Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/459

 ARTICLES OF EXPORTATION. 443 Itam-kachil - 8 Spanish dollars. Tundang . 24 Kunyit - 9 Donga - 7 Japon - 12 Mosi - 9 Kawasa - 5 Pacliang-goreng 5 Gama - 12i Taikongkong - 13^ Mareje (New Holland) 19 Kayii-jawa - 26 Bankuli . 20 It is evident, from this account, that the tripang trade is one in which no stranger can embark with any safety, and it is consequently almost entirely in the hands of the Chinese. The actual fishery is managed, however, exclusively by the natives. The fish is caught by them on ledges of coral rock, usually at the depth of from three to five fathoms. The larger kinds, when in shallow water, are oc- casionally speared, but the most common mode of taking them is by diving for them in the manner practised for pearl oysters, and taking them up with the hands. The quantity of tripang sent an- nually to China from Macassar is about 7OOO pi- culs, or 8333 cwt. The price in the market of China varies from eight Spanish dollars per