608 
ANTIQUITY OF THE CHINESE TRADE 
lived in the 12th. century, and the celebrated traveller Ibn Bathou- 
tha, who in the 14th. traversed nearly the whole world known at 
that epoch, tell us that Chinese ships resorted to Ceylon, and on the 
south west coast of India to Koulam, Calicut and Hyly.” 
It is clear that in Marco Polo’s time the Chinese had a large ex¬ 
ternal commerce and that their ports and large rivers were as much 
crowded with native shipping as they are now.* Even the govern¬ 
ment at that period appears to have encouraged navigation and 
been desirous of maritime conquest. Kublai Khan sent two great 
fleets to conquer distant countries. The first, of 4000 vessels and 
240,000 men, invaded Japan in 1269, and the second in 1292 was 
sent against Jawa (Borneo). The truth will probably be found to 
be that the aggregate of the external trade carried on in national 
vessels has remained nearly stationary since the 13th century, if it 
has not rather retrograded. 
Mr. Crawfurd, in the course of his depreciatory remarks on the 
navigation of the Chinese at the period in question, dwells upon the 
circumstance of Marco Polo’s fleet having made a coasting voyage 
along the shores of China, imam, &c., to Sumatra. This course 
however happens to be the very one which junks for the Archipela¬ 
go invariably pursue to this day. The junks from the northern ports 
keep the mountains of China in sight till they reach the southwest ex¬ 
tremity of the empire, the large island of Hailam (Hainan). Thence 
those of less burden follow the coast of Tonquin, while the larger are 
obliged to stand across for a high mountain in Anam, which, after the 
* Thus he says of Gan-fu (Ningpo) that “ it has a very fine port, 
with large ships, and much merchandise of immense value from India 
and other quarters,” and of Zai-tun (Amoy,) that “ it is a noble port 
where all the ships of India arrive, and for one laden with pepper 
which comes from Alexandria to be sold throughout Christendom, there 
go to that city a hundred.” It has been the singular fortune of Mar¬ 
co Polo to anticipate by several centuries the geographical knowledge 
of Europe, and thus to have had a continually growing reputation. 
Every extension of our acquaintance with Eastern Asia has confirmed 
his narrative, so long considered as little better than a romance, and 
he is now justly regarded as u the greatest of land travellers” as well 
as one of the most “ truth loving” (Humboldt, Cosmos.) His descrip¬ 
tion of the Yang-tsc-kiang has been proved in the I9th. century to be 
founded on fact. He says it is the largest river (then known] in the 
world “ and on account of the many cities on it, the ships navigating 
and the goods conveyed by means of it are more numerous and valuable 
than in all the cities of Christendom and the adjacent seas besides. I 
tell you I have seen at that city (Sin-gui) no fewer than 5000 ships 
sailing at once on its stream. For that river flows through 16 provinces 
and has more than 200 great towns on its banks.” p. 183. 
