The deference paid to the several ranks, is not confined to carriages, but extends to the cloathing of individuals, as no person under the rank of an edele heeren is permitted to wear velvet:  there are a number of other distinctions in dress equally ridiculous, but they seem to be wearing away:  a few years ago, the women were strictly forbid wearing any European dress, and ordered to conform to the Malay custom.

At the time I was at Batavia, there were only five European women on the island of Java, the rest being born of Malay or Creole mothers; and it is really distressing to see how much they affect the manners of their Malay slaves in chewing beetle, and other actions equally disagreeable.  Their dress is a loose white or flowered muslin robe, which is open and large, reaching to the wrists and neck:  but if the adjustment of their garments does not take up much time at the toilet, the arranging of their hair makes sufficient amends for it:  they have in general very thick long black hair, which is gathered into a knot on the back part of the head, and is so nicely combed that not a single hair is out of its place; round this a wreath of diamonds is fixed, which is more or less valuable, according to the circumstances of the wearer.  In the evenings, a large wreath of jessamine is also put round the hair, which gives a very agreeable perfume.  Not more than two women in Batavia could speak any other language than Dutch or Malay, the former of which they understand very imperfectly, always preferring Malay.

The office of shebander is a principal one in this place, and is a situation of much profit; no stranger can transact the least business without his permission; the exports and imports are entirely regulated by him; every boat which goes into the road pays him a certain sum; he also regulates and comptrols the Chinese in the receipt of duties:  this post is very laborious, but is also very lucrative.

Nineteen thousand pekul* of tin are brought every year from -Palambam_, or Sumatra, to the company’s stores on -Onrust_, which is sent in their ships to China.  The company send annually from hence to Europe 20,000 pekul of pepper, for which they pay on an average two stivers and an half per pound, and sell it in Europe for fourteen stivers per pound:  they also export annually 200,000 pekul of coffee, at two stivers and an half per pound, which is sold in Holland at ten stivers per pound.

[* A pekul is equal to 130 pounds.]

Onrust is a very small island, about a quarter of a mile in circumference, and situated about two leagues and an half from Batavia:  here the company’s ships refit and heave down, there being very good wharfs for that purpose, at which five ships may heave down at one time; there are also large machines for dismasting vessels.  Small as this island is, there are generally from five to six hundred people on it; of which number, one hundred are European carpenters,