Taipan was (and is) a classic role-playing game from the 1980s.
While not as graphically oriented as some of the other popular games
of the time (e.g. Choplifter, Karateka, and Lode Runner), Taipan still
managed to capture the imagination of almost every player that laid
hands upon it.

Loosely based upon James Clavell's best-selling novel "Tai-Pan", the
game lets you play the role of an ocean-going trader doing business in
major Asian ports during the mid-1800s. Your objective is simple: make
the most money possible by trading and pirating. Based out of Hong Kong,
you'll sail from harbor to harbor buying commodities including opium,
silk, arms, and "general" goods, and selling them again at a higher
price elsewhere.

WWW: http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/games/textrpg/taipan-0.9.lsm