604 
ANTIQUITY OF THE CHINESE TRADE 
layan literature, and, as we shall see, receives elucidation from it. 
But its chief importance for our present purpose lies in its being the 
first narrative which we possess of a voyage by Chinese junks to the 
westward. We gather from it that at the period of Marco Polo’s 
voyage along the northern and western limits of the Archipelago, 
(about A. D. 1291), the Chinese were in the habit of making dis¬ 
tant sea voyages In large junks. He gives a particular and accurate 
description of “ the ships in which the merchants navigate to In¬ 
dia.”* Before describing India he says he will mention e< the ma¬ 
ny islands lying - in this sea to the eastward”, and he then proceeds 
to describe Japan, and to give a general account of the numerous 
islands in the sea of Zin, which evidently includes the seas of China 
and the Archipelago. He distinctly'states that “the mariners of 
Zaitun (Amoy) and Kinsai (Hong-chew-fou), who visit these islands, 
gain great profits; but spend a year on the voyage, going in winter 
and returning in the summer; for the wind in these seasons blows 
only from two different quarters, one of which carries them thither 
and the other brings them back.”j - After describing Ciampa, which 
he had visited, he introduces a description of Java, which evidently 
includes Borneo and Java.'j' He says that <e good mariners who know 
it intimately describe it as the largest island in the world, with a cir- 
* The travels of Marco Polo (ed.,of 1844 by Mr. Murray) p. 271. 
t lb. p. 270. 
t lb. p. 278. Before the Malays rose into note, the Javanese were the 
single civilized and dominant race of the Archipelago. Java, flourishing 
in its fertility, population, and arts, cast all the rest of the eastern islands 
into the shade. One or two sea ports in it nearly concentrated the regards 
of foreign commercial nations, who, knowing no more of Borneo than a few 
comparatively insignificant ports on its southern and western coasts inha¬ 
bited by Javanese and subject to Java, naturally extended the name to these 
coasts. The names of Jabadas, Zabaje, and Zaba, used more anciently by 
Grecian, Indian and Arabian geographers are evidently one and the same. 
M. Dulaurier in the Journal Asiatique for June 1846 (p. 544-571) has 
published a highly interesting document which he found at the end ofa Ma¬ 
lay work, Hikayet raja raja Pas^, in Baffles collection belonging to the Royal 
Asiatic Society. This is a list of the countries dependent on the empire of 
Majapahit. at the epoch of its destruction. It appears how ever to include all 
the places subject to it during previous times. The names are as follows: 
they are well known to this day. I, Pase. 2, Tainbelftn. 3, Jemaja [M. 
Dulaurier is ignorant of this place. It is one of the Anambas, properly 
Anamblas, islands] 4, Bungun [probably Bungoran, the Grand Natuna 
island, an r having dropped] 5, Siran. 6, Surabaya. 7, Pulo Taut. 8, Pulo 
Tioman. 9, Pulo Tingi. 10, Karimata. II, Biltong. 12, Bnngka (Banka). 
13, Linga. 14, Riu [Rhio). 15, Bcntan [M, Dulaurier erroneously roina- 
nizes this name Bantam, and is hence misled into believing it to be Ban¬ 
tam in Java. It is the island miscalled Bintang by Europeans, on the east¬ 
ern coast of which the small island of Rhio lies]. 16, Butang [evidently the 
