606 
ANTIQUITY OP THE CHINESE TRADE 
chants from Manji, Arabia and the Levant resort to Coilon to the 
east of Cape Comorin,* that “ ships came to Eli from Manji and 
other parts in the summer, load in eight days and depart as soon as 
possible, there being no port, but dangerous sand banks,”+ and when 
speaking of Malabar he says, “ ships come even from the great pro¬ 
vince of Manji.”| To the north of Malabar there is no more men¬ 
tion of the Manji traders, so that it was the furthest limit to which 
Chinese junks went on the west coast of India. 
The Arabian traveller Ibn-Bathoutha, who visited China from 
India in 1345 or 1346, gives the most direct confirmation to this ac¬ 
count, since he relates that he found Chinese junks lying at Calicut 
and embarked on one of them for Sumatra. Chinese junks at that pe¬ 
riod frequented Sumatra, for the king of Soumouthra, after entertain¬ 
ing him for 15 days, caused one to be made ready to receive him.§ 
In 21 days they arrived at the fort of Kakoula in Java where they 
found a number of junks, which he says were disposed to piracy. 34 
days more brought them into the sea Kahel|| which they traversed 
in 37 days, although the usual period was 40 to 50 days. From the 
country of Thawalisy*[[ they were carried by a favourable wind in 15 
days to China, apparently to the port of Hang-Cheou-fou. When 
the time came to return he repaired to Zeytoun (Amoy probab¬ 
ly) where he says “ I found the junks ready to depart for India 
and amongst the number a junk which belonged to El-Melek Da- 
her (the king of Soumouthra) and the crew of which were Ma- 
ho medans.” On the 10th day they neared Thawalisy when heavy 
rain commenced and hid the sun for 10 days. They were 42 days 
without knowing in what sea they were. At last a favorable wind 
arose, and in 2 months more they arrived at Soumouthra. 40 days 
carried them to Koulam in Malabar. Ibn-Bathoutha’s description 
of the junks and the mode of navigation agrees with that of the Ve¬ 
netian traveller. Each of them he says is towed by 3 vessels moved 
by oars. The junk itself has 50 oars as large as masts to each of 
which are attached two thick ropes like cables. Fifteen men pull 
* The travels of Marco Polo, (>d. of 1844 by Mr. Murray) p. 310. 1 
f lb. p. 312. He adds that “ those of Manji are least apprehensive, be¬ 
ing provided with large wooden anchors”, just as they are at this day. 
i lb. p. 313. 
$ De 1* Archipel d’ Asic, par Ibn Bathoutha, traduite do 1’ arabe par M. 
Ed. Dulaurier. Journal Asiatique. Fev. 1847, p. 114. 
|| Supposed by M. Dulaurier to be the Cdiina Sea, Journ. As. p. 250. 
f Supposed by M. Dulaurier to be Ciampa, Anam or Tonquin, lb. p. 250. 
The first syllable would rather lead us to conjecture that it is Siam. 
