Mar Dikers

or To pa es, a mixed breed of Dutch, Portuguese, Indians, and other nations, incorporated with the Dutch at Batavia, in the East Indies. Mar dikers, in all probability, derive their name from some original adventurers, who left a place, called Mardike, about four miles from Dunkirk, and formerly subject to, or forming part of the seventeen United Provinces. When the Dutch took po e ion of that territory which is named Batavia, these adventurers were perhaps the leading party, and from their being called Mar dikers, the natives in those quarters insensibly attached the term to all persons of European descent, or connection. All, in fact, who wear hats are distinguished among turban-nations by the appellation of To pa es, and Mar dikers, and from that circumstance are confounded in the term, with respect to Batavia. Eng. Dict. There is a mistake in this—the word tope signifies a gun , as well as a hat; those who carried guns instead of spears, were called to pa es ; the to pa es of the Malabar coast, where in fact they were first embodied by the Portuguese, wore no hats, but turbans, and carried matchlocks or topes ; a house in which guns are kept is called tope kannah .