Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia Volume I Part 28

I sent to England specimens of five different gums in order that they might be examined. These consist of an elastic gum, closely resembling Indian rubber, gum tragacynth, another gum yielded by a sort of capparis and which I believe to be hitherto unknown, and two kinds of gum resin.

The mosses are of various kinds, many of which would afford useful dyes; and these, together with the gums, would probably be found valuable articles of export; for the collecting of them is a species of labour in which the native tribes would more willingly engage than any other I am acquainted with.

Immediately off North-West Cape is good whaling ground. The schooner employed on the expedition fell in with two vessels--the Favourite, Captain White, and the Diana, Captain Hamott, whalers belonging to Messrs. Bennett & Co., of London, and then fis.h.i.+ng between North-West Cape and the position usually a.s.signed to the Tryal Rocks. Both these vessels had been very successful.

COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS. TRADE WITH THE ASIATIC ARCHIPELAGO.

With regard to the commerce that might be carried on by Northern Australia with the islands of the Indian Archipelago I have made many enquiries, and have gained from the most authentic sources some important facts.

The points upon which I first endeavoured to obtain information were:

1. What desire was evinced by the inhabitants of the islands of the Indian Archipelago and the China Sea to become possessed of articles of British manufacture; and,

2. If they were able to pay a fair price, either in money, or by giving goods for which there would be a demand in European markets, in exchange for such articles of British manufacture as might be introduced amongst them.

Upon both of these points I received very satisfactory information. In some instances most respectable merchants detailed to me the result of speculations of this kind in which they had been engaged; in others mercantile letters were placed in my hands, fully corroborating what had been told me; but the information I thus obtained bore reference also to the following points:

1. The degree of labour necessarily required to transport articles of British manufacture to such a distant mart as the one here contemplated for their consumption.

2. The length of time during which wages must be paid to and food provided for the individuals engaged in this labour.

3. The duties to which the articles will become liable in the various ports; and,

4. The danger of loss or injury that may be incurred in their transport thither.

With regard to the two first of the above heads it appears that the profit that may be realized by the trader is so considerable as not only to cover the expenses that they would necessarily entail upon him; but after these expenses have been defrayed the residue of profit that would remain in his hands would be so large as to render this commerce one of the most lucrative in which capital could be embarked.

METHOD OF BARTER.

This will be readily conceived when it is considered that the mode of barter is that which is most usual amongst the inhabitants, and that the trader puts his own valuation upon the articles he exchanges with them.

One of the oldest and most respectable merchants at the Cape made a voyage through these islands for the purpose of procuring gold dust, and he detailed to me the mode in which he conducted the traffic. A Spanish doubloon was placed in one of the scales, and gold dust in the other; when the quant.i.ty of gold dust was equal in weight to the doubloon, he gave a doubloon's worth of goods they required, at his own valuation; the profit realized was large.

One great drawback to this commerce at present is the necessity of coasting from place to place in order to obtain a full cargo. The same inconvenience was felt along the coasts of Africa and Madagascar until some enterprising London and Liverpool mercantile houses established the system of receiving vessels, which remained stationary at one point whilst smaller vessels collected cargoes for them. Now a colony in some northern part of Australia would in the same manner totally obviate this inconvenience by affording a place in which cargoes could be collected from small vessels, and to which the British manufactures to be exchanged could be brought. Kupang in Timor at the present moment is used for this purpose by the Dutch.

DUTIES LEVIED AT THE ISLANDS.

With regard to the third point I find that at the native ports, in general, no duty is required; but where there is a Rajah it is politic to make him a present in goods. The duties levied by the Portuguese at Dili in the month of June 1838 was 10 per cent. With regard to the duties levied by the Dutch on British merchant vessels I know but little; but the duty demanded at Kupang and Roti on each horse exported, or each musket imported, was six rupees, being almost equal to their original value. Arms or ammunition are no longer contraband either in the Dutch or Portuguese possessions.

In considering the danger of loss or injury that may be incurred in the transport of merchandise to these parts it is unnecessary to compute the ordinary dangers to which the merchant is more or less liable in all quarters of the world; but two distinct drawbacks to commercial enterprise at present exist in these countries, which are peculiar to them, these are the prevalence of piracy, and the constant occurrence of political commotions in the native states. The establishment of a settlement on the north or north-west coast of New Holland would have however the effect of diminis.h.i.+ng both these evils in so great a degree that a very few years would probably suffice for their complete annihilation.

SUCCESS OF AMERICAN VESSELS. CAUSES OF IT.

Notwithstanding the drawbacks occasioned to commercial enterprise by the circ.u.mstances above detailed, there at this moment exists a very considerable trade in the Indian Archipelago, which is, with the exception of the few vessels that sometimes bring ponies to the Isle of France and the British settlements, almost wholly in the hands of the Americans. Indeed no fact which I have met with has so much surprised me as the extraordinary diffusion of the American commerce, and the great spirit of enterprise exhibited by them. For in many places where the British merchants can find no commerce apparently worth their attention the Americans carry on a lucrative and prosperous trade, and in half-civilized countries, where the largest profits are always realized, the Americans are so eminently successful that the British merchant cannot attempt to compete with them.

This appears to arise from the following circ.u.mstance. The masters of the American vessels engaged in this kind of trade are, in many instances, whole, and in all other instances, part owners of the vessel and cargo; whereas masters of English vessels have frequently little or no interest in the vessel and cargo, and are moreover frequently tied down by directions issued from the firm for which they act.

The difference between these two cases is very great; the American can turn every circ.u.mstance that occurs to account: he can instantly enter into any speculation that holds out a prospect of success; and can act with rapidity and decision on his own responsibility. The English master, on the contrary, has usually a certain prescribed line of duty to fulfil, from which he cannot vary.

Hence it is that we often see the American whalers with arms, ammunition, and other articles for barter on board. They whale off Madagascar, and, whenever an opportunity offers, carry on a lucrative trade with the natives. From thence their course is directed to St. Paul's and Amsterdam, and afterwards along the coast of New Holland; and when it again becomes necessary for them to refresh they touch at some island in the Archipelago, and the scene of barter is once more renewed. Their cargo eventually consists of sperm oil, gum copal and other gums, ebony, tortoisesh.e.l.l, gold dust, seal-skins, sh.e.l.ls, and curiosities; yet they originally started upon a whaling voyage.

INSTANCES.

During the years 1824 and 1825, when the port of Mombas upon the East Coast of Africa was temporarily ceded to the British Government, Lieutenant Emery, R.N., who was stationed there as commander, was witness to a curious instance of this nature.

Whilst this port was in the possession of the English but one British merchant vessel arrived there, yet three American vessels entered the harbour. The master of the English vessel was not a part owner; the American masters were all part owners and carried on a very lucrative trade, s.h.i.+pping a large quant.i.ty of ivory, whereas the English master was placed in a very unpleasant position, for, owing to the orders he had received from his owners (Messrs Tobin and Co. of Liverpool) he had not been able to s.h.i.+p a cargo suited to the market of Mombas, and if Lieutenant Emery had not kindly cashed a bill for him the speculation would have been a total failure.

The cargo these American vessels brought to Mombas was princ.i.p.ally muskets and ammunition, which they bartered with the natives for ivory; and this is the cargo they always s.h.i.+p for trade with the inhabitants of the Indian Archipelago, and, as muskets and ammunition are there of great value, the profit they realize is enormous.

As an instance of the kind of persons these American masters often are I may state the following circ.u.mstance.

Captain Wickham, R.N., was at Valparaiso in South America in the year 1836, where he met a purser in the American navy who had realized about 3000 pounds sterling; this person here quitted the American service and laid out his capital in the purchase of a small vessel in which, having embarked a cargo suited to the trade of the country, he started for the coast of California; in a short period he returned to Valparaiso, having in this single trip more than doubled his capital; this Captain Wickham also stated was by no means a rare instance.

TRADING PRODUCTS OF THE SEVERAL ISLANDS.

Having bestowed some attention on the state of trade in the Indian Archipelago, and collected considerable information from various individuals who had been engaged in it, I shall here subjoin a summary of such of the princ.i.p.al facts as I think may be depended on.

TRADE WITH TIMOR.

In all the ports of the natives, as well as those under the Dutch and Portuguese authorities, the produce is much the same. It consists chiefly of goats, pigs, poultry, maize, paddy, yams, plantains, fruit, sandalwood, beeswax, and tortoisesh.e.l.l in small quant.i.ties.

At Dili duties of 10 per cent are exacted and produce is rather dear.

Sandalwood is to be had at from 2 to 4 dollars the picul of 125 catties; wax is generally from 30 to 35 dollars (Spanish) the picul of 110 catties.

The ports of Timor furnish a little gold dust at times. Good water and firewood are to be had at most of them; that of Dili is a good and safe one.

Gold dust, I understand, is also procurable at Sandalwood Island and New Hebrides.

For vessels the good season on the coast is from about the 10th of April to the 15th of October.

Cootababa affords horses and all the produce of the other places. No duties are levied here, the place not being subject to the Portuguese. It is a small port and should be entered with caution.

The best ports of Timor for wax are Dili, Cootababa, Ocussi, Sitranny, Nilow, and Manatronto. It is gathered in June, cleaned in July, and sold princ.i.p.ally in that and the two following months; but a vessel should be active, as enterprising people go along the coast and buy it up for the Kupang merchants, who send it to Batavia where it is said to sell for 120 rupees the picul; the price at Cootababa, being lately about 80 rupees at 2 1/2 to the Spanish dollar.

Sandalwood can be had from March to October, the usual trading season; but from March to May is the best time as vessels from Kupang and Macao are on the coast early, buying it up in time to return to Macao and China in the favourable monsoon. The best ports for sandalwood are, Cootababa, Ocussi, and Sitranny, but it is to be had most abundantly at Ata-p.o.o.pa.

ARTICLES IN REQUEST.

Spanish dollars, muskets, and gunpowder are the essentials for procuring wax or sandalwood, but if you wish to have a greater a.s.sortment, small quant.i.ties may be added of any articles from the following list.

Doubloons (Spanish).

Sovereigns (English).

blue cloth of Pondicherry of good quality.

ditto English (if cheap) of dark colour for officers.

white s.h.i.+rting or good calico for men and women.

handkerchiefs of colours and sorts.

white cotton stockings.

men and women's gown pieces of sorts and colours.

silk stockings, plain and ribbed.

shoes for men and women.