Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/374

 35S COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION OF first intercourse of the Dutch and English with India, it constituted the most considerable and valuable article of their commerce. The produc- tion of pepper, as already remarked in the com- mercial department of this work, is confined to the western countries of the Archipelago, and among these to the islands in the centre and to the north- em quarter, including the peninsula. It is obtain- ed in the ports on both sides of the coast of the latter, but particularly the north-eastern coast. The principal staples are Pata?ii, Tri?iga?ni, and Kalari' ten. In the straits^ a large quantity is produced in the island of Linge?i, and above all, in Penang, where the capital of Europeans, and the skill and industry of the Chinese, have been successfully ap- plied to its culture. The western extremity of Sumatra, and the norlh-iL'est coast of that island, are the most remarkable situations in it for the production of pepper, and here we have Achin, Tikao, Bencoolen, Padang, and the country of the Lampungs. The production of the eastern extre- mity of Sumatra or Palembang is considerable, but held of inferior quality. In the fertile island of Java, the quantity of pepper grown is inconsider- able, nor is it remarkable for the goodness of its quality. The south, the west, and the north coasts of the great island of Borneo, produce a great quantity of pepper. Banjarmassin is the most productive place on the south coast, and the state