The Great Island of Java

When you sail from Chamba, 1500 miles in a course between south and south-east, you come to a great Island called Java.

The experienced mariners of those Islands who know the matter well, say that it is the greatest Island in the world.

It has a compass of more than 3000 miles. It is subject to a great King and tributary to no one else in the world.

The people are Idolaters. The Island is of surpassing wealth, producing black pepper, nutmegs, spikenard, galingale, cubebs, cloves, and all other kinds of spices.

This Island is also frequented by a vast amount of shipping, and by merchants who buy and sell costly goods from which they reap great profit.

The treasure of this Island is so great as to be past telling.

The Great Kaan never could get possession of this Island because of its great distance and the great expense to go there.

The merchants of Zayton and Manzi draw annually great returns from this country.{1}

CHAPTER 7: The Isles of Sondur and Condur, the Kingdom of Locac

When you leave Chamba{1} and sail for 700 miles south and south-west, you arrive at 2 Islands, a greater and a less.

The one is called Sondur and the other Condur.

There is nothing about them worth mentioning.

500 miles beyond Sondur, is another country which is called Locac.

It is a good and rich country.

It is on the mainland. It has a king of its own.

The people are Idolaters and have a peculiar language. They pay tribute to nobody, for their country is so situated that no one can enter it to do them ill.

If it were possible to get at it, the Great Kaan would soon bring them under subjection to him.

In this country, the brazil which we make use of grows in great plenty.

They also have gold in incredible quantity. They have elephants likewise, and much game.

In this kingdom too are gathered all the porcelain shells which are used for small change in all those regions, as I have told you before.

There is nothing else to mention except that this is a very wild region, visited by few people; nor does the king desire that any strangers should frequent the country, and so find out about his treasure and other resources.

CHAPTER 8. The Island Called Pentam, and the City Malaiur.

When you leave Locac and sail for 500 miles towards the south, you come to an island called Pentam, a very wild place.

All the wood that grows thereon consists of odoriferous trees.{1}

60 miles further between those 2 Islands. Throughout this distance there is but four paces’ depth of water, so that great ships in passing this channel have to lift their rudders, for they draw nearly as much water as that.{2}

When you have gone these 60 miles, and again about 30 more, you come to an Island which forms a Kingdom, and is called Malaiur. The people have a King of their own, and a peculiar language.

The city is a fine and noble one, and there is great trade carried on there. All kinds of spicery are to be found there, and all other necessaries of life.{3}