bas and Banjaar Masseen they deal in
diamonds, of which there is a mine in the interior country. These
stones generally run from four to twenty-four carats each, though some
are found as high as thirty and even forty carats; but the whole trade
does not exceed 600 carats yearly. They always sell these stones
for gold, though that is a commodity of the island, and there is a
considerable trade in gold-dust at Pahang, Saya, Calantan, Seribas,
Catra, and Melanouba. Bezoar is another principal article of their
trade. Japan wood, fine wax, incense, mastic, and several other rich
gums, are here met with; but the staple commodity is pepper, which
this island produces in as great abundance as any place in India.
A drug is met with in this island, called _piedro de porco_, or
pork-stone, so highly esteemed as to be worth 300 crowns each; as the
Indian physicians pretend that they can infallibly discover whether
their patients are to live or die, by exhibiting to them the water in
which this stone has been steeped.

Before the Portuguese discovered the way by sea to India, the Chinese
possessed the whole trade of this island, and since the Europeans
have declined settling here, it has reverted to them again. The places
where they are settled are Banjaar Masseen, Mampua, Teya, Lando, and
Sambas, where they parry on a great trade, furnishing the inhabitants
with silks, chintz, calico, and all the manufactures of China and
Japan. It has been suggested, that a more valuable trade might be
established in Borneo than in any other part of India, as there come
here every year large fleets of Chinese junks, laden with all the
commodities of that empire, which might be purchased here as cheap, or
cheaper even than in China itself. There come also yearly some small
vessels from the island of Celebes to Borneo, in spite of the utmost
vigilance of the Dutch, which bring considerable quantities of cloves,
nutmegs, and mace, so that the Dutch are unable to sell much of these
spices to the inhabitants: Yet they send ships here frequently to load
with pepper, endeavouring to keep up a good correspondence with the
kings of Borneo and Sambas, for the king of Banjaar Masseen refuses to
have any dealings with them.

Considering the vast sway of the Dutch in India, it is strange that
they should not have any factory in China. They have indeed formerly
sent ambassadors to that country, under pretence of demanding a free
trade, but in reality on purpo