A VOYAGE TO BORNEO.

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on board of a violent fever ; and on the 18th our linguift, whom we had left at Tatas*came on board very fick, for the rainy feafon being now well fet in, we all began to bevery unhealthy.

We weighed anchor the 21ft, about fix in the morning, with a fmall gale of windat north-weft, and the next day about eight in the morning I took my departure fromTanjong Salatan, which fignifies the fouthermoft cape or head-land, it bearing eaft halfnorth feven leagues diftance. I then directed my courfe to pafs through the {freights ofBally, according to the orders I had received from my honourable mafters. Being nowat fea, where very little worthy of remark happens, I {hall take the opportunity of makinga fmall digreflion ; and, for the benefit of thofe who hereafter may be fent to this port,give the beft inftructions and remarks I can, whereby a trade may be continued withgreat advantage in the port of Banjar Mafteen.

If the {hips be there by the beginning of Auguft, it is foon enough to make the con-trails, and alfo to purchafe what pepper remains, if there be any of the laft year’s crop,which may forward your difpatch; befides, it is better than what you buy afterwards,as being better cured by the length of time, and confequently will not wafte fo much inweight in bringing over as the other. At your firft arrival I think it moft advifeableto anchor below Poolo Cocket, where you need not wait long ere you have an oppor-tunity of fending an account to the Sultan of your arrival and bufinefs, and receive hisanfwer; for Ihould you immediately fend up your pinnace to Tatas, it would greatlyfurprife them, unlefs there was fome perfon therein that they knew very well. How-ever, you cannot lie there long before fomebody comes on board, who will alk innu-merable queftions, and be very careful to know your fxze, number of men and guns.They can prefently tell very near what quantity of pepper your lhip is able to carry.You ought to be very cautious of {hewing any fear or diftruft of them, or of armingany centinels, &c. which will give them great caufe of fufpicion, that you look morelike warriors than traders. The former they have the greateft averfion imaginable to,being naturally cowards. They will expedt a prefent as often as they can have the leaftcolour for it; efpecially by their frequent fuperfluous vifits, and feigned pieces of fer-vices, and ftories from their oran-cays. But remember there is no end to their expec-tations; and before you have done with them, though you be never fo good an econo-mift, you will find them amount to a confiderable value. We were led into an errorfor want of knowing this, and on our firft arrival we gave pretty handfomely, think-ing that doing it at once was fufficient. But as they go on gradually with their fer-vices, fo you mull with your prefents ; for I have been obliged to flay eight days atCaytongee before I could have admittance to the Sultan, when he had been informedby his emiflaries that I came empty-handed, though his former prefents had been largeand confiderable. They are fo mercenary that the beft of oran-cay, or great men, willreceive four or five dollars wrapt up in a piece of paper. I am the longer upon thishead by reafon you will find it a material article ; proper things may be providedcheaper in England than at Batavia. I cannot give inftrudtions touching a price oragreement with them, for that is according to the plenty or fcarcity of pepper, andaccording as there are more or lefs China junks in the port; but be fure to makeyour contract very full and fpecial, for if there be the leaft room for a further demandthey will be upon you. It is proper to infift in the contradt upon a houfe to dwell inamong them, and a warehoufe. Thefe they will be glad to allow you for their own.advantage; however, if you do not mention it in your contradt, they may make fomeother demands upon you afterwards.

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