fame with the Brazil wood. There are also a number of gold mines, which the inhabitants of Sumatra and Malacca call Ophirs: fome of which, thofe efpecially on the eaftern coaft, are richer than those of Brazil or Peru. There are likewife mines of fine copper, mixed with gold, which the inhabitants name Tombage. In the islands of Sumatra and Banea are mines of calin, or fine tin; and at Succadana, in the island of Borneo, is a mine of diamonds. Thofe iflands enjoy alfo, exclufively, the rotin, the fagou (or bread palm-tree) the camphire, and other precious aromatics, which we know under the name of various fpiceries. The fea too teems with abund ́ance of excellent fifh, together with ambergris, pearls, and thofe delicate birds nefts, (fo much in requeft in China) formed in the rocks with the fpawn of fishes, and the foam of the fea, by a fpecies of fmall-fized fwallow, peculiar to thofe feas: this is of fuch an exquifite fubftance and flavour, that the Chinese long purchafed them for their weight in gold, and ftill buy them at an exceffive price. In the midft of all this luxuriance of nature, the Malay is miferable. The culture of the lands, abandoned to flaves, is fallen into contempt. Thefe wretched labourers, dragged inceffantly from their ruftic employments, by their reftlefs mafters, who delight in war and maritime enterprizes, have rarely time, and never refolution, to give the neceffary attention to the labouring of their grounds. Their lands, in general, remain uncultivated, and produce no kind of grain for the fubfiftence of the inhabitants. The fagou-tree, in part, fupplies the defect of grain. This admi rable tree is a prefent which bountiful nature hath made to men incapable of labour. It requires no culture; it is a fpecies of the palmtree, which grows naturally, in the woods, to the height of about twenty or thirty feet; its circumference being fometimes from five to fix. Its ligneous bark is about, an inch in thicknefs, and covers a multitude of long fibres, which, being interwoven with one another, envelope a mafs of a gummy kind of meal. As foon as this tree is ripe, a whitish duft, which tranfpires through the pores of the leaves, and adheres to their extremities, proclaims its maturity. The Malais then cut them down near the root, divide them into feveral fections, which they split into quarters: they foon fcoop out the mafs of mealy fubftance, which is enveloped by and adheres to the fibres they dilute it in pure water, and then pafs it through a ftraining bag of fine ciòth, in order to feparate it from the fibres. When this pafte has loft part of its moisture by evaporation, the Malais throw it into a kind of earthen veffel, of different fhapes, where they allow it to dry and harden. This paste is wholefome nourishing food, and preferves for many years. ; The Indians in general, when they use the fagou, ufe no other preparation than diluting it in water; but fometimes they drefs it after different manners; they have the art of feparating the fineft of the flour, and reducing it to little grains, fomewhat refembling grains of rice. The fagou, thus prepared, is preferred to the other, for the aged and infirm; -and is an excellent remedy for many complaints in the ftomach. When diluted, either in cold or boiling water, it B 2 forms forms a whitish jelly, very agreeable to the rafte. Though this fagoubearing-palm grows naturally in the forefts, the Malay chiefs have formed confiderable plantations of it, which conftitute one of their principal refources for fubfiftence. They might have the fineft orchards in the world, would they give themfelves the trouble to collect the various plants of thofe excellent fruits which nature has fo liberally beftowed upon them: we find, however, none but a few ftraggling trees, planted at random around their houses, or difperfed over their lands without fymmetry or order. der the Merovingian race of the kings of France) retired with his foldiers and adherents across the river which divides that kingdom from Cochin-China. The favages, who then poffeffed this country, fled before thefe ftrangers, and took refuge among the mountains of Thiampa. After a long war with their old enemies, who purfued then, the Tonquinefe fugitives remained at length peaceable poffeffors of the country known under the name of Cochin-China: it extends about two hundred leagues from north to fouth, but narrow and unequal from eaft to weft. They then applied themfelves entirely to the cultivation of rice, which being the ordinary food of Of the Cochin-Chinefe; from the the inhabitants of Afia, is to them fame. THE Cochin-Chiefe, who border on Camboya to the north, obferving the lands of this kingdom defolated and abandoned, fome years ago took poffeffion of fuch tracts as were moft convenient, and have there introduced an excellent culture. The province of Donnay, ufurped in this manner from Camboya, is at prefent the granary of Cochin-China. This kingdom, one of the greatest in Eastern Afia, about one hundred and fifty years ago, was inhabited by an inconfiderable nation, barbarous and favage, known by the name of Loi, who, living partly by fishing, partly on roots, and the wild fruits of the country, paid little regard to agriculture. A Tonquinefe prince, unfucceffful in a war he carried on against the king of Tonquin (under whom he enjoyed an office fomewhat refembling the maires de palais, un an object of the greateft impor tance. They separated into little cantonments, and established themfelves on the plains, which extend along the banks of the river. The fertility of the foil, which had laid long uncultivated, foon recompenfed their labours by abundance; population increafed in proportion to their culture; and their cantons extended in fuch a manner, that all the plains of this vaft country, being put into a state of improvement, they were tempted to make encroachments on those of Camboya, which were in a manner totally abandoned. I never faw any country where the progrefs of population was fo remarkable as in Cochin-China, which must be attri buted not only to the climate, and the fertility of the foil, but to the fimplicity of their manners, to the prudence and induftry of the women as well as the men, and to the variety of excellent fish, which, with rice, is their ordinary food. Our : Our author, after giving an account of the culture practifed by the natives of this country, for the productions of vaft crops of different kinds of rice and other grain, as well as the greatest quantities of fugar of any country in Afia, together with their methods of refining it, proceeds as follows: The process of the Cochin-Chinefe, in refining their fugar, goes no further they are unacquainted with the ftoves in ufe in the WeftIndies. After having clayed their fugars fufficiently, they fell them in the public markets, particularly to the Chinese, and other ftrangers, who are invited to their ports by the moderate price of their commodity, which is cheaper at Cochin China than any where in India. The white fugar of the beft quality is generally fold at the port of Faifo, in exchange for other merchandize, at the rate the rate of three piaftres, (about fourteen fhillings) the Cochin-China quintal, which weighs from one hundred and fifty to two hundred pounds French*. The trade in this commodity is immenfe. The Chinese alone, whose lands do not produce enot produce enough for their own confumption, purchase annually from Cochin-China about forty thoufand barrels, weighing about two thousand pounds per barrel. This country, it fhould be obferved, which produces this commodity in fuch abundance, and at fo low a price, being a new kingdom, ought to be confidered in fome measure as a colony it is worthy obfervation too, that the fugar-cane is there cultivated by free men, and all the process of preparation and refining, the work of free hands. Compare then the price of the Cochin-Chinese production with the fame commodity which is cultivated and prepared by the wretched flaves of our European colonies, and judge if, to procure fugar from our colonies, it was neceffary to authorize by law the flavery of the unhappy Africans tranfported to America. From what I have obferved at Cochin-China, I cannot entertain a doubt, but that our Weft-Indian colonies, had they been distributed without refervation amongst a free people, would have produced double the quantity that is now procured from the labour of the unfortunate negroes. What advantage, then, has accrued to Europe, civilized as it is, and thoroughly verfed in the laws of nature and the rights of mankind, by legally authorifing in our colonies the daily outrages against human nature, permitting them to debafe man almoft below the level of the beafts of the field? Thefe flavish laws have proved as oppofite to its interest as they are to its honour, and to the laws of humanity. This remark I have often made. Liberty and property form the bafis of abundance, and good agri-. culture; I never obferved it to flourish where thofe rights of mankind were not firmly established. The earth, which multiplies her productions with a kind of profufion, under the hands of the freeborn labourer, feems to fhrink into barrennefs under the fweat of the flave. Such is the will of the B 3 Ninety-one pounds eight ounces French, make one hundred pounds English. great great Author of our nature, who has created man free, and affigned to him the earth, that he might cultivate his poffeffion with the fweat of his brow; but ftill fhould enjoy his liberty. The Cochin-Chine fe are gentle, hofpitable, frugal, and induftrious. There is not a beggar in the country; and robbery and murder abfolutely unknown. A ftranger may wander over the kingdom, from one end to another, (the capital excepted) without meeting the flighteft infult: he will be every where received with a moft eager curiofity, but at the fame time with great benevolence. I have here remarked a custom fingular indeed, but expreffive of their goodness of heart. A CochinChinese traveller, who has not money fufficient to defray his expences at an inn, enters the firft houfe of the town or village he arrives at no body inquires his bufinefs; he fpeaks to none, but waits in filence the hour of dinner; fo foon as the rice is ferved up, he modeftly approaches, places himfelf at table along with the family, eats, drinks, and departs without pronouncing a fingle word, or any perfon's putting to him a fingle queftion: it was enough they faw he was a man, a brother in diftrefs; they asked no further informa tion. The fix firft kings, founders of this monarchy, governed the nation as a father governs his family; they eftablished the laws of nature alone; they themselves paid the firft obedience to them. Chiefs of an immenfe family of labourers, they gave the first example of labour; they honoured and encouraged agri culture, as the moft ufeful and honourable employment of mankind. They required from their fubjects only a fmall annual free-gift, to defray the expence of their defenfive war against their Tonquinefe enemies. This impofition was regulated by way of poll-tax, with the greatest equity. Every man, able to labour the ground, paid in to the magif. trate, on account of the prince, a fmall fum proportioned to the ftrength of his conftitution, and the vigour of his arm and nothing more. It was under their reign, that this nation multiplied fo furprifingly, in confequence of the plenty furnished by the culture of their fields. Whilft they reigned, the treaties entered into, on the banks of the river which feparates Tonquin from Cochin-China, between the chiefs of their family and thofe who followed them in their retreat, were moft religiously obferved. It is to this reciprocal fidelity that Cochin-China owes its prefent flourishing state, with regard to power, population, and agricul ture. Their fucceffor, who now reigns, inherits their goodness of heart, but has the weakness to fuffer himself to be governed by his flaves. Thefe have acquired the art of feparating the interest of the prince from that of his people. They have infpired him with the thirst after perfonal riches. The vait quantity of gold which they have dug from the mines, during this reign, has already proved detrimental to induftry and agriculture. In the palace it has been productive of luxury and cortuption, its never - failing attendants. This prince has been infenfibly has been furprized by fawning flat led to defpife the fimple habitations of his ancestors. He has built a fuperb palace, a league in circumference, furrounded by a wall of brick, on the model of that of Pekin. Sixteen hundred pieces of cannon, mounted around the palace, announce to the people the approaching lofs of their liberties and rights. He found a neceffity too for a winter palace, a fummer palace, and an autumn palace. The old taxes were by no means fufficient to defray thefe expences; they were augmented; and new impofitions devised, which, being no longer voluntary contributions, could not be levied but by force, and tyrannical oppreffion. His courtiers, who found their intereft in the corruption of their prince, have given him the title of King of Heaven: Vous Toi, hearing himself often fo ftiled, at length thought he might affume it Why," addreffing himfelf one day to me," don't you come oftener to pay your court to the King of "Heaven?" Thefe defigning fycophants, who guard every avenue to the royal ear, have had the addrefs to over-awe the ordinary administration of juftice; and, taking advantage of exemption from punishment, have pillaged the labourers, and filled the provinces with oppreffion and diftrefs. All along the high roads I have feen whole villages newly abandoned by their inhabitants, haraffed by fruitlefs toil, and never-ending exactions; and their fields, in confequence, falling back to their firft uncultivated ftate. In the midst of all this growing disorder, the prince, whofe mind terers, and who alone is ignorant of the villany of thofe around him, ftill preferves a refpect for the manners of his ancestors; he does not, indeed, like his forefathers, give an example of perfonal labour, but ftill his defire is to, protect agriculture. I have feen him, at the commencement of the new year, prefide, with all the fimplicity of his predeceffors, at the general affembly of the nation, which is annually held on that day, in the open field, in order to renew the reciprocal oath for obfervation of the primordial contract, which established him father of the people, at the fame time that they invefted him alone with the power, the nobleft indeed of all, of making his people happy. When he fpeaks of his fubjects, he calls them ftill by no other name than that of his children. I have feen him too affift, like a fimple individual, in the annual affembly of his family, according to the ancient ufage of the nation; an affembly where the most aged always prefide, without regard to the dignities of thofe of younger years. This, however, feemed to me only a formality venerable from cuftom; for what is man, where the King of Heaven appears. Corruption, it is true, has not yet infected the general body of the people; they ftill preferve their primitive manners: it is hitherto confined to the palace, and the ca. pital; its fource, however, is too elevated to prevent its poifoned ftreams from flowing to the plains. It is from the great that the corruption of a people ever derives its origin. B 4 Wheh |