fmall close-bodied waistcoat, without a fhirt, and over that a chawat, wrapped round once or twice, that hung down to his knees; he wore drawers, but his hands, legs and feet were bare. On his left fide, in a neat belt ftuck a creice or dagger, richly fet with diamonds; before him was a table about two feet long, and one and a half broad, of folid gold, much like a hand tea table; on which always stood his furniture for his betle nuts, feree leaves, and lime, which he chews continually; as it is the custom for men, women and children to do in that country, and to smoke tobacco. The box that held the nuts was not unlike a rummer, with a cover to it; that for the leaves like a standing fnuffer-cafe; and that for the lime was a small, round, flat box, all of the finest gold, very neatly wrought in filigreen, and fet with large stones, fome diamonds, and others that I knew not.

Having refolved not to bring our fhips up, nor to stay longer than the time we mentioned, we took our leave about four in the afternoon, and the fame night we arrived on board, being extremely fatigued. On the 13th we failed up the river about twenty miles, and anchored over against the mouth of China river.

On the 16th came on board the fame meffengers from the Prince, and fignified, that he defired to speak with us again. We feigned an indifferency, and told them, that we were then ready to depart, fince we could not agree. We foon perceived that this news did not please them. However, we told them, we would go up once more; and accordingly next day early in the morning we fet out, and arrived there about two in the afternoon. We were again introduced to the Prince; and after feveral hours difcourfe, we over-ruled the propofal of bringing our fhips up to town; and only complied with his request of taking a house in town, where the fupercargos fhould refide, receive and pay for all goods on the delivery of them. But as their demands and expectations of prefents were very exorbitant before they would fign the contract, or agree with us, they demanded and infifted on twenty firelocks, and two barrels of powder, telling us what a mighty fervice it would be to their Sultan towards reducing the rebels, and obliging them to bring down great ftore of pepper, which they had hoarded up, and would foon enable them to load our fhips, and that they would pay us any reasonable price for them. When we had agreed to this point, and thought that all matters had been agreed on, there arose another difficulty, viz. to pay a fooco, or quarter part of a dollar custom for every pecull of pepper (which is one hundred and thirty-two pounds) that we should buy. After many debates we were forced to comply with this alfo. Then we figned a contract to them in English, and they to us in the Malayo language and character, with the Sultan of Caytongee's great feal to it. I defired our linguift to translate it verbatim ; and it is as followeth, without any amendment of their method or manner of expreffion.

"A contract made between the Kings of Caytongee and Negarree, and the Prince Purba of Negarree, with the fons of Englishmen, come hither this year to fill both their fhips, and go away; not to make any foldiers, or build houfes or forts. The price 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 stay here three months for it; and farther to pay one fooco custom per pecull to the King. The pepper to be weighed at the town of Tatas, and to pay for it when weighed."

This was

We fignified to them our great defire of paying our refpects to the Sultan of Caytongee, the capital city, about forty miles further up the narrow river. readily granted: they at the fame time told us, that our countrymen did not use to trust themselves so far up into the country; and that they were not a little pleased to

fee

!

fee that we put fo much confidence in them; affuring us that we should be very civilly
received there; and protected, if need were, from the infults of the common people.
Having thus, as we thought, overcome all the difficulties, and fully established
our trade, we took a formal leave after dinner, and returned on board, where we
arrived about eleven at night, the paffage being very pleafant. We always carried a
chest of small arms, with powder, granadoes and match in our boats; not fo much
for fear of the Banjareens, as of the Byajos, who trade there. On the 21ft of July
we took a house, and agreed to pay forty-five dollars for the use thereof whilft we
should stay there, having divided it into proper apartments.
I refided there with
the other fupercargoes

The 22d we fet out in our two pinnaces about eleven at night on our journey to
Caytongee; and having rowed all night, we arrived there about nine in the morning.
We had a guide boat to show us the way, and a guard boat, with fome great men of
the country, to accompany us. They chufe the night to travel in for its coolness:
but they had much the advantage of us, for both the rowers and paffengers are sheltered
over head with a covering made of cajan leaves, from the prodigious dews that fall in
the night; whereas the cold dew fell in fuch abundance on our poor failors, who
were exceeding hot with rowing, that their fhirts were as wet as if dipped in the river;
which proved of fatal confequence to one of them, who died foon after. We paffed
that night very unpleasantly, having little room, no fleep, and our cloaths very wet; neither
had we the fatisfaction of making any remarks on the country or river, it being dark.
We only heard the noise of strange beafts in the woods on each fide. But the most
intolerable plague was a vast number of mufchetos, or flies, which ftung and fo
disfigured us, that in the morning the eyes of fome were fwelled up, others mouths
drawn awry; and, in fhort, our faces fo full of tumours, that when day-light came,
we scarce knew one another, but only by the voice or habit. Though the fun rifes
always at or about fix, yet we could not fee the tops of the trees till almost nine,
because of the great fogs: for the greatest part of the country, from the river's mouth
for near a hundred miles one way, and above two hundred the other, is nothing but
an entire marsh or fwamp, and that full of an infinite number of trees of an incredible
fize. This space at low water is but mud; and at high water it is all overflown, as
I have already mentioned. This vaft body of water draining itself down the channels
cause the rivers to be fo deep, and the currents, or ebbs, fo very rapid. I was
refolved to return by day-light, that I might have the advantage of feeing the country.
The houses are built upon floats, except the King's, Princes, and fome few grandees.
It is almost four miles long, and our men were more tired in rowing to the upper end
of it than in all the reft of our journey: for the current is fo very strong there, and
we obliged to keep the middle by reafon of the houses on each fide, that
fometimes in half an hour we did not go the length of a furlong. After above two
hours hard labour we paffed the Sultan's palace, to whom I ordered my trumpets to
found a levit; from hence we had orders to pafs on to the house of Cay Demon our
guide, where we were very civilly treated. It was no fmall refreshment to us to have
room to ftretch out our legs that had been almost forty-eight hours cramped up in
the boat.

This city has much the advantage over Tatas, because it is much more agreeably fituated; and at this time of year, (which is called the fair feafon, because the easterly monfoon or wind blows) there are good dry banks on each fide of the river, firm land, and pleafant fields full of deer, goats, and other animals; when, on the contrary, in the rainy season, or wefterly winds, all is overflown, and the wild beafts

and cattle forced into the mountains; as I fhall have occafion to mention more particularly hereafter.

About two in the afternoon the Sultan fent for us; the meffengers enquired what prefents we had brought, of which we informed them. There is no approaching empty handed; and therefore care ought to be taken to begin fo as the stock may hold out. Our ignorance of this custom was of ill confequence to us. They brought handsome baskets, with covers of wrought filk, into which we put the presents. We went in our boats along with the meffengers, who carried the prefents. We put ourselves in as good habits, and as much order as we could, knowing what effect a good outward appearance has on those people. We marched up, with our trumpets founding before us, to his council-house, which is built on ftilts or posts, about feven or eight feet from the ground, to fecure it against the overflowing feafon but then the land was firm and dry, covered with very high grafs, which was ordered to be mowed down for the greater conveniency of our walking thither. This houfe is open on all fides, and covered on the top, being about fifty yards in length, and thirty in breadth. At the weft end was placed feveral of their musicians, who played on all forts of that country mufick. In the middle stood the Sultan's throne, being a rich gilt wooden chair, and over it a large filk canopy wrought with gold and filver. This houfe ftands without the bounds of the Sultan's palace. The reafon why it is fo open is, because all affairs of a public nature, wherein the people in general are concerned, are tranfacted there; and perfons of all conditions and capacities are allowed the liberty of coming upon the ftage, keeping their respective distance. Six or eight guns of about one thousand weight a piece were placed round the house, but without any fhelter or battlements, or scarce carriages. By the time we got to it there were above five hundred people in it, who were ordered to ftand clear to make room for our entrance: the Prince of Negarree met us, and complimented us very civilly to fit down cross-legged on a carpet that was laid over against the throne, within ten or twelve feet of it. Many thousands of people were round about us both on the stage, and in the fields about the house, to fee and hear what was concluded. We did not fit long before we perceived the Sultan coming out of his palace, who is a man of a very good presence, and honest mien, but as fwarthy as the reft, dreffed in a clofe-bodied waistcoat, having breeches not unlike rope-dancers, and scarlet stockings, with flippers, a loose China atlice gown, wrought with gold and filver, with a rich dagger fet with diamonds in his girdle. Before him were carried in men's arms two young beautiful children, dreffed very prettily, the one in fcarlet, the other in yellow rich filks, with turbans. They were guarded by twelve men, armed with blunderbuffes and muskets, and as many more, with their own country weapons, viz. fampits or hollow trunks, with bayonets fixed to the end of them, and fhort daggers or creices ftuck in their girdles; the latter are worn by men and boys, rich and poor: with the fampits they fhoot poisoned arrows, and they are very dangerous weapons. Upon the King's mounting the stage, or council-house, all his fubjects lifted up their hands in a praying posture, and bowed down their faces to the ground, as they fate cross-legged. We immediately stood up and bowed according to the European custom, which is looked upon there as a great affront; for none muft ftand in his prefence, or near him: but when they approach him to deliver any thing, they go creeping almost double; and when they withdraw, they creep back in the fame manner. We foon perceived our mistake, excused ourselves, and he as readily forgave us, being naturally a man of admirable temper, good, juft and merciful.

According to custom he fat filent a few minutes, looking us full in the face; then thanked us for our present without feeing it, though I believe he was privately informed what it confifted of. He bid us welcome, and faid he hoped we met with nothing but civility from his fubjects. We thanked His Majefty, and affured him we had no reason to complain; and that on our own parts we would study how to keep up a good correfpondence with them. He alfo enquired whether we were Company fhips, or feparate traders; and being anfwered the latter, he began to lay heavy complaints on our countrymen, telling us how that at their first arrival they came like us, and contracted with them in the fame manner, obliging themselves to build no forts, nor make foldiers; but that under pretext of building a warehouse, they mounted guns, and infulted him and his fubjects in a most base manner; that he bore it patiently for a great while, till feveral of his fubjects were beaten, wounded, and fome killed by them, as they paffed by in their boats on their lawful occafions; that they forced from them fuch duties and cuftoms as belonged only to him, and acted very contrary to reason, or honefty, in all their proceedings. All this, fays he, I bore with great patience. Then he told us with very great concern how they fired feveral of their great fhot at the Queen-Mother, which frightened her fo, that ever fince fhe continued almost distracted; and that they would have taken her prifoner, for what reafon he could not imagine: This, fays he, I had not patience to bear. He likewise told us of one Captain Cockburn, and fome others, (whofe names I have forgot) who were taken prisoners, and there put to death, and the manner of their fuffering. But, continues he, this is not at prefent our affair. After an hour's difcourfe, having told us he would fend for us again fhortly, he dismissed us, and we went to the house of Cay Arrea, (who has one here as well as at Tatas) where we bought a parcel of pepper, and hired boats to carry it down.

We continued there weighing of pepper during the four days following, when in the afternoon the Sultan fent for us again. He then received us not in the councilhouse, but in his own palace, in a large room, where there was a multitude of people. He fat in his chair of ftate, the reft of his fubjects fitting cross-legged on mats, and we on a large carpet. He bid us welcome in a very friendly manner, and faid he had provided us a dinner, which was accordingly brought in, and ferved up in bowls, fome of gold, fome of filver, and others of brafs, laid on the carpet, without cloth or napkins. We had above fifty feveral dishes of broiled and boiled fowl, curree, or ftrong broth, rice dyed with turmerick, hard eggs, buffalo flesh and venifon; which laft was very good, and dreffed in a very relishing manner. He had no better liquor to give us than water; however that defect we fupplied with our own punch and wine. The King, who is a great bigot to his religion, would taste of none; neither did any of his fubjects dare to do it in his prefence, though they often used to drink plentifully with us, when in private. During dinner-time we had the King's mufic, and fometimes our trumpets, which he was mightily pleased with. Dinner being over, the betle-tables were brought, and we fell to discourse of many affairs, till at laft he brought about the ftory of his fubjects in rebellion. He preffed us to fpare him more arms and ammunition, to which we pleaded inability; alledging, that we had a long voyage of many months failing to our own country; that feveral pirates were abroad; and that if we should spare him any more arms or powder, we fhould not be in a condition to defend ourselves. Then he defired us to lend him thirty of our men to affift him against the rebels; but we excused ourselves, telling him, that it was not in our power to oblige them to go: at which he seemed furprized, afking us, if we were not their commanders.

Then

(

Then he told us, that he would favour us with a fight of fome of his diverfions, which indeed we found to be very comical. At a distance from us, behind a fort of a fcene, fate an old woman with a white wand in her hand. The King caused the mufic to play, and taking himself a large ill fhaped, ill-tuned fiddle, nodded to the old woman, who on a fudden ftruck a blow with her wand on the floor: upon which fignal immediately entered four very beautiful girls of about feventeen years of age, three much of a height, but one taller than the reft; all dreffed in rich filks after a pretty antic manner, with coronets of pure gold on their heads, their hair hanging down in a carelefs, though pretty order; their necks, breasts, arms, legs, and feet were bare, but painted with a light yellow, which they count beautiful. They also wore weighty gold rings, as big as a man's thumb, about their wrists, and round the fmall of their legs. The talleft was the richest dreffed, and feemed to reprefent a queen. They entered the room following close behind one another; and as foon as they came on the carpet before the King, they fell on their faces to the ground; then rofe on their knees, and lifting up their hands, bowed low three times; this being the refpect due to him. After which they fell into an odd fashioned fort of dance, which confifted chiefly in fcrewing their bodies into feveral antic and lascivious postures, fcarce stirring their feet from the ground. The old woman (who I supposed to be their teacher) would often ftrike the floor with her wand, whereupon they would all immediately fquat down almoft on their breech, and rife in fo flow and whimfical a manner, as cannot be well defcribed. This lafted above half an hour to our great fatisfaction. Then they made their obedience as before, and withdrew.

He asked us how we liked it. We answered very well, and fignified that we should be very glad to fee fomething more of this nature, which he readily condefcended to: but we were told by his priest, who fat by him, that we must wait half an hour; for that now was an unlucky, or improper time, and therefore God would be displeased at it that the Sultan was a good man, loved God, his women, and all honeft men; fo they all muttered fomething to themselves; I fuppofe fome prayers, or rather fome fuperftitious incantations. After which we had a fecond part of the aforementioned diverfion, and then took our leaves. He advised us very civilly not to ramble far by ourfelves, neither in the evening, or late at night: for, fays he, there may as yet be fome perfons willing to revenge the injuries they fuftained by your countrymen in the lofs of a father or brother, &c. We returned him our moft humble thanks for his kind and generous admonition, and departed to our lodgings at Cay Demon's house, who is a man of as much integrity as any in that country; but is very old, and could not be fo ferviceable to us as he wished.

We employed our time in buying up pepper, as aforefaid, till the 28th of July, then we took our leave of the King; and upon his earnest and reiterated request, did at last promise to spare him our two gunners to go about three hundred miles up the country, to fhew them how to use their cannon against the rebels. We set out for Tatas again, having been fix days abfent from our fhips and house.

Our paffage down in the day was as pleasant, as our fatigue was great in coming up in the night for we had a very strong current, by means of which we made forty miles in lefs than five hours. The water in fome places, and at certain times, is as rapid as under London Bridge at half flood: the river is about thirty yards broad at the wideft, and is mighty pleasant, because of the thick woods, and lofty trees on each fide always green; full of ftrange birds and monkeys, a great many of which we fhot. There is a fmall town that lay on our starboard fide, or right hand, in our return, about three miles from Caytongee; and another fomething larger on our larboard

VOL. XI.

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