It was the object of Mr. Fearon to purchase a cargo of Areka-nut[141] for the China market, for which object he had brought dollars, opium, iron, lead, and steel. Most of the bearded gentlemen were traders in the Areka-nut; but a tall, thin, elderly, and shrewd old man, was the principal agent in the transactions between Mr. Fearon and the rajah, for the latter, like most rajahs, had but little to say on the affair, and from being young, had merely to approve of whatever was done. This agent, whom we designated “Minister of the Board of Trade,” proved to be uncle to the present rajah; this circumstance accounted for his having so much to do with the government affairs. After some common-place conversation, the commercial business was introduced; samples, or musters, of the quality of the nuts were shown; and an arrangement was entered into between the parties for the delivery of three thousand peculs in ten days, at the rate of one and a-half dollars the pecul, iron, steel, lead, and dollars, being given in exchange, at prices then agreed upon. This contract was ratified by the old trading minister, placing the right-hand of the supercargo into that of the rajah, repeating, as they remained with joined hands, the terms assented to; all agreements are made in the name of the rajah, and are written and signed by both parties. They had abundance of opium, as much, they informed us, as seven hundred chests unsold; it had been purchased at seven hundred dollars the chest, (the cost price at Batavia at this time,) but the Areka-nut had been delivered in exchange, at the rate of one dollar the pecul.[142]
After the commercial affairs had been settled, the rajah, ministers, and merchants, accompanied us about, and in the vicinity of the village, followed by a nondescript rabble. My collecting plants and insects amused some and puzzled others, and all were desirous of ascertaining for what purpose I required them; whether we had any flowers in our country? whether they were to feed animals? and the insects for birds on board the ship? but when at last they were informed I was a “curer of diseases,” they remained perfectly satisfied that I collected them for medicinal purposes, and without making another inquiry on the subject, resumed their almost perpetual conversation on the Areka or betel-nut. On the way the rajah gathered a plant, (Chenopodium family?) and giving it to me, said it was medicinal, and called by the Malays “Gunche, maju,” (signifying shirt-buttons,) and the name was probably applied to it from the elevated buds having some resemblance to them. The plant is used by the natives in the form of decoction, as an internal remedy for various diseases; and, as far as I could understand them, was possessed of emetic properties. It is a small plant, and grows abundantly on the banks of the Paddy fields, and on most of the waste land about the village.
Among a profusion of other flowering shrubs and plants was the Cassia occidentalis, (Bandram of the natives,) several species of Solanum; the pretty Vinca rosea, or rose periwinkle, Datura fastuosa, the fruit of which the natives told me would cause madness if eaten; it was named by them Tropungo; several species of Convolvoli; a species of Senecio, with a number of others, wild and cultivated, some of which exhaled fragrant odours; and a multitude of butterflies and other insects, vieing with one another in brilliancy and harmony of colours, flew about in apparent enjoyment of the fervent tropical sun, among the profusion of flowers which strewed the ground. The Jatropha curcas, or Bánawa of the natives, was planted, as well as the bamboo, for fences; rice-fields were numerous, but this being the dry season, the fields were dry, and the harvest collected, the variety of succulent and other plants that sprung up about them, afforded excellent feeding for the numerous herds of cattle rambling about.
During the rainy season, which occurs from about November to nearly the termination of the month of February, the planting of rice takes place; the fields, for the most part dry at the present time, are then overflown; the season of the rice harvest usually occurs in April. The country, although flat, had a pleasing fertile aspect, and when the vivid green or golden yellow of the rice plantation was added, its beauty must be still further increased.
The rajah, his followers, and the merchants, appear to be all Moormen, either natives of, or descendants from, those born in Hindostan. The bazaar trade appears for the most part also to be monopolized by them; the Malays seem the tillers of the soil, or subordinates, in other respects. The Hindostanee natives, or their descendants, are evidently the conquerors of the coast, and of course the heads of government are of that race. The rajah made Mr. Fearon a present of a small bullock, cocoa-nuts, plantains, sugar-canes, &c., and accepted an invitation to visit the ship the day following, when it would be requisite, from their professing the Mahometan creed, that “all pigs should be kept from grunting,” or getting an afternoon’s liberty.[143] About noon, taking leave of the rajah and his party, we returned on board.
At this place no canoes came off to the ship with fish, fowls, fruit, &c., for sale; none but those on business came to the ship, and Mr. Fearon was advised by the rajah not to allow any to do so. This appeared strange, as off the other villages to the eastward of Pedir, goats, fruit, fowls, yams, &c., were brought off for sale; but we afterwards had good reason for suspecting that some of the rajah’s followers were desirous of supplying the ship, placing their own prices on the articles, allowing a per centage to his highness, and thus contrived to have a prohibition placed on canoes coming alongside.
CHAPTER XX.
Visit from the young Rajah—Native weapons—Costume—The “trading minister” and his boy—Inspection of the ship by the natives—Population of the Pedir district—Rambles on the coast—King Crabs—Land crabs—Ova of fish—Soldier crabs—Their food—The Rajah’s house—Cocoa-nut water—Habitations in the Rajah’s inclosure—The fort—The bazaar—Banks of the river—Plants—Native fishing—Fruits—The country farther inland—Vegetation—The Eju Palm—A fine plain.
On the afternoon of the following day we had the honour of a visit from the young rajah; he came off in one of the large native boats, seated upon a platform on the stern, in the oriental fashion. Having no state-boat he came in this, which was merely one of the usual cargo, or fishing boats, which are large and spacious, with a small deck or platform at the after-part. Many of the rowers were attired in scarlet jackets, some having, and others being deficient in sleeves, and all seemed to have dressed themselves in their best apparel; all wore elegant krisses, for the whole of the natives, whether of the Malay or Hindostanee races, wear the Kris or the Klawang, (a kind of short sword,) and are seldom or never seen without: the manufacture of these weapons varies both in the blades and handles, and all the varieties are designated by distinct native names; from the form of the blades severe wounds must be caused by them, and many of the natives wore scars obtained by them in their private quarrels. The handles were formed of whale’s teeth, or buffalo horn; and the sheaths of various beautiful woods, of which a kind of satin-wood seemed to have the preference; the wood is said not to be luted together (nor has it the appearance of being so) in the construction of the sheath, but is hollowed in an ingenious manner from a solid piece, and is very liable to split with the least blow; they are tastefully ornamented with a kind of tatauing, or carving, performed with a small knife, into which, after the carving is completed, some black pigment is rubbed, which gives an increased effect to the decoration. They place a high value on the krisses and klawangs, and they are usually ornamented with gold or silver, according to the rank and wealth of the owner. The cutting portion of the blade is formed of steel, the remainder of iron; the temper of the weapons is not good, being extremely brittle.