State Library of NSW
[Page 614]
510 Some account of Batavia
or Poll tax, for no Chinese can wear his hair who has ever been in China, it being a principle of their religion never to let their hair grow again when once it has been shavd off, these taxes are paid monthly, when a flag is hoisted at a house in the middle of the town appointed for that purpose
The money current here is Ducats worth 11s/- sterling Ducatoons 6/8 Imperial [indecipherable] or Imperial Rix dollars 5/ Rupees 2/6 scellings /6. Dubblecheys /2 1/2 & doits 1/4 Spanish dollars were when we were there at 5/5 & we were told were never lower than 5/4 even at the Companies warehouse for English guineas I could get no more than 19/ for tho the China men would give 20/ for some of the Brightest they would for those at all worn give no more than 17/ Strangers must however be cautious in receiving money as there are of several kinds, two sorts, milld & unmilld ducatoons for example when milld are worth 6/8 unmilld only 6/ all accounts are kept in Rixdollars & Stivers both imaginary Coins at least here the first worth 4/ the other /1. it must also be remard, that this valuation of their coin is rated on the Supposition of a Stiver being worth a penny which is realy worth more, a current Rixdollar of 48 stivers being worth 4/6,
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