Cash or Credit Crops?*

When I first knew Sarawak practically every Chinese Bazaar was an exact copy of every other except in size. The days of plate glass windows, show cases and English speaking assistants had not arrived. The same goods were stocked in the same way-rather higgledly-piggledy to our lights-but according to a system of their own. Boxes of rice, carefully graded according to quality. Tubs of various pastes, all rather smelly but undoubtedly good-pickled eggs of some antiquity, strings of vermicelli, exotic looking Chinese dried fruits, layers and layers of salt fish, salt, sugar, bits of shark, birdsnests; all these foods which the people love. Behind were bales of calico, that unbleached cloth known as ‘blachu’, dark blue cotton, bright red cotton. Bundles of cheap flowered cloths, imitation ‘batik’ sarongs, and butter muslin. Straw hats, sock suspenders, purse belts, singlets, made-up bow ties, and hair ribbons. Tiger balm, camphor oil, Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills, and vaseline. Tin plates, kettles, clogs, and pocket knives-what a collection!-but all desirable to the people. Candidly, I don’t know how all these shops carried it all. Then of course the ways of Chinese commerce are a mystery to us. In a small town you might get twenty or thirty of these shops, all the aame and all receiving custom. ¹