Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/439

] East India Company burn the overplus, in order to keep those commodities always at the same price.

In spite of all their anxiety to monopolize the spice trade, it is computed that one-fiftieth part of the crop is annually smuggled. As the small salaries of the Company's agents do not allow them to make their fortunes rapidly, several of them have recourse to means of improving their situation, which, though certainly dangerous, are easily put in practice. And, notwithstanding all the vigilance of the Company, their servants succeed in depriving them of a small part of the spices.

It is not long since the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor of Banda were deposed and sent to Batavia, for having converted to their own uses part of the produce of that island. But those abuses are come to such a pitch, that this example will only serve to make others conduct their operations with more address, in order to prevent a discovery.

That contraband trade is more particularly carried on by means of the canoes of Ceram, in the vicinity of which the spice islands are situated; and the spices thus procured are bartered, with English ships, for Indian silks, opium, firearms, gunpowder, lead, hardware and tin, which the