respective kings) will not enter either English or Frenchmen into their service, unless they state that they were born in some place out of their own country. This trick, foolish as it is, was played with us in the case of an Irishman, whom we got on board, and whom they demanded as a Dane, offering to prove by their books that he was born at Elsinore; but our captain, convinced by the man's language, refused to give him up so resolutely, that they soon ceased their demands. Notwithstanding the very great number of other Europeans, the Dutch are politic enough to keep all or nearly all the great posts, as Raads of India, Governors, etc., in their own hands. Other nations may make fortunes here by traffic if they can, but not by employments. No man can come over here in any other character than that of a soldier in the Company's service; in which, before he can be accepted, he must agree to remain five years. As soon, however, as ever he arrives at Batavia, he, by applying to the Council, may be allowed to absent himself from his corps, and enter immediately into any vocation in which he has any money or credit to set up in.
Women may come out without any of these restrictions, be they of what nation they will. We were told that there were not in Batavia twenty women born in Europe; the rest of the white women, who were not very scarce, were born of white parents, possibly three or four generations distant from their European mothers. These imitate the Indians in every particular; their dress, except in form, is the same; their hair is worn in the same manner, and they chew betel as plentifully as any Indian; notwithstanding which I never saw a white man chew it during my whole stay.
Trade is carried on in an easier and more indolent way here, I believe, than in any part of the world. The Chinese carry on every manufacture of the place, and sell the produce to the resident merchants; for, indeed, they dare not sell to any foreigner. Consequently when a ship comes in, and bespeaks 100 leggers of arrack, or anything else, the seller has nothing to do but to send orders to his Chinaman to deliver them on board such a ship; which done, the
