CHAP. XX
Of Weights and Measures

Before the Dutch arriv'd on our Coasts, we had a certain way of reckoning things, whereby we could know when their Numbers were equal or unequal; but we had no kind of weight, such as a Pound or an Ounce, and therefore we bought and sold things by View, and not by Weight. But after the Hollanders came among us, and show'd us how Profitable the use of Pounds and Ounces would be in Commerce, we begun to weigh things that are rare by Ounces, and Pounds; but things that are common and less valuable, by 50, or 100l. weight at a time, as the Buyer and Seller had a mind: Our Pound agrees with the Dutch Pound, which consists of 16 Ounces, and is more then that Pound which is us'd in France: Which I found by a Copan of our Money that I brought with me to France, which weigh'd more then one of the French Pounds, tho it was but a Dutch Pound.

Things are measur'd in Formosa, according to the People's various humors, for some use, a greater, some a less measure; but the price is always fix'd according to the Greatness of the measure.

The Instrument wherewith they weigh things, is such as is us'd by the Butchers here in England when they weigh their Meat, but some are Bigger, some less as their occasions require.

They had no Names for Numbers before the Dutch came here, but they sufficiently declar'd to one another what Number they meant by their Signs and Fingers; but because the Dutch did not understand this way of Reckoning, they perswaded us to invent names to Signify Numbers which now we use after the same Manner as they do, proceeding from One to Ten, from Ten to Twenty, and so to a Hundred, a Thousand, &c. As appears in this example.

1 Taufb	2 Bogio	3 Charhe	4 Kiorh	5 Nokin
6 Dekie	7 Meni	8 Thenio	9 Sonio	10 Kon
11 Amkon or Taufkon	12 Bogiokon	13 Charhekon	14 Kjorhkon	15 Nokiekon
16 Dekiekon	17 Menikon	18 Thenikon	19 Soniokon	20 Borhny

after this

21 Borhny-tauf

22 or am Bornhny Bogio

and so on to

30 Chorhny	40 Kiorhny	50 Nokiorhny	60 Dekiorhny	70 Meniorhny
80 Theniorhny	90 Soniorhny	100 Ptommftomm	and	1000 Ianate

so 1000, 2000, &c. And this may suffice for this Article.

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