29.6.04

Who the people are who traded in Malacca and from what parts

Moors from Cairo, Mecca, Aden, Abyssinians, men of Kilwa, Malindi, Ormuz, Parsees, Rumes, Turks, Turkomans, Christian Armenians, Gujaratees, men of Chaul, Dabhol, Goa, of the kingdom of Deccan, Malabars and Klings, merchants from Orissa, Ceylon, Bengal, Arakan, Pegu, Siamese, men of Kedah, Malays, men of Pahang, Patani, Cambodia, Champa, Cochin China, Chinese, Lequeos, men of Brunei, Lucoes, men of Tamjompura, Laue, Banka, Linga (they have a thousand other islands), Moluccas, Banda, Bima, Timor, Madura, Java, Sunda, Palembang, Jambi, Tongkal, Indragiri, Kappatta, Menangkabau, Siak, Arqua (Arcat?), Aru, Bata, country of the Tomjano, Pase, Pedir, Maldives.

Besides a great number of islands there are other regions from which come many slaves and much rice. They are not places of much trade and therefore no mention is made of them, only of the above-mentioned people who come to Malacca with junks, pangajavas and ships; and in cases where they do not come to Malacca, people go there from here, as will be said in detail under the title for each region. Finally in the port of Malacca very often eighty-four languages have been found spoken, each one distinct, as the inhabitants of Malacca affirm; and this in Malacca alone, because in the archipelago which begins at Singapore and Karimun up to the Moluccas, there are forty known languages, for the islands are countless.

Because those from Cairo and Mecca and Aden cannot reach Malacca in a single monsoon, as well as the Parsees and those from Ormuz and Rumes, Turks and similar peoples such as Armenians, at their own time they go to the kingdom of the Gujurat, bringing large quantities of valuable merchandise; and they go to the kingdom of Gujurat to take up their companies in the said ships of that land, and they take the said companies in large numbers. They also take from the said kingdoms to Cambay, merchandise of value in Gujurat, from which they make much profit. Those from Cairo take their merchandise to Tor, and from Tor to Jidda, and from Jidda to Aden, and from Aden to Cambay, where they sell in the land things that are valued there, and the others they bring to Malacca, sharing as aforesaid.

Those from Cairo bring the merchandise brought by the galleasses of Venice, to wit, many arms, scarlet-in-grain, coloured woollen cloths, coral, copper, quicksilver, vermilion, nails, silver, glass and other beads, and golden glassware. Those from Mecca bring a great quantity of opium, rosewater, and such like merchandise, and much liquid storax. Those from Aden bring to Gujurat a great quantity of opium, raisins, madder, indigo, rosewater, silver, seed-pearls, and other dyes, which are of value in Cambay. In these companies go Parsees, Turks, Turkomans and Armenians, and they come and take up their companies for their cargo in Gujurat, and from there they embark in March and sail direct for Malacca; and on the return journey they call at the Maldive Islands.

Four ships come every year from Gujurat to Malacca …

from The Suma Oriental of Tomé Pires vol. 2, p. 268

No comments: