— 19 — 



The envoy related that they had as neighbour a country called Brahman (*) 

 (Bali) , where they had the secret of looking into people's minds ; whenever 

 anybody wanted to do them mischief, they knew it beforehand. 



In the 6th month of the year 1109 they sent envoys to bring tribute ; 

 the Emperor prescribed for them the same ceremonies as for those of the 

 Giau-chi (Northern Annam). 



In the year 1129, the Emperor, bestowing favours on the southern 

 countries, gave to the mier of Djava the title of king of that country ( 2 ) 

 and appointed 2400 houses, which were in reality 1000, for his sustenance 

 (probably for the sustenance of envoys etc. sent by him). In 1132 this apa- 

 nage was augmented with 500 houses, being in reality 200. 



The writer of the above account shows that he was acquainted with the shape 

 of the island of Java and had a notion of the respective distances at which the neigh- 

 bouring countries were situated. The grave mistakes he makes in his attempt to group 

 them around Java, say nothing against the authenticity of his narrative; we find the 

 same inaccuracy with the Chinese of the present day : they make maps of China on 

 which the different countries of Europe are given as small islands to the south and 

 east, and the Hai-kuo-t'u-chi, a work published in 1844, and containing correct 

 maps from European sources , gives an historical map of south-eastern Asia, completely 

 in the old style again , and on which Java for instaiice is divided into two separate 

 islands. — The Tazi or Arabs are again placed at a distance of only five days from the 

 shores of Java; they must be those who lived on the westcoast of Sumatra, not even 

 very far north , and of whom we spoke on page 14. 



The product s , mentioned as coming from this country , must not be taken 

 too literally : the Chinese , as a rule , did not ascertain whether the articles which 

 they founcl or which were brought to them , really were produced by the country 

 itself. The special mentioning of silkworms being reared by the Javanese, deserves 

 our attention however. 



The story of the monkeys having a chief is true even in the present day ; they 

 are found on the shores of a small lake , called Blue Water , near Pasuruan. 



The people are in the habit of bringing them fruit and other food , thinking 

 that a ready acceptance on their part is a good omen. The strongest monkey, who 

 has established his reign by brutal force , eats first , whilst the others sit around , 



(') ^ Hg p^ , Pa-ra-man. 



( 2 ) Tbe title, given in the Clnnese text, is very long and contains different honorary charges, 

 which we have been unable to translate; it wonld have been necessary first to study the institutions 

 of the Sung dynasty, which we did not think woiih while for this purpose. 



2* 



