Indian Antiquary Vol 31

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 29

JANUARY, 1902.] LETTERS FROM PORTUGUESE CAPTIVES IN CANTON.
into each one be put a deck and its knees they become galleys and foists and brigantines; and at first they would do instead of those of Cochi. There are also oars and rowers without number. Of these boats the best and newest should be taken, and all the rest burned. At leisure royal galleys can be built, and all the other rowing craft. These draw less water than ours, and can thus serve as well as ours in these rivers. For the sea I do not know how safe they would be ; so that it would be needful to make a beginning with these, because they are very necesssary, until others were made, for, if the affair proceeds as projected, there can be made here in a month ten or twelve rowing boats, because workmen and wood are in plenty, and especially when they see good payment. These boats are of much importance, because all the strength is in the rivers.
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This country of China is great, and its commerce is between certain provinces of it and others. Cantão has iron, which there is not in the whole of the rest of the country of China,43 according to what I am informed. From here it goes inland to the other side of the mountain range; and the rest lies in the vicinity of this city of Cantão. From this they manufacture pots, nails, Chinese arms and everything else of iron. They have also cordage, thread and silk, and cotton cloths. By reason of trade all goods come here, because this is the port whither foreigners come for this trade of goods from the provinces to Cantão and from Cantão to the interior, and the people are more numerous than in the other provinces. All the goods that were coming to Cantão before this war broke out should be kept until it is seen how things turn out. The [f. 118] country inland has many, without a possibility of their being wasted, because they would manufacture them according to the wishes of the Portuguese : I mean silks and porcelains.
This country cannot be sustained without trade. Goods do not come here now, nor are there here goods and traders as were wont, nor the fifth part, because all were destroyed on account of the Portuguese. This city, because of foreigners' not coming and because goods do not come from the other provinces, is at present poor. A good trade cannot be done until those from above come here when they learn that foreigners have arrived, and trade has once more to be negotiated. Every day I think that the province of Cantão is going to revolt; and the whole country inland is bound to do likewise, because the whole is fastigated after one manner. When things have been settled in one way or another the country will carry on trade, whilst the land will not yield such large revenues, which is a thing not to be desired. The whole country is cultivated; and the goods that the foreigners bring are very necessary in the country, especially in order to effect a sale of the local ones. The country inland has many and good articles of merchandise, many kinds of silks that have not yet come to Cantão, because they are anxious that they should not be rivalled, and because of its being forbidden by the king that good wares and those of value should be sold to foreigners, only things of barter; there is also much rhubarb. I now leave this subject and turn to that which is of more importance.
In Cantão they have not been forming fleets as they used to do formerly. It must now be sixteen years since certain Chinese rose in junks and turned robbers, and Cantão armed against them. Those of Cantão were defeated; and the mandarins [f. 118v] of Cantão made an agreement with them that they would pardon them and that they would give them land where they might live, with the condition that when other robbers should appear on the sea they should go and fight with them, and whatever they got in plunder should be theirs, excepting the women and things for the king. They gave a settlement to these robbers, some of them in Nanto, some of them in Foym,45 some of them in Aynameha and in other villages that lie between Nanto
42 Here, again, I am doubtful as to this being the correct rendering of liames.
43 This is incorrect. Iron is abundant in various provinces of China. (See Mid. King. I. pp. 95-96; and cf. Gaspar da Cras in Purchas, Pilg. III. p. 178.)
That would be in 1518. I have no confirmatory account of the events described by the writer.
5 Doubtless Fahiun, on the east coast of Lintin Bay. (See supra, f. 111.)
46 Anunghoy near the Bocca Tigris. (See infra, f. 129).