A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Vii Part 11

[Footnote 146: These geographical notices are inexplicable, unless by _Chialon_ is meant the low or maritime parts of Ceylon, which Cesar Frederick afterwards calls Zeilan.--E.]

SECTION X.

_Of the Pearl Fishery in the Gulf of Manaar_.

The men along the coast which extends from Cape Comorin to the low land of _Chioal_[147], and the island of _Zeilan_ or Ceylon, is called the pearl-fishery. This fishery is made every year, beginning in March or April, and lasts fifty days. The fishery is by no means made every year at one place, but one year at one place, and another year at another place; all however in the same sea. When the fis.h.i.+ng season approaches, some good divers are sent to discover where the greatest quant.i.ties of oysters are to be found under water; and then directly facing that place which is chosen for the fishery, a village with a number of houses, and a bazar all of stone, is built, which stands as long as the fishery lasts, and is amply supplied with all necessaries. Sometimes it happens near places already inhabited, and at other times at a distance from any habitations. The fishers or divers are all Christians of the country, and all are permitted to engage in this fishery, on payment of certain duties to the king of Portugal, and to the churches of the friars of St Paul on that coast. Happening to be there one year in my peregrinations, I saw the order used in fis.h.i.+ng, which is as follows.

[Footnote 147: This word is unintelligible, having no similar name in modern geography. From the context, it seems to signify the maritime coast of Tinnevelly and Marwar, or the most southern part of the Carnatic, opposite to Ceylon; and may possibly be that called _Chialon_ immediately before--E.]

During the continuance of the fishery, there are always three or four armed foists or galliots stationed to defend the fishermen from pirates.

Usually the fis.h.i.+ng-boats unite in companies of three or four together.

These boats resemble our pilot boats at Venice, but are somewhat smaller, having seven or eight men in each. I have seen of a morning a great number of these boats go out to fish, anchoring in 15 or 18 fathoms water, which it the ordinary depth all along this coast. When at anchor, they cast a rope into the sea, having a great stone at one end.

Then a man, having his ears well stopped, and his body anointed with oil, and a basket hanging to his neck or under his left arm, goes down to the bottom of the sea along the rope, and fills his basket with oysters as fast as he can. When that is full, he shakes the rope, and his companions draw him up with the basket. The divers follow each other in succession in this manner, till the boat is loaded with oysters, and they return at evening to the fis.h.i.+ng village. Then each boat or company makes their heap of oysters at some distance from each other, so that a long row of great heaps of oysters are seen piled along the sh.o.r.e. These are not touched till the fis.h.i.+ng is over, when each company sits down beside its own heap, and fails to opening the oysters, which is now easy, as the fish within are all dead and dry. If every oyster had pearls in them, it would be a profitable occupation, but there are many which have none. There are certain persons called _Chitini_, who are learned in pearls, and are employed to sort and value them, according to their weight, beauty, and goodness, dividing them into four sorts. The _first_ sort, which are round, are named _aia_ of Portugal, as they are bought by the Portuguese: The _second_, which are not round, are named _aia_ of Bengal: The _third_, which are inferior to the second, are called _aia_ of Canara, which is the name of the kingdom of Bijanagur or Narsinga, into which they are sold: And the _fourth_, or lowest kind, is called _aia_ of Cambaia, being sold into that country[148]. Thus sorted, and prices affixed to each, there are merchants from all countries ready with their money, so that in a few days all the pearls are bought up, according to their goodness and weight.

[Footnote 148: Pearls are weighed by _carats_, each of which is four grains. The men who sort and price them have a copper instrument with holes of various sizes, by which they estimate their several values.--_Hakluyt_.]

In this sea of the pearl-fishery there is an island called _Manaar_, over-against Ceylon, inhabited by Christians who were formerly Gentiles, and in which island there is a small fort belonging to the Portuguese.

Between this island and Ceylon there is a narrow channel with a small depth of water, through which only small s.h.i.+ps can pa.s.s at the full and change of the moon, when the tides are high, and even then they must put their cargoes into lighters to enable them to pa.s.s the shoals, after which they take in their goods again, and proceed on their voyage. But large s.h.i.+ps going for the eastern coast of India pa.s.s by the coast of Coromandel, on the other side of this gulf, beside the land of _Chilao_[149], which is between the firm land and the isle of Manaar. On this voyage s.h.i.+ps are sometimes lost, but they are empty, as s.h.i.+ps going this way discharge their cargoes at _Periapatam_ into small flat-bottomed boats named _Tane_, which can run over any shoal without danger, as they always wait at Periapatam for fine weather. On departing from Periapatam, the small s.h.i.+ps and flat-bottomed boats go always together, and on arriving at the shoals about thirty-six miles from that place, they are forced through by the winds, which always blow so forcibly that they have no means of taking shelter during the pa.s.sage.

The flat boats go through safely; but if the small s.h.i.+ps happen to miss the proper channel, they get fast on the shoals, by which many of them are lost. In coming back from the Indies, instead of this pa.s.sage, they take the channel of Manaar, which has an ouze bottom, so that even in case of grounding they are generally got off again without damage. The reason of not using this pa.s.sage on the outward voyage is, that the prevailing winds between Ceylon and Manaar frequently occasion that channel to have so little water that it cannot be navigated. From Cape Comorin to the island of Ceylon, the distance is 120 miles.

[Footnote 149: By this account of the matter, the land of _Chilao_ appears to be the island of Ramiseram, between which and the island of Manaar extends a reef of rocks called _Adams Bridge_. The deep channel is between Ramiseram and the point of _Tanitory_ on the Coromandel coast.--E.]

SECTION XI.

_Of the Island of Ceylon_

In my judgment, the island of Ceylon is a great deal larger than Cyprus.

On the west side, facing India, is the city of Columba, the princ.i.p.al hold of the Portuguese, but without walls or enemies. In this city, which has a free port, dwells the lawful king of the whole island, who has become a Christian, and is maintained by the king of Portugal, having been deprived of his kingdom. The heathen king to whom this island formerly belonged was named _Madoni_, who had two sons named _Barbinas_ and _Ragine_. By acquiring the favour of the soldiers, the younger son Ragine usurped the kingdom, in prejudice of his father and elder brother, and became a great warrior. Formerly there were three kingdoms in this island. Those were, the kingdom of Cotta, with other dependent or conquered provinces: The kingdom of Candy, which had considerable power, and was allied to the Portuguese, the king being supposed a secret Christian: The third was the kingdom of _Gianisampatam_, or Jafnapatam. During thirteen years that _Ragine_ ruled over this island, he became a great tyrant.

The island of Ceylon produces fine cinnamon and abundance of pepper, with great quant.i.ties of _nuts_ and _aroche_[150]. They here make great quant.i.ties of _cayre_ of which ropes are manufactured, as formerly noticed. It likewise produces great store of that kind of crystal called _ochi de gati_ or cats eyes, and it is said to produce some rubies; but on my return thither from Pegu, I sold some rubies here for a good price, which I had bought in that country. Being desirous to see how the cinnamon is gathered from the trees, and happening to be there during the season when it is gathered, which is in the month of April; at this time the Portuguese were in the field making war on the king of the country, yet to satisfy my curiosity, I took a guide and went out into a wood about three miles from the city, where there grew great numbers of cinnamon trees intermixed among other wild trees. The cinnamon is a small tree not very high, and has leaves resembling those of the bay tree. In March or April, when the sap rises, the cinnamon or bark is taken from the trees. They cut the bark of the trees round about in lengths, from knot to knot, or from joint to joint, both above and below, and then easily strip it off with their hands, after which it is laid in the sun to dry. Yet for all this the tree does not die, but recovers a new bark by the next year. That which is gathered every year is the best cinnamon, as what remains upon the trees for two or three years becomes thick and coa.r.s.e, and not so good as the other. In these woods there grows much pepper.

[Footnote 150: The author probably here means cocoa-nuts and areka.--E.]

SECTION XII.

_Of Negapatam._

From the island of Ceylon a trade is carried on in small s.h.i.+ps to Negapatam on the continent, and 72 miles off is a very great and populous city, full of Portuguese and native Christians, with many Gentiles.[151] Almost the only trade here is for rice and cotton cloth, which is carried to various countries. It formerly abounded in victuals, on which account many Portuguese resorted thither and built houses, as they could live there at small expense, but provisions have now become scarcer and dearer. This city belongs to a Gentile n.o.bleman of the kingdom of Bijanagur, yet the Portuguese and other Christians are well treated, and have built churches, together with a monastery of the Franciscans. They live with great devotion, and are well accommodated with houses; yet are they among tyrants who may always do them much harm at their pleasure, as in reality happened to them in the year 1565. At that time the _nayer_ or lord of the city sent to demand from the citizens certain Arabian horses, which they refused; whereupon this lord gave out that he proposed to take a view of the sea, so that the poor citizens doubted some evil was meant against them by this unusual circ.u.mstance, dreading that he would plunder the city. Accordingly they embarked as fast as they could with all their goods and moveables, merchandise, jewels, and money, and put off from the sh.o.r.e. But to their great misfortune, a great storm arose next night, by which all their s.h.i.+ps were driven on sh.o.r.e and wrecked, and all their goods which came to land were seized by the troops of this great lord, who had come down with his army to see the sea.

[Footnote 151: It is not easy to say whether the author means to express that Negapatam is this great city 72 miles from Ceylon, or if he refers to another city 72 miles from Negapatam.--E.]

SECTION XIII.

_Of Saint Thome and other places._

Following my voyage from Negapatam 150 miles towards the east, I came to the house of the blessed apostle St Thomas[152], which is a church held in great devotion, and is even much reverenced by the Gentiles, for the great miracles which they have heard were performed by that holy apostle. Near to this church the Portuguese have built a city, which stands in the country that is subject to the king of Bijanagur. Though not large, this city, in my judgment, is the handsomest in all that part of India, having many good houses with fine gardens in the environs. The streets are large and in straight lines, with many well frequented churches; and the houses are built contiguous, each having a small door, so that every house is sufficiently defensible by the Portuguese against the natives. The Portuguese have no other property here beyond their houses and gardens, as the sovereignty, together with the customs on trade, belong to the king of Bijanagur. These customs are small and easy, and the country is very rich and has great trade. Every year there come to this port two or three very large and rich s.h.i.+ps, besides many other small s.h.i.+ps. One of these great s.h.i.+ps goes to Pegu and the other to Malacca, laden with fine _b.u.mbast_ or cotton cloth of all kinds, many of them being beautifully painted, and as it were _gilded_ with various colours, which grow the livelier the oftener they are washed. There is also other cotton cloth that is woven of divers colours and is of great value. They also make at St Thome a great quant.i.ty of red yarn, dyed with a root called _saia_, which never fades in its colour, but grows the redder the oftener it is washed. Most of this red yarn is sent to Pegu, where it is woven into cloth according to their own fas.h.i.+on, and at less cost than can be done at St Thome.

[Footnote 152: St Thome, about 5 miles south from Madras, is about 160 English miles nearly north from Negapatam.--E.]

The s.h.i.+pping and landing of men and merchandise at St Thome is very wonderful to those who have not seen it before. The place is so dangerous that ordinary small barks or s.h.i.+ps boats cannot be used, as these would be beaten to pieces; but they have certain high barks made on purpose, which they call _Masadie_ or _Mussolah_, made of small boards sewed together with small cords, in which the owners will embark either men or goods. They are laden upon dry land, after which the boatmen thrust the loaded boat into the stream, when with the utmost speed they exert themselves to row her out against the huge waves of the sea which continually best on that sh.o.r.e, and so carry them out to the s.h.i.+ps. In like manner these _Masadies_ are laden at the s.h.i.+ps with men and merchandise; and when they come near the sh.o.r.e, the men leap out into the sea to keep the bark right, that she may not cast athwart the sh.o.r.e, and keeping her right stem on, the surf of the sea sets her with her lading high and dry on the land without hurt or danger. Yet sometimes these boats are overset; but there can be but small loss on such occasions, as they lade but little at a time. All the goods carried outwards in this manner are securely covered with ox hides, to prevent any injury from wetting.

In my return voyage in 1566, I went from Goa to Malacca in a s.h.i.+p or galleon belonging to the king of Portugal, which was bound for Banda to lade nutmegs and mace. From Goa to Malacca it is 1800 miles. We pa.s.sed without the island of Ceylon and went through the channel of _Nicobar_, and then through the channel of _Sombrero_, past the island of Sumatra, called in old times _Taprobana_.[153] Nicobar, off the coast of Pegu, consists of a great mult.i.tude of islands, many of which are inhabited by a wild people. These islands are likewise called _Andemaon_ or Andaman.[154] The natives are savages who eat each other, and are continually engaged in war, which they carry on in small boats, chiefly to make prisoners for their cannibal feasts. When by any chance a s.h.i.+p happens to be cast away on those islands, as many have been, the men are sure to be slain and devoured. These savages have no trade or intercourse with any other people, but live entirely on the productions of their own islands. In my voyage from Malacca through the channel of Sombrero, two boats came off from these islands to our s.h.i.+p laden with fruit, such as _Mouces_ which we call Adams apples, with fresh cocoa nuts, and another fruit named _Inani_, much like our turnips, but very sweet and good to eat. These people could not be prevailed on to come on board our s.h.i.+p, neither would they accept payment for their fruit in money, but bartered them for old s.h.i.+rts or old trowsers. These rags were let down from the s.h.i.+p into their boats by a rope, and when they had considered what they were worth in their estimation, they tied as much fruit as they thought proper to give in exchange to the rope, which they allowed us to hale up. I was told that sometimes a man may get a valuable piece of amber for an old s.h.i.+rt.

[Footnote 153: The Taprobana or Sielendive of the ancients certainly was Ceylon, not Sumatra.--E.]

[Footnote 154: The Andaman and Nicobar islands, in long. 93 East from Greenwich, reach from the lat. of 6 45' to 15 N.--E.]

SECTION XIV.

_Of the Island of Sumatra and the City of Malacca_.

The island of Sumatra is very large and is governed by many kings, being divided by many channels through which there is a pa.s.sage[155]. Towards the west end is the kingdom of _a.s.si_ or _Acheen_, under a Mahometan king who has great military power, besides a great number of _foists_[156] and gallies. This kingdom produces large quant.i.ties of pepper, besides ginger and benzoin. The king is a bitter enemy to the Portuguese, and has frequently gone against Malacca, doing great injury to its dependent towns, but was always bravely resisted by the citizens, with great injury to his camp and navy, done by their artillery from the walls and batteries.

[Footnote 155: This a.s.sertion is unintelligible, unless the author means to include a number of small islands off the coast as belonging to Sumatra.--E.]

[Footnote 156: Foists are described as a kind of brigantines, rather larger than half gallies, and much used by the Turks and other eastern nations in those days for war. _Maons_, formerly mentioned among the s.h.i.+ps of Soliman Pacha in the siege of Diu, are said to have been large flat-bottomed vessels or hulks, of 700 or 800 tons burden, having sometimes _seven_ mizen sails.--_Hakluyt_.]

Leaving Sumatra on the right hand, I came to Malacca, which is a city of wonderful trade in all kinds of merchandise from various parts, as all s.h.i.+ps frequenting those seas whether large or small must stop at Malacca to pay customs, even though they do not load or unload any part of their cargoes at that place, just as all s.h.i.+ps in Europe frequenting the Baltic must do at Elsineur. Should any pa.s.s under night without paying the dues at Malacca, they fall into great danger afterwards, if found any where in India without the _seal of Malacca_, having in that case to pay double duties.

I have not gone beyond Malacca during my Indian peregrinations. Indeed the trade to the east of Malacca, particularly to China and j.a.pan, is not free for all, being reserved by the king of Portugal to himself and his n.o.bles, or to those who have special leave for this purpose from the king, who expects to know what voyages are made from Malacca eastwards.

The royal voyages from Malacca eastwards are as follow. Every year two galleons belonging to the king depart from Malacca, one of which is bound for the Moluccas to lade cloves, and the other goes to Banda for nutmegs and mace. These two are entirely laden on the kings account, and do not take any goods belonging to individuals, saving only the privilege of the mariners and soldiers. Hence these voyages are not frequented by merchants, who would have no means of transporting their return goods, and besides the captains of these s.h.i.+ps are not permitted to carry any merchants thither. There go however to these places some small s.h.i.+ps belonging to the Moors from the coast of Java, who exchange or barter their commodities in the kingdom of Acheen. These are mace, cloves, and nutmegs, which are sent from Acheen to the Red Sea. The voyages which the king of Portugal grants to his n.o.bles, are those from China to j.a.pan and back to China, from China to India, and those of Bengal, the Moluccas, and Sunda, with fine cloth and all kinds of cotton goods.

Sunda is an island of the Moors near the coast of Java, whence pepper is curried to China. The s.h.i.+p which goes yearly from India to China is called the _drug s.h.i.+p_, because she carries various drugs of Cambaia, but her princ.i.p.al lading consists of silver. From Malacca to China the distance is 1800 miles; and from China there goes every year a large s.h.i.+p to j.a.pan laden with silk, in return for which she brings back bars of silver which are bartered in China for goods. The distance between j.a.pan and China is 2400 miles, in which sea there are several islands of no great size, in which the friars of St Paul, by the blessing of G.o.d, have made many Christians _like themselves_: But from these islands the seas have not been fully explored and discovered, on account of the great numbers of shoals and sand banks [157].

[Footnote 157: The text in this place it erroneous or obscure. The indicated distance between China and j.a.pan is enormously exaggerated, and probably ought to have been stated as between Malacca and j.a.pan. The undiscovered islands and shoals seem to refer to the various islands between Java and j.a.pan, to the east and north.--E.]

The Portuguese have a small city named Macao on an island near the coast of China, in which the church and houses are built of wood. This is a bishopric, but the customs belong to the king of China, and are payable at the city of Canton, two days journey and a half from Macao, and a place of great importance. The people of China are heathens, and are so fearful and jealous that they are unwilling to permit any strangers to enter their country. Hence when the Portuguese go there to pay their customs and to buy goods, they are not allowed to lodge within the city, but are sent out to the suburbs. This country of China, which adjoins to great Tartary, is of vast size and importance, as may be judged by the rich and precious merchandise which comes from thence, than which I believe there are none better or more abundant in quant.i.ty in all the world besides. In the first place it affords great quant.i.ties of gold, which is carried thence to the Indies made into small plates _like little s.h.i.+ps_, and in value 23 _carats_ each[158]; large quant.i.ties of fine silk, with damasks and taffetas; large quant.i.ties of musk and of _occam_[159] in bars, quicksilver, cinabar, camphor, porcelain in vessels of divers sorts, painted cloth, and squares, and the drug called Chinaroot. Every year two or three large s.h.i.+ps go from China to India laden with these rich and precious commodities. Rhubarb goes from thence over land by way of Persia, as there is a caravan every year from Persia to China, which takes six months to go there and as long to return. This caravan arrives at a place called _Lanchin_, where the king and his court reside. I conversed with a Persian who had been three years in that city of _Lanchin_, and told me that it was a city of great size and wealth.

[Footnote 158: Perhaps the author may have expressed _of 23 carats fine_.--E.]

[Footnote 159: Perhaps the mixed metal called tutenag may be here meant.--E.]

The voyages which are under the jurisdiction of the captain of Malacca are the following. Every year he sends a small s.h.i.+p to Timor to load white sandal wood, the best being to be had in that island. He also sends another small s.h.i.+p yearly to Cochin-China for aloes wood, which is only to be procured in that country, which is on the continent adjoining to China. I could never learn in what manner that wood grows, as the people of Cochin-China will not allow the Portuguese to go into the land except for wood and water, bringing provisions and merchandise and all other things they want to their s.h.i.+ps in small barks, so that a market is held daily on the deck of the s.h.i.+p till she is laden. Another s.h.i.+p goes yearly from Malacca for Siam to lade _Verzino_[160]. All these voyages belong exclusively to the captain of Malacca, and when he is not disposed to make them on his own account he sells them to others.

[Footnote 160: From another part of this voyage it appears that this is some species of seed from which oil was expressed.--E.]

SECTION XV.