FAIFOE, or the name of a sea-port town of Cochinchina, situated on the banks of a river communi cating with Turon Bay. The river was formerly navi gable for large junks, but it will now admit only vessels of 100 tons burthen. The junks lie at the distance of about 3 miles from the town, in another river conununi eating with that of Turon, and capable of receiving ships of 200 tons. The best anchorage is on the west side of the island of Chain Calloa, in N. Lat. 15° 54', opposite the river, and about three leagues from the main. The town of Faifoc, which is about 10 miles from the sea, was once levy large, and possessed a flourishing com merce. houses were built of brick, and the streets well paved. It was destroyed by the rebels during the civil wars, but is now recovering its former importance. The vessels which arrive at Faifoc arc principally Chinese, Japanese, and the country ships from India. A hundred Chinese junks are said to have come annu ally to Faifoe before its decline. The principal articles which they exported into Faifoe were alum, China ware, Congo tea, dried fruits, drugs, sticks of sandal wood, linen cloth, false pearls, ornaments, pepper of various kinds, dried blubber, &miner, ink, isinglass, sweetmeats, talc, lackered ware, and great quantities of tutenague, the last of which the king always engrosses to himself. The Japanese import chiefly copper, and several articles similar to those enumerated. The country ships im port several European and Asiatic commodities, such as braziery, cutlery, cloths, guns and gunpowder, salt petre, silver, clocks and watches, tobacco, opium, gold lace, brimstone, camblets, furs, glass ware, hardware, ironmongery, lead, looking glasses, mathematical instru ments, piece goods, tin, sandal wood, swords, shot, and vermilion.
The exports from Faifoe to China were principally beetle nut, black wood, bullock's bones, calavances, cardamoms, cotton, dried sea snails, dried fish, drugs, pepper, Japan wood, powder, agala wood, beech de mer, birds nests, blue, (a kind of malts), cassia, cloves and nutmegs, (leer's sinews, mats of rattan, elephant's teeth and hones, fish glue, gamboge, coarse linen, rat tans, wood for incense, seeds, skins of bullocks, deer and elephants, stick lac, tin, wax, sugar, and sugar-candy in great quantities, which is reckoned the finest in the world. The exports to Japan were ebony, nammorack, pepper, fish skins in great quantities, hareskins, cow hides, buffaloes horns, white and dark sugar, Cambodia nuts, bark, drugs, Sellaw, and silk stuffs. The exports to India are principally sugar-candy and sugar. Various articles are also exported to Batavia, Manilla, and Siam. The duty on all imports is 12 per cent.; and the master of every vessel must give in a statement of all his goods, and agree to pay a certain sum every time that the ship arrives. The Portuguese pay annually 3000 quans, (600 of which is equivalent to 2 rupees, or 1 Spanish dollar,) and the Chinese only from 1500 to 2000, accord ing to the size of their junks. It is necessary to present the king with a piece of scarlet cloth, some fine long cloth, a sword, telescope, Ste. and the principal mandarin at Hue, which is the residence, must also be at tended to. See Milburn's Oriental Commerce, vol. ii. P. 452. (w)