190 VOYAGE TO THE 



as tribute to Japan. In 1454 the king Chang-tal- 

 keiou had to sustain a civil war against his brother, 

 who was at first successful, and beat Chang-tai-keiou 

 in a battle, in which he fought at the head of his troops. 

 It is not probable that all this warfare and bloodshed 

 should have transpired without the Loo Chooans being- 

 possessed of arms ; besides, it is expressly stated by 

 Supao-Koang, that arms were manufactured in the 

 island. I am, therefore, disposed to believe that the 

 Loo Chooans have weapons, and that they are similar 

 to those in use in China. And with regard to the ob- 

 jection which none of them having ever been seen in 

 Loo Choo would offer, I can only say, that while I was 

 in China, with the exception of the cannon in the 

 forts, I did not see a weapon of any kind, though that 

 people is well known to possess them. 



It was also thought that the Loo Choo people were 

 ignorant of the use of money. But this point has now 

 been satisfactorily determined by our having seen it in 

 circulation in the island, and having some of it in our 

 own possession. The coin was similar to the cash of 

 China. An-yah declared that there were no gold or 

 silver coins in the country, not even ingots, which are 

 in use in China ; but this will hereafter, perhaps, prove 

 to be untrue, as he even denied the use of the cash 

 until it was found in circulation. There is very little 

 doubt that money has been long known to, if not in 

 use among, the Loo Chooans. About the year A. D. 

 1454, in the reign of Chang-tai-keiou, we are told that 

 so large a quantity of silver and brass coin was taken 

 from China to Loo Choo, that the provinces of Tche- 

 Kiang and of Fochien complained to the emperor of 

 the scarcity it had occasioned in those places ; * and 

 * Recueil de Pfere Gaqbil, 



