[140] It is passable for light ships’ boats at half ebb, and even at low water, at the latter time the boats occasionally grounding; those heavily laden can only pass at high water. [141] The fruit of the Areka palm is incorrectly called in commerce “Betel-nut,” which has occasioned mistakes; many writers considering it the fruit of the “Piper Betel,” or Betel vine, the leaves of which are used with the Areka-nut as a masticatory; but as the whole mixed together, and eaten by the natives, constitutes what is called “chewing the betel” by Europeans, the nut probably derived its commercial appellation from that source. The confusion existing between the Areka palm, producing the nuts, and the Betel vine, by most writers, has caused me to insert this explanatory note. [142] A small investment of various articles of cutlery would have no doubt met with a ready sale;—a set of excellent razors, the cost price of which in London was thirty shillings, was sold for twenty-five dollars, and other articles, of a good quality, would have sold at equally good prices. A rifle gun, case complete, was also sold for one hundred and fifty dollars; and a pair of duelling pistols, of French manufacture, seventy-five dollars. [143] A “flock of the swinish breed” would prove efficacious in clearing the decks of a ship of the Mahometan Malays, who have a religious abhorrence of the pollution occasioned by such company. [144] The Chinese have several species indigenous to the _Celestial Empire_. [145] The general name for crab among the natives on this coast is “_Biong_,” but all the various species have distinct names given them. [146] They are evidently the ova of some fish, but of what genus it is as yet difficult to form an opinion. [147] The language spoken by the aboriginal natives of this country is the Acheenese, which is a dialect of the Malay. A Javanese, however, could not understand the Acheenese language. The people on the coast, nevertheless, mix the Acheenese with other dialects of the Malay, and also with some Hindoostanee words. [148] See Appendix, No. 2. in the second volume. [149] The fort is also partly surrounded by a palisade of bamboos, and a moat exterior to it, abounding on its banks with a dense vegetation. [150] During this month the weather was generally fine and clear; a few days only being squally and unsettled weather, with showers of rain. [151] The Archeenese name for this tree, was _Bánawa_, or _Búnawa_; and I afterwards ascertained that the castor-oil tree had the same appellation given to it. [152] Among which the _Caladium costatum_, or Berar of the natives, was also seen planted; the root of which is eaten by them, after it has been previously washed in water for some time. [153] The mountains behind Pedir range in various directions.