevent carrying any
kind of warlike ammunition out of the country. In March, the junks bound
for Manilla depart from Chuchu, in companies of four, five, ten, or
more, as they happen to be ready; their outward lading being raw and
wrought silks, but of far better quality than those they carry to
Bantam.
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