A VOYAGE TO BORNEO.
11 7
finall clofe-bodied waiffcoat, without a fhirt, and over that a chawat, wrapped roundonce or twice, that hung down to his knees ; he wore drawers, but his hands, legsand feet were bare. On his left fide, in a neat belt lluck a creice or dagger, richlyfet with diamonds; before him was a table about two feet long, and one and a halfbroad, of folid gold, much like a hand tea table ; on which always Hood his furniturefor his betle nuts, feree leaves, and lime, which he chews continually; as it is thecuftom for men, women and children to do in that country, and to fmoke tobacco.The box that held the nuts was not unlike a rummer, with a cover to it; that for theleaves like a Handing fnuffer-cafe ; and that for the lime was a fmall, round, flat box,all of the fineft gold, very neatly wrought in filigreen, and fet with large Hones, fomediamonds, and others that I knew not.
Having refolved not to bring our fhips up, nor to flay longer than the time we men-tioned, we took our leave about four in the afternoon, and the fame night we arrivedon board, being extremely fatigued. On the 13th we failed up the river about twentymiles, and anchored over againfi the mouth of China river.
On the 16th came on board the fame mefiengers from the Prince, and fignified,that he defired to fpeak with us again. We feigned an indifferency, and told them,that we were then ready to depart, fince we could not agree. We foon perceivedthat this news did not pleafe them. However, we told them, we would go up oncemore ; and accordingly next day early in the morning we fet out, and arrived thereabout two in the afternoon. We were again introduced to the Prince; and afterfeveral hours difcourfe, we over-ruled the propofal of bringing our fhips up to town;and only complied with his requefi of taking a houfe in town, where the fupercargosIhould refide, receive and pay for all goods on the delivery of them. But as theirdemands and expectations of prefents were very exorbitant before they would fign thecontract, or agree, with us, they demanded and infifled on twenty firelocks, and twobarrels of powder, telling us what a mighty fervice it would be to their Sultan towardsreducing the rebels, and obliging them to bring down great flore of pepper, whichthey had hoarded up, and would foon enable them to load our fhips, and that theyWould pay us any reafonable price for them. When we had agreed to this point, andthought that all matters had been agreed on, there arofe another difficulty, viz. to paya fooco, or quarter part of a dollar cuffom for every pecull of pepper (which is onehundred and thirty-two pounds ) that we fhould buy. After many debates we wereforced to comply with this alfo. Then we figned a contrad to them in Englifh, andthey to us in the Malayo language and character, with the Sultan of Caytongee’s greatfeal to it. I defired our linguiff to tranflate it verbatim ; and it is as followeth, withoutany amendment of their method or manner of expreflion.
“A contrad made between the Kings of Caytongee and Negarree, and the PrincePurba of Negarree, with the fons of Englifhmen, come hither this year to fill boththeir fhips, and go away ; not to make any foldiers, or build houfes or forts. Thepnce of the pepper to be four dollars and half per pecull, and a great deal of it,amounting to four or five thoufand peculls, and to Hay here three months for it; andfarther to pay one fooco cuHom per pecull to the King. The pepper to be weighedat the town of Tatas, and to pay for it when weighed.”
We fignified to them our great defire of paying our refpeds to the Sultan of Cay-tongee, the capital city, about forty miles further up the narrow river. This wasreadily granted : they at the fame time told us, that our countrymen did not ufe tofruit themfelves fo far up into the country ; and that they were not a little pleafed to
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