26 



MALACCA, 



[chap, iit. 



soription of it by Linscliott, who -wrote two Imndred and 

 seventy years ago, shikingly exhibits the change it has 

 nndergone : — 



" Malacca is inhabited by the Poitagwese and by natives 

 of the country, called Malays, The I'ortugnese ha%'e bere 

 11 fortress, as at Mozarabiqne, and there is no fortress in 

 all the Indies, after those of Mozambique and Ormuz, 

 where the captains perform their duty better than in this 

 one. Tliis place is the market of all India, of China, of 

 the Moluccas, and of other islands round about, from all 

 which places, as well as from Banda, Java, Sumatiii, Siaui, 

 Tof^^u, licngal, Coromnndel, and India, arrive ships, whicli 

 <^nnie and go incesj^autly, charged witli an infinity of 

 nimhandises. There would be in this place a much 

 Ljreater number of Portuguese if it were not for the in- 

 eonvenienee, and iinhealthinesa of the air, which is hurtful 

 not only to stmngei's, but also to natives of thu country. 

 Thence it is that all who live in tlie couutn' pay tribute 

 (if their health, sulTering from a certain disease, which 

 malies them lose either their skin or their hair. And 

 tliose who escape consider it a miracle, which occosions 

 niauy to leave the country, while the ardent desire of gain 

 induces others to riijk thch- health, and endeavour to 

 endure such an atmosphere. The oHgin of this tow^l. as 

 the natives say, was very emnll, only having at the be- 

 giiniiug, by reason of the i^rhealthiuess of the air, bnt 

 six or seven fishermen w^ho ini-abited it But the number 

 was increased by the meeting of fishermen from Siam, 

 Pegu, and Bengal, wlio came and built a city, and esta- 

 lilished a peculiar language, drui\Ti from the most elegant 

 modes of speaking of other nations, so that in fact the 

 Linguage of the Malays is at present the niost i^fined, 

 exact, and celebrated of all the East The name of 

 Malacca was giveii to this towx, which, by the conve- 

 nience of its situation, in a short time grew to such' 

 weiilth, that it does not yield to the most powerful towns 

 and regions round about The natives, both men and 

 women, are veiy courteous, and are reckoned the most 

 skilful in the world in comphments, and study much to 

 compose and repeat verses and love-songs. Their langitage 

 is in vogue through the Indies, as the French is here." 



