Indian Antiquary Vol 61

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 363

DECEMBER, 1932]
THE SOATTERGOODS AND THE EAST INDIA OOMPANY
191
[94]
Mr. John Scattergood, My dear Sir,
I hope you arrived in good health to continue your customary favours to me. I am ever at your command. I have delivered the balance of the new accounts to the captain of this ship Bonita. I have also executed your order with respect to Mr. Ares (Harris) who presented me with the same order I had received from you.
Enclosed I send you the list of the goods which are of use in the port of Achin, (1) written in Chinese, in case of mistakes which may occur in the Portuguese translation I have made, enclosed in João de Matos letter. I am under obligations to make arrangements as conveniently as may be for your Worship, for which purpose I will have the sloop in readiness to be laden at this port before your arrival with the merchandize which you hope to bring and ship to the port of Achin.
Respecting the negotiation with the Malay captain which you recommended to me, I have taken the steps you advised, and the said captain gave me his word to negotiate on your account for 300 picos (pikuls, of ? tin), and so soon as he requires the money for security in the matter, I will not fail to pay it to the said captain.
As to the pesas de lenas,(?) a brigantine of a friend of mine will leave in four days from now for Batavia, and I will take this opportunity of transmitting the quantity demanded and what I can I will obtain in this land.
The brigantine with the sugar for which we arranged to negotiate I expect to arrive any hour from Java, both the brigantine and the sugar; and once arrived, I will fulfil my contract and settle the matter in time for your order and that of your associate Mr. Arnegly($) to be executed in November when it is received.
There is further enclosed in the said João de Matos letter a separate notice of the prices at which the merchandize contained in the list may be bought in China,(*) which I send for your Worship's guidance. Following this, things may be regulated in accordance with the prices obtaining in the country, advising you for your better guidance that the prices I have put down are more or less accurate.
I trouble your Worship to buy me for the service of my household 20 cloth chairs, which can open and close, and a small table of rosewood, like the chairs. I am writing by this opportunity to Limqua to arrange this matter and deliver them to you to bring them. Nothing further offering, may our Lord preserve you many years as I desire.
Your Worship's friend and most humble servant
Mark of CHAN JAMQUA. Malacca 7 of August 1719.
Be kind enough to bring on my account two picos of misoa,(5) called in that land laqasi, for incidental expenses.
Mr. Thomas Ares (Harris) takes & sesto of trubo,() which your Worship can make use of if it is good. Pardon me for having no other prosent to offer you.
(NOTES ON DOCUMENT No. 94.) (1) Neither the Chinese nor the Portuguese version of this list has been traced, but the one which follows (No. 95) of goods obtainable at Achin and its neighbourhood, saleable in China, was probably drawn up at this time.
() Passas de lanhas, dried coconuts.
(8) Arnegly is the Chinaman's rondering of Harnage. Peter Curgenven and John Harnage were supercargoes of the Charlotte, which was captured by Angria a low months later.
(4) This list has not been traced.
(6) This word, and also “ lagasi," which follows, are puzzles. Dr. H. B. Morse can throw no light on either term. On p. 75 Soattergood uses " missoy" for a sauce, but that cannot be the meaning here. Neither does it seem possible that "missoy bark" mentioned by Milburn (II, 313) can be what is alluded to in the text.
(9) Cesto of turubo (Mal. terubo), a basket of herring-roes.