The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, - Richard Hakluyt
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There are in Pegu 8. brokers of the kings, which are called Tareghe, who
are bound to sell all the marchandize which come to Pegu, at the common or
the currant price: then if the marchants wil sell their goods at that
price, they sel them away, and the brokers haue two in the hundreth of
euery sort of marchandise, and they are bound to make good the debts of
those goods, because they be sold by their hands or meanes, and on their
wordes, and oftentimes the marchant knoweth not to whom he giueth his
goods, yet he cannot lose anything thereby, for that the broker is bound in
any wise to pay him, and if the marchant sel his goods without the consent
of the broker, yet neuerthelesse he must pay him two per cento, and be in
danger of his money: [Sidenote: A lawe for Bankrupts.] but this is very
seldom seene, because the wife, children, and slaues of the debtor are
bound to the creditor, and when his time is expired and paiment not made,
the creditor may take the debtor and cary him home to his house, and shut
him vp in a Magasin, whereby presently he hath his money, and not being
able to pay the creditor, he may take the wife, children, and slaues of the
debtor and sel them, for so is the lawe of that kingdome. [Sidenote: Euery
man may stampe what money he wil.] The currant money that is in this city,
and throughout all this kingdom is called Gansa or Ganza, which is made of
Copper and leade: It is not the money of the king, but euery man may stamp
it that wil, because it hath his iust partition or value: but they make
many of them false, by putting ouermuch lead into them, and those will not
passe, neither will any take them. With this money Ganza, you may buy golde
or siluer, Rubies and Muske, and other things. For there is no other money
currant amongst them. And Golde, siluer and other marchandize are at one
time dearer than another, as all other things be.
This Ganza goeth by weight of Byze, and this name of Byza goeth for the
accompt of the weight, and commonly a Byza of a Ganza is worth (after our
accompt) halfe a ducat, litle more or lesse: and albeit that Gold and
siluer is more or lesse in price, yet the Byza neuer changeth: euery Byza
maketh a hundreth Ganza of weight, and so the number of the money is Byza.
[Sidenote: How a man may dispose himselfe for the trade in Pegu.] He that
goeth to Pegu to buy Iewels, if he wil do well, it behoueth him to be a
whole yere there to do his businesse. For if so be that he would return
with the ship he came in, he cannot do any thing so conueniently for the
breuitie of the time, because that when they custome their goods in Pegu
that come from S. Tome in their ships, it is as it were about Christmas:
and when they haue customed their goods, then must they sell them for their
credits sake for a moneth or two: and then at the beginning of March the
ships depart. The Marchants that come from S. Tome take for the paiment of
their goods, gold and siluer, which is neuer wanting there. [Sidenote: Good
instructions.] And 8. or 10. daies before their departure they are all
satisfied: also they may haue Rubies in paiment, but they make no accompt
of them: and they that will winter there for another yere, it is needfull
that they be aduertized, that in the sale of their goods, they specifie in
their bargaine, the terme of two or 3. moneths paiment, and that their
paiment shal be in so many Ganza, and neither golde nor siluer: because
that with the Ganza they may buy and sel euery thing with great aduantage.
And how needfull is it to be aduertized, when they wil recouer their
paiments, in what order they shal receiue their Ganza? Because he that is
not experienced may do himselfe great wrong in the weight of the Gansa, as
also in the falsenesse of them: in the weight he may be greatly deceiued,
because that from place to place it doth rise and fall greatly: and
therefore when any wil receiue money or make paiment, he must take a
publique wayer of money, a day or two before he go about his businesse, and
giue him in paiment for his labour two Byzaes a moneth, and for this he is
bound to make good all your money, and to maintaine it for good, for that
hee receiueth it and seales the bags with his scale: and when hee hath
receiued any store, then hee causeth it to bee brought into the Magason of
the Marchant, that is the owner of it.
That money is very weightie, for fortie Byza is a strong Porters burden;
and also where the Marchant hath any payment to be made for those goods
which he buyeth, the Common wayer of money that receiueth his money must
make the payment thereof. So that by this meanes, the Marchant with the
charges of two Byzes a moneth, receiueth and payeth out his money without
losse or trouble. [Sidenote: The marchandizes that goe out of Pegu.] The
Marchandizes that goe out of Pegu are Gold, Siluer, Rubies, Saphyres,
Spinelles, great store of Beniamin, long peper, Leade, Lacca, rice, wine,
some sugar, yet there might be great store of sugar made in the Countrey,
for that they haue aboundance of Canes, but they giue them to Eliphants to
eate, and the people consume great store of them for food, and many more
doe they consume in vaine things, as these following. In that kingdome they
spend many of these Sugar canes in making of houses and tents which they
call Varely for their idoles, which they call Pagodes, whereof there are
great aboundance, great and smal, and these houses are made in forme of
little hilles, like to Sugar loaues or to Bells, and some of these houses
are as high as a reasonable steeple, at the foote they are very large, some
of them be in circuit a quarter of a mile. The saide houses within are full
of earth, and walled round about with brickes and dirt in steade of lime,
and without forme, from the top to the foote they make a couering for them
with Sugar canes, and plaister it with lime all ouer, for otherwise they
would bee spoyled, by the great aboundance of raine that falleth in those
Countreys. [Sidenote: Idol houses couered with gold.] Also they consume
about these Varely or idol houses great store of leafe-gold, for that they
ouerlay all the tops of the houses with gold, and some of them are couered
with golde from the top to the foote: in couering whereof there is great
store of gold spent, for that euery 10. yeeres they new ouerlay them with
gold, from the top to the foote, so that with this vanitie they spend great
aboundance of golde. For euery 10. yeres the raine doth consume the gold
from these houses. And by this meanes they make golde dearer in Pegu then
it would bee, if they consumed not so much in this vanitie. Also it is a
thing to bee noted in the buying of iewels in Pegu, that he that hath no
knowledge shall haue as good iewels, and as good cheap, as he that hath
bene practized there a long time, which is a good order, and it is in this
wise. There are in Pegu foure men of good reputation, which are called
Tareghe, or brokers of Iewels. These foure men haue all the Iewels or
Rubies in their handes, and the Marchant that wil buy commeth to one of
these Tareghe and telleth him, that he hath so much money to imploy in
Rubies. [Sidenote: Rubies exceeding cheape in Pegu.] For through the hands
of these foure men passe all the Rubies: for they haue such quantitie, that
they knowe not what to doe with them, but sell them at most vile and base
prices. When the Marchant hath broken his mind to one of these brokers or
Tareghe, they cary him home to one of their Shops, although he hath no
knowledge in Iewels: and when the Iewellers perceiue that hee will employ a
good round summe, they will make a bargaine, and if not, they let him
alone. The vse generally of this Citie is this: that when any Marchant hath
bought any great quantitie of Rubies, and hath agreed for them, hee carieth
them home to his house, let them be of what value they will, he shall haue
space to looke on them and peruse them two or three dayes: and if he hath
no knowledge in them, he shall alwayes haue many Marchants in that Citie
that haue very good knowledge in Iewels; with whom he may alwayes conferre
and take counsell, and may shew them vnto whom he will; and if he finde
that hee hath not employed his money well, hee may returne his Iewels backe
to them whom hee had them of, without any losse at all. Which thing is such
a shame to the Tareghe to haue his Iewels returned, that he had rather
beare a blow on the face then that it should be thought that he solde them
so deere to haue them returned. [Sidenote: An honest care of heathen
people.] For these men haue alwayes great care that they afford good
peniworths, especially to those that haue no knowledge. This they doe,
because they woulde not loose their credite: and when those Marchants that
haue knowledge in Iewels buy any, if they buy them deere, it is their own
faults and not the brokers: yet it is good to haue knowledge in Iewels, by
reason that it may somewhat ease the price. [Sidenote: Bargaines made with
the nipping of fingers vnder a cloth.] There is also a very good order
which they haue in buying of Iewels, which is this; There are many
Marchants that stand by at the making of the bargaine, and because they
shall not vnderstand howe the Iewels be solde, the Broker and the Marchants
haue their hands vnder a cloth, and by touching of fingers and nipping the
ioynts they know what is done, what is bidden, and what is asked. So that
the standers by knowe not what is demaunded for them, although it be for a
thousand or 10. thousand duckets. For euery ioynt and euery finger hath his
signification. For if the Marchants that stande by should vnderstand the
bargaine, it would breede great controuersie amongst them. And at my being
in Pegu in the moneth of August, in Anno 1569, hauing gotten well by my
endeuour, I was desirous to see mine owne Countrey, and I thought it good
to goe by the way of S. Tome, but then I should tary vntil March.
In which iourney I was counsailed, yea, and fully resolued to go by the way
of Bengala, with a shippe there ready to depart for that voyage. And then
wee departed from Pegu to Chatigan a great harbour or port, from whence
there goe smal ships to Cochin, before the fleete depart for Portugall, in
which ships I was fully determined to goe to Lisbon, and so to Venice.
[Sidenote: This Touffon is an extraordinary storme at Sea.] When I had thus
resolued my selfe, I went a boord of the shippe of Bengala, at which time
it was the yeere of Touffon: concerning which Touffon ye are to vnderstand,
that in the East Indies often times, there are not stormes as in other
countreys; but euery 10. or 12. yeeres there are such tempests and stormes,
that it is a thing incredible, but to those that haue seene it, neither do
they know certainly what yeere they wil come.
[Sidenote: The Touffon commeth but euery 10. or 12. yeeres.] Vnfortunate
are they that are at sea in that yere and time of the Touffon, because few
there are that escape that danger. In this yere it was our chance to be at
sea with the like storme, but it happened well vnto vs, for that our ship
was newly ouer-plancked, and had not any thing in her saue victuall and
balasts, Siluer and golde, which from Pegu they cary to Bengala, and no
other kinde of Marchandise. This Touffon or cruel storme endured three
dayes and three nights: in which time it caried away our sailes, yards, and
rudder; and because the shippe laboured in the Sea, wee cut our mast ouer
boord: which when we had done she laboured a great deale more then before,
in such wise, that she was almost full with water that came ouer the
highest part of her and so went downe: and for the space of three dayes and
three nights sixtie men did nothing but hale water out of her in this wise,
twentie men in one place, and twentie men in another place, and twentie in
a thirde place: and for all this storme, the shippe was so good, that shee
tooke not one iot of water below through her sides, but all ran downe
through the hatches, so that those sixtie men did nothing but cast the Sea
into the Sea. And thus driuing too and fro as the winde and Sea would, we
were in a darke night about foure of the clocke cast on a sholde: yet when
it was day, we could neither see land on one side nor other, and knew not
where we were: And as it pleased the diuine power, there came a great waue
of the Sea, which draue vs beyonde the should. [Sidenote: A manifest token
of the ebbing and flowing in those Countries.] And when wee felt the shippe
aflote, we rose vp as men reuiued, because the Sea was calme and smooth
water, and then sounding we found twelue fadome water, and within a while
after wee had but sixe fadome, and then presently we came to anker with a
small anker that was left vs at the sterne, for all our other were lost in
the storme: and by and by the shippe stroke a ground, and then we did prop
her that she should not ouerthrow.
When it was day the shippe was all dry, and wee found her a good mile from
the Sea on drie land. [Sidenote: This Island is called Sondiua.] This
Touffon being ended, we discouered an Island not farre from vs, and we went
from the shippe on the sands to see what Island it was: and wee found it a
place inhabited, and, to my iudgement, the fertilest Island in all the
world, the which is diuided into two parts by a chanell which passeth
betweene it, and with great trouble we brought our ship into the same
chanel, which parteth the Island at flowing water, and there we determined
to stay 40. dayes to refresh vs. And when the people of the Island saw the
ship, and that we were comming a land: presently they made a place of bazar
or a market, with shops right ouer against the ship with all maner of
prouision of victuals to eate, which they brought downe in great abundance,
and sold it so good cheape, that we were amazed at the cheapenesse thereof.
I bought many salted kine there, for the prouision of the ship, for halfe a
Larine a piece, which Larine may be 12. shillings sixe pence, being very
good and fat; and 4. wilde hogges ready dressed for a Larine, great fat
hennes for a Bizze a piece, which is at the most a pennie: and the people
told vs that we were deceiued the halfe of our money, because we bought
things so deare. Also a sacke of fine rice for a thing of nothing, and
consequently all other things for humaine sustenance were there in such
aboundance, that it is a thing incredible but to them that haue seene it.
[Sidenote: Sondiua is the fruitfullest Countrey in al the world.] This
Island is called Sondiua belonging to the kingdome of Bengala, distant 120.
miles from Chatigan, to which place wee were bound. The people are Moores,
and the king a very good man of a Moore king, for if he had bin a tyrant as
others be, he might haue robbed vs of all, because the Portugall captaine
of Chatigan was in armes against the Retor of that place, and euery day
there were some slaine, at which newes we rested there with no smal feare,
keeping good watch and ward aboord euery night as the vse is, but the
gouernour of the towne did comfort vs, and bad vs that we should feare
nothing, but that we should repose our selues securely without any danger,
although the Portugales of Chatigan had slaine the gouernour of that City,
and said that we were not culpable in that fact: and moreouer he did vs
euery day what pleasure he could, which was a thing contrary to our
expectations considering that they and the people of Chatigan were both
subiects to one king. [Sidenote: Chatigan is a port in Bengala, whither the
Portugales go with their ships.] We departed from Sondiua, and came to
Chatigan the great port of Bengala, at the same time when the Portugales
had made peace and taken a truce with the gouernours of the towne, with
this condition that the chiefe Captaine of the Portugales with his ship
should depart without any lading: for there were then at that time 18.
ships of Portugales great and small. This Captaine being a Gentleman and of
good courage, was notwithstanding contented to depart to his greatest
hinderance, rather than hee would seeke to hinder so many of his friends as
were there, as also because the time of the yeere was spent to go to the
Indies. The night before he departed, euery ship that had any lading
therein, put it aboord of the Captaine to helpe to ease his charge and to
recompense his courtesies. [Sidenote: The King of Rachim, or Aracam,
neighbour to Bengala.] In this time there came a messenger from the king of
Rachim to this Portugal Captaine, who saide in the behalfe of his king,
that hee had heard of the courage and valure of him, desiring him gently
that he would vouchsafe to come with the ship into his port, and comming
thither he should be very wel intreated. This Portugal went thither and was
very well satisfied of this King.
This King of Rachim hath his seate in the middle coast betweene Bengala and
Pegu, and the greatest enemie he hath is the king of Pegu: which king of
Pegu deuiseth night and day how to make this king of Rachim his subiect,
but by no meanes hee is able to doe it: because the king of Pegu hath no
power nor armie by Sea. And this king of Rachim [Marginal note: Or,
Aracam.] may arme two hundreth Galleyes or Fusts by Sea, and by land he
hath certaine sluses with the which when the king of Pegu pretendeth any
harme towards him, hee may at his pleasure drowne a great part of the
Countrey. So that by this meanes hee cutteth off the way whereby the king
of Pegu should come with his power to hurt him.
[Sidenote: The commodities that goe from Chatigan to the Indies.] From the
great port of Chatigan they cary for the Indies great store of rice, very
great quantitie of Bombast cloth of euery sort, Suger, corne, and money,
with other marchandize. And by reason of the warres in Chatigan, the
Portugall ships taried there so long, that they arriued not at Cochin so
soone as they were wont to doe other yeeres. For which cause the fleete
that was at Cochin [Marginal note: The Portugal ships depart toward
Portugall out of the harbor of Cochin.] was departed for Portugal before
they arriued there, and I being in one of the small shippes before the
fleete, in discouering of Cochin, we also discouered the last shippe of the
Fleete that went from Cochin to Portugall, where shee made saile, for which
I was marueilously discomforted, because that all the yeere following,
there was no going for Portugale, and when we arriued at Cochin I was fully
determined to goe for Venice by the way of Ormus, [Sidenote: Goa was
besieged.] and at that time the Citie of Goa was besieged by the people of
Dialcan, but the Citizens forced not this assault, because they supposed
that it would not continue long. For all this I embarked my selfe in a
Galley that went for Goa, meaning there to shippe my selfe for Ormus: but
when we came to Goa, the Viceroy would not suffer any Portugal to depart,
by reason of the warres. And being in Goa but a small time, I fell sicke of
an infirmitie that helde mee foure moneths: which with phisicke and diet
cost me eight hundreth duckets, and there I was constrained to sell a smal
quantitie of Rubies to sustaine my neede: and I solde that for fiue
hundreth duckets, that was worth a thousand. And when I beganne to waxe
well of my disease, I had but little of that money left, euery thing was so
scarse: For euery chicken (and yet not good) cost mee seuen or eight
Liuers, which is sixe shillings, or sixe shillings eight pence. Beside this
great charges, the Apothecaries with their medicines were no small charge
to me. At the ende of sixe moneths they raised the siege, and then I
beganne to worke, for Iewels were risen in their prices: for whereas before
I sold a few of refused Rubies, I determined then to sell the rest of all
my Iewels that I had there, and to make an other voyage to Pegu. [Sidenote:
Opium a good commoditie in Pegu.] And for because that at my departure from
Pegu, Opium was in great request, I went then to Cambaya to imploy a good
round summe of money in Opium, and there I bought 60. percels of Opium,
which cost me two thousand and a hundreth duckets, euery ducket at foure
shillings two pence. Moreouer I bought three bales of Bombast cloth, which
cost me eight hundred duckats, which was a good commoditie for Pegu: when I
had bought these things, the Viceroy commanded that the custome of the
Opium should be paide in Goa, and paying custome there I might cary it
whither I would. I shipped my 3. bales of cloth at Chaul in a shippe that
went for Cochin, and I went to Goa to pay the aforesaid custome for my
Opium, and from Goa I departed to Cochin in a ship that was for the voyage
of Pegu, and went to winter then at S. Tome. When I come to Cochin, I
vnderstood that the ship that had my three bales of cloth was cast away and
lost, so that I lost my 800. Serafins or duckats: and departing from Cochin
to goe for S. Tome, in casting about for the Island of Zeilan the Pilote
was deceiued, for that the Cape of the Island of Zeilan lieth farre out
into the sea, and the Pilot thinking that he might haue passed hard aboord
the Cape, and paying roomer in the night; when it was morning we were farre
within the Cape, and past all remedy to go out, by reason the winds blew so
fiercely against vs. So that by this meanes we lost our voyage for that
yere, and we went to Manar with the ship to winter there, the ship hauing
lost her mastes, and with great dilligence we hardly saued her, with great
losses to the Captaine of the ship, because he was forced to fraight
another ship in S. Tome for Pegu with great losses and interest, and I with
my friends agreed together in Manar to take a bark to cary vs to S. Tome;
which thing we did with al the rest of the marchants; and arriuing at S.
Tome I had news through or by the way of Bengala, that in Pegu Opium was
very deare, and I knew that in S. Tome there was no Opium but mine to go
for Pegu that yere, so that I was holden of al the marchants there to be
very rich: and so it would haue proued, if my aduerse fortune had not bin
contrary to my hope, which was this. At that time there went a great ship
from Cambaya, to the king of Assi, with great quantitie of Opium, and there
to lade peper: in which voyage there came such a storme, that the ship was
forced with wether to goe roomer 800. miles, and by this meanes came to
Pegu, whereas they arriued a day before mee; so that Opium which was before
very deare, was now at a base price: so that which was sold for fiftie
Bizze before, was solde for 2. Bizze and an halfe, there was such quantitie
came in that ship; so that I was glad to stay two yeres in Pegu vnlesse I
would haue giuen away my commoditie: and at the end of two yeres of my
2100. duckets which I bestowed in Cambaya, I made but a thousand duckets.
Then I departed againe from Pegu to goe for the Indies for Chaul, and from
Chaul to Cochin, and from Cochin to Pegu. Once more I lost occasion to make
me riche, for whereas I might haue brought good store of Opium againe, I
brought but a little, being fearefull of my other voyage before. In this
small quantitie I made good profite. And now againe I determined to go for
my Countrey, and departing from Pegu, I tarried and wintered in Cochin, and
then I left the Indies and came for Ormus.
I thinke it very necessary before I ende my voyage, to reason somewhat, and
to shewe what fruits the Indies do yeeld and bring forth. First, In the
Indies and other East parts of India there is Peper and ginger, which
groweth in all parts of India. And in some parts of the Indies, the
greatest quantitie of peper groweth amongst wilde bushes, without any maner
of labour: sauing, that when it is ripe they goe and gather it. The tree
that the peper groweth on is like to our Iuie, which runneth vp to the tops
of trees wheresoeuer it groweth: and if it should not take holde of some
tree, it would lie flat and rot on the ground. This peper tree hath his
floure and berry like in all parts to our Iuie berry, and those berries be
graines of peper: so that when they gather them they be greene, and then
they lay them in the Sunne, and they become blacke.
The Ginger groweth in this wise: the land is tilled and sowen, and the
herbe is like to Panizzo, and the roote is the ginger. These two spices
grow in diuers places.
The Cloues come all from the Moluccas, which Moluccas are two Islands, not
very great, and the tree that they grow on is like to our Lawrell tree.
The Nutmegs and Maces, which grow both together, are brought from the
Island of Banda, whose tree is like to our walnut tree, but not so big.
All the good white Sandol is brought from the Island of Timor. Canfora
being compound commeth all from China, and all that which groweth in canes
commeth from Borneo, and I thinke that this Canfora commeth not into these
parts: for that in India they consume great store, and that is very deare.
The good Lignum Aloes commeth from Cauchinchina.
The Beniamin commeth from the kingdome of Assi and Sion.
Long pepper groweth in Bengala, Pegu, and Iaua.