ACCOUNT OF JAVA AND BATAVIA.

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threlhed, to feparate it from the hufk, but ftamped in large wooden blocks, hollowedout , and the more it is ftamped the whiter it becomes when boiled. The nativeIndians, throughout the eaft, ufe this grain as bread, and as their principal food.

Java has been called the granary of the eaft, on account- of the immenfe quantityof rice which it produces. The other iflands in this neighbourhood, yield little ornone, except Celebes , where enough is grown to provide likewife Amboyna with thisftaff of life.

In the year 1767, the quantity of feven thoufand lafts, or thirty-one millions ofpounds of rice * was required, and furnilhed, for the confumption of Batavia, Ceylon,and Banda, from the ifland of Java.

Sugar is likewife an article, which is produced in large quantities in Java, andbrought to Batavia. The quantity of thirteen millions of pounds, manufactured in theyear 1768 in the province of Jaccatra alone, is fufficient to {hew with what luxuriancethe fugar-cane f flourilhes here. .Much of it is exported to the weft of India, to Surat and the coaft of Malabar, and the reft to Europe . Moftof the fugar-mills are keptand worked by Chinefe.

A fourth production, of the ifland is coffee. The plantations of it are, however,peculiarly confined to the provinces of Cheribon and Jaccatra. The tree J which pro-duces this berry was firft introduced into Java in 1722, or 1723, under the govern-ment of the governor general Zwaardekroon, who greatly encouraged the culti-vation of it among the Javanefe. It is at prefent fo much multiplied, that in theyear 1768, Jaccatra furnifhed four millions four hundred and fixty-five thoufand fivehundred pounds weight to the Company, who paid no more, according to the belt ofmy knowledge, than three rix-dollars and a half, or eight gilders eight ftivers perpicol, of a hundred and twenty-five pounds §.

Cotton-yarn is likewife an important objeft of trade, which Java furnifhes to theCompany. It is fpun by the Javanefe, from the cotton which is produced in greatplenty in the interior parts. The province of Jaccatra yielded, in 1768 , no morethan one hundred and thirty-three picols, or ftxteen thoufand two hundred andtwenty-five pounds, which was one thoufand eight hundred and feventy-five poundslefs than ought to have been delivered by the Indians, according to the quota impo-fed upon them ; but this deficiency was occafioned by a feafon of uncommon drought,by which the cotton-crop had been materially injured.

Salt, much of which is brought from Rembang to Batavia, is equally an articleof trade for the Company, who difpofe of it for a handfome profit at Sumatra ’sweft coaft.

Another product of the country is indigo, which is moftly {hipped to Europe .The culture of the plant which produces this dye j| is profecuted with vigour in theprovince of Jaccatra. In the year 1768, the natives were affeffed at fix thoufandone hundred and twenty-five pounds, though they only furnifhed two thoufand eighthundred and feventy-five pounds.

* Fourteen thoufand tons, or two hundred and eighty thoufand cwt. Tr.

d Saccharum officinarum . J Coffea.

§ Mr. Stavorinus corrects this ftatement, with refpedf to the price, in his fecond voyage, where heinforms us, that the rate at which the Company paid for the coffee was four rix-dollars per picol, beingequal to about fourteen fhillings and five pence fterling per cwt; but other accounts make this article ftandthem in the fame proportion as the pepper, two pence halfpenny per pound, or about one pound twolhillings per cwt. the firft is probably what is paid to the cultivator’s and the laft the invoice-value, beingwith the addition of the charges. Tr.

|| Indigofera tinftoria.

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