A discourse of the nauigation which the Portugales doe make to the realmes and prouinces of the east partes of the worlde and of the knowledge that growes by them of the great thinges, which are in the dominions of China. Written by Barnardine of Escalanta, of the realme of Galisia priest. Translated out of Spanish into English, by Iohn Frampton.

The tenth Chapter sheweth of the nauigation that the people of China haue in the Seas, and also in the fresh Riuers.

THere are in this Realme an infinite number of Shippes and Barkes, wherein they sayle by the Ilandes and coastes of the same, which are large, and by those great riuers, which do run through many partes of the same, in such sort as it is thought there doe dwell fewe lesse people on the water than on the lande, the great store of tim∣ber that they haue doe helpe them much therevnto, and the mineralles of yron, and other necessarie things for the arte of nauigation, by the abundance whereof it is easie to make their Shippes and Barkes with verie little cost. The grea∣test shippes they haue, are called Iuncos, which are verie great, and are made for the warres, with Castels very high in the poope & prore like to the Shippes of Leuant. There are so manie of these▪ that it is easie for any generall of the Sea to ioyne together in little time a nauie from fiue hun∣dreth to a thousande of them, of the same making and great∣nesse. They haue others for loading, but they are lower of poope and prore. Other smaller Shippes they haue, which they call Bancoens, which doe carie three great Oares in euerie side, with foure or sixe men to euerie Oare, and such serueth them much, for to go in, and come forth of the barde, hauens. And others there are called Lanteas, that row with seuen or eight Oares. These two sortes of small Shippes (although they bee for lading) yet the Pirates and theeues vse them, for there are manie in all these coasts, and Ilands, by reason they saile well. Also they vse other small shippes,

that are long like to Gallies, wherein they lade great store of marchandize, to carie vp and downe by the riuers within the lande: these drawe little water after the fashion of Flan∣ders Hoyes. There are an other sort of small Shippes and Barkes, different to these, and such great numbers bee of them that is wonderfull, but the relation thereof is knowne notoriously, and all serueth to carie marchandize from one place to another within the saide realme, bicause it is forbid∣den that any man shall go foorth of it for any forraine place, although that in olde time they sayled much abroade, and conquering the Ilandes and Realmes of that Sea, vntill they came to the India, and at this day there is memorie of them in the coast of Coromandell, which is ouer against the Realme of Narsinga, on the side of the Sea of Bengala, where Saint Thomas built his house, where by report re∣maynes to this day the reliques of his bodie.

There is a great Temple of Idolles, which serueth for a marke to such as do saile in that Sea coast, which is lowe as Holland is, and is called the coast of the Chinas, bycause the people of Chinas built it in times past. And in the realm of Calicut be trees of fruite, which haue bene there of long time, and the naturall borne people of the Countrey •…•…o say, that their Nation planted them. And in the Shouldes of Chiloa, which doth extende vnto the Iland of Ceilam to∣wards the west part of Coromādel, it is affirmed by those of the land, that there was lost a great fleete of their Shippes which came vpon the India▪ by meane they were not perfect in the nauigation of those Seas. And it is also sayd that they were Lordes of Laoa, and of the Realmes of Malaca, Siā, and Chapaa, as commonly it is affirmed. And it semeth to be so, by reason that all the people of these Realmes are in ma∣ners and conditions like to those of the China. But in this point as it seemeth they had more wisdome then the Grekes, Oarthaginenses, and Romaines, the which for to conquer o∣ther straunge Countreys farre off, went so farre from their owne, that they came to lose their owne Countreys at home.

And considering this, they woulde not so experiment their harmes and hurts any longer: but seeing how the India did consume them much people, & also great riches of their owne Realme, and that they were much troubled and tired of their neighbours, at such time as they went abroade conquering other kings landes, and hauing in their owne Countrey golde, siluer, and all other metall, and much naturall riches of their owne Country, and such great store of marchandize, that all other forraine nations did profite by, and themselues not profite of the benefites of any other Countrey. Al the go∣uernours of these Prouinces, determined to consult herea∣bout, and to bee humble sutors to their owne king, which at that time wast, o yeeld a remedie in this case. Who did esta∣blish by law, and at this day it is kept verie precisely, that no subiect of his should sayle forth of his Realme vpon paine of his life: and that neither by Sea nor lande, no straunger should come to his lande, without the expresse licence of the gouernours of the Countrey where they ariue. With this or∣der and maner the Portingales which go thither doe nowe trade. And when the naturall people of the Countrey will go from one Prouince to another, they giue sureties to returne within a certaine time which is appointed them. And they suffer them not to carie with them any shippes aboue the burthen of one hundreth tonnes, or one hundreth and fiftie, bi∣cause they should not go farre of. And to the ende the shippes of the realme, & other strange ships that come thither in the trade of marchandize, may go safe & come safe; for that pur∣pose the king hath great shippes armed and warlike, which runne by all these coastes and Ilandes, to seeke out theeues and pirots, and within the Riuers they haue for this purpose many smal armed shippes verie good of sayle: and especially those that runne by the Prouince of Cansi, which standeth right ouer against the Laos, and the Bramenez their ene∣mies, and also by other prouinces where need is, for to assure in safety such as are traders with their goodes and marchan∣dizes. And bicause they may haue good dispatch in the ports,

they haue established by law of the realme, that the first ship which shall come in, shall first be laden and dispatched, and the rest as they come in by their order. They carie in all these shippes galleries verie curious in the poope ouer the helme, and by imitation whereof the Portingales doe vse the like now in their galleons & ships that go for the India. And also they vse a kind of Bitumen or pitch, which they learned of them, which they call the pitch that is made of lime and oyle of fishe, and common sort of pitch, made very smal and so incorporate, which is put betweene the sides of the shippes, and an other newe lining of boordes, that is made vpon the olde, vnto the place where the waters do ordinarily come, which is as much to say, the lading marke, when they are laden: and after that in place of pitch they turne to couer the newe liuing with the said newe kinde of pitch, which is so profitable to the boorde or table, that neuer after entereth into it any worme, and within short time it is made so hard with the water as a stone. And with this the ships of China endure a long time, in such sort that they haue put to some of their shippes called Iuncos, the same kinde of pitch foure or fiue times, that their side is as hard as a wall, but they re∣maine with this kinde of fortification verie heauy to go with the saile. They vse a certaine kinde of pumpes made of ma∣ny peeces, like to Anorias of Spaine, put a long by the shippes sides within, so artificially, that one man sitting and moouing his feete continually as one that goeth vp a paire of staires, pumpeth a great shippe in little time, although she make verie much water.

The great store of Barkes that are for seruice in Ri∣uers, are innumerable, and it is to the Barkemen an inheri∣tante and continuall habitation. They carie in them their wiues and children in one side of them, coueved like a house, and in the other side they haue made a place for the ease of their passengers. And as the Riuers are verie great, and broade, and nauigable, there are in them continually manie Barkes, like to vittayling houses▪ where is to be had meate

and drinke verie delicious: and there are like wise to be solde all fiue sortes of marchandize that are to bee founde in the great Cities. Also there are manie poore people of the villages which are sitting at the Riuers sides, they dwell also in Barkes in the water, without hauing any other place to goe vnto, the men their wiues and children, they bring their couerings for to defende them from the raine and from the Sunne, and they breede in them hennes, Geese, Pige∣ons, and in the outside they make a little Garden, wherein they plant flowers, and some garden hearbs. These get their liuing in going to worke in the Countrey in the small villa∣ges at all kind of worke. And the women they passe ouer by Barke the way fairing men, if any come, and they also go vp and downe the Riuer with great long canes, & certaine smal baskets made of twigges tied at the ende, where withal they catch shell fishe, for to susteyne themselues. In other greater Barkes goeth people of wealth, and some Barkes do apper∣teine to riche men, where their seruants are, they haue in them certaine great cages made of Canes as long as the Barke, wherein they are accustomed to bring vp three or foure thousande Duckes, which they feede in this manner, when it is day they giue them sod Kise, not so much as may fill them, and immediately they set open the doore where they are, that they may cast themselues into the Riuer, by a doore that is made of the same Canes: And it is a maruellous thing to see, the haste howe they goe out one vpon another, vntill they come a lande, where they goe feeding all the day vntill night, in the places where Roses doe growe. The ow∣ners of the Roses do giue to the Barkemen rewardes, by∣cause they make cleane the places where the Roses growe of the grasse that growes among them, & at night they make a signe or noyse with a small drumme, and then they come all home. And although there are diuerse Barks togither, they knowe to which Barke they should goe▪ by reason of the sounde, and they returne into the same Barke with the like furie they went forth. And bycause there may be moued some

question after what sort they raise and breede such great mul∣titudes of Duckes and water foule, you shall vnderstand that in the Sommer time they put two or three thousand egges into dung, and with continual warmth, and gentle heate thereof and with the time, there commeth forth this broode, as the Chickens doe in grand Cairo in Aegypt: and in the Winter they make a great hearth, vpon the which they put a great number of egges, and vnderneath they make a soft, mtid•…•…, and gentle fire, and so it continueth in one sort for cer∣taine dayes, vntill these broodes come foorth: and this is the cause that there are such multitudes of them. The Barkes of these fishers, as well in the Sea as in the Riuers, are innu∣merable, for the which cause it is manifest, that it is the best prouided Countrey of fish that is in the whole world For as I haue sayde, although it be 500. leagues within the lande, they eate euery day fresh fishe of the Sea. And for bycause this shoulde not seeme incredible, I will referre mee to the order that they haue therfore euery yeare in the month of Fe∣bruarie and March, & part of April, when the great Freshes do come. The fish of the Sea doe come to cast their spawne, or egges, at the going forth of the Riuers, which is the cause that there doth breede great store of small fishe in the creekes thereof, to which places all the fishermen doe come that dwell along the coast, with their Barkes and nettes with them, they fishe of this fishe, and they cast them into certeine pondes, which they make in the water after the maner of a rounde circle, vpon great roddes and course nettes, where they liue and are susteyned vntill the fishing be done, which dureth certaine dayes. In this time there they vse too come downe a great multitude of Barkes of all the Prouinces of the China, of the innermost part of the lande, in the which Barkes they bring manye Baskets made of twigges, and lined with Paper layde vppon with Oyle, that the water maye not come foorth, and euerie one of these doe buy the Fishe that they haue neede of, according to the Baskettes that they doe bring, and forth with they returne a∣gaine

into the lande, moouing them euery day into other wa∣ter, for too sell them where best they may be payed for them. And al men that are of abilitie doe buy of these baskets for the storing of their pondes, which they haue at their houses, and places of their inheritances. And they are made to growe and increase in short time with the dung of Kine. And in all the ditches of the Cities there is cast in, and doe breede after this sort great quantitie, the which the gouer∣nours and officers of the King doe enioy: whereby is vnder∣stoode the maruellous industrie which they vse for to enioy the great abundance thereof. And the king hath for these fi∣shings in all the cities which are built vpon the Riuers sides, many sea Rauens, or Cormorants putte into cubbes, where they breede and multiplie: with the which Cormorantes there is made a great fishing. And the Barkes that are ap∣pointed for this fishing do come togither, and are put in com∣passe in the middest of the Riuer, and they doe binde fast the gorges or mawes of these birds, bicause the fishe should not discende downe to the guttes, and they cast them out to fishe, and to swallow downe vntill they fill theyr mawes of small fishes, and if they meete with any great one, they take him out of his bill, wherewith all they returne into the Barke to cast out all he hath taken. After this sort they continue theyr fishing vntill they haue what they will, and then they vnlose them, and do returne them to their places, that they may fill themselues at their owne will, and so they put them into their cubbes as before. Some part of these fishes the king doth giue to his officers, and the rest is distributed for the proui∣sion of the Cities for to encrease his reuenues. The Barkes wherein the gouernors and the officers do saile in, haue their couerings high, and theyr cabans verie well wrought, and gilded both without and within, with theyr windowes, & case∣mentes adorned with fine shewes. And the Barkes of the of∣ficers of lower degree, are well neare built after the same maner, and with as much gallantnesse. There are so many Barkes of the one sort and of the other, that they say com∣monly

that theyr King maye make a bridge vpon Barkes, that will reach from China to Malaca, which is fiue hun∣dreth leages distant.

Notes

• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 descrip∣•…•… of the se∣•…•… all sorts of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, barkes, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gallies.
• The coast of China is low like as Flaun ders coast is. Shouldes an•…•… flats perilous to strange fleetes.
• A pollitike •…•…aw that pur∣•…•…haseth insi∣•…•…ute benesites.
• The kings na∣uie to cleare the coastes frō enemies and pirots.
• dispath at th•…•… portes.
• Galleries.
• A pitch of lime and oyle of fishe.
• This pitch is defensiue a∣gainst the wormes.
• Discōmoditie of the pitch. Pumpes arti∣ficial.
• Barkes innu∣merable. Multitudes of families al∣wayes liuing on the water.
• They breede •…•…oultrie and •…•…oule in the Barkes. Gardens.
• Water foule.
• Rosiers. Rewardes.
• The foule re∣turne by noise of the drum.
• Egges hat∣ched by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 perate hea•…•… of d•…•…urg, a also by warmth of fire.
• The politik increase a•…•… breeding o•…•… fishe.
• •…•…acrowes to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fish with.
• Astraung•…•… thing wor•…•… the noting