Englishman passed with his ship, comming out of the
South sea from new Spaine. Iaua beginneth vnder
seuen degrees on the South side, and so stretcheth
East and South 150. miles long, it is very fruitfull,
specially of Ryce, Catle Hogges, Sheepe, Hennes, Onions,
Garlike, Indian Nuttes, and all kinde of Spices, as
Cloues, Nutmegges, Mace,
etc. Which they
carrie to Malacca. The chiefe hauen in the Islande
is Sunda Calapa, there you have much Pepper, better
then that of India, or of Malabar, and there you may
yearely lade 4. or 5000. Quintales of Pepper
Portingall waight, there likewise you haue great store
of frankencense, Camphora, and some Diamants:
but they haue no other kinde of money but a certaine
peece called Caixa, as bigge as a Hollands Doibt, but
not so thicke, with a hole in the middle to hang it
vpon a string, in which manner they commonly hange
hundrethes or thousandes together, and with them they
know how to make their accountes, which is two hundred
Caixas make a Sata, and fiue Satas make a thousand
Caixas, which is as much as one Crusado of Portingall,
or three Carolus Gilderns, Flemish money: Pepper
is solde by the sacke, each sacke waying 45.
Catten waight of China, each Catte as much as 20.
ounces Portingall waight, and each sacke is worth in
that Country at the least 5000. Caixas, and when
it is highest at 6. or 7000. Caixas: Mace,
Cloues, Nutmegs, white and blacke Beniamin, Camphora,
are sold by the Bhar, each barre waying 350. Catten
of China: Mace that is faire and good is commonly
worth from 100. to 120. thousande Caixas: Good
Cloues accordingly, and foure Cloues called Bastan
are worth 70. and 80. thousand Caixas the Bhar:
Nutmegs are alwaies worth 20. and 25 thousand Caixas
the Bhar: White and blacke Beniamin is worth 150.
and 180. thousand Caixas, and sometimes 200. thousand.
The wares that are there desired and exchanged for
spices, are diuers sortes and colours of Cotton Linnen,
which come out of seuerall Prouinces; and if our Cambricke
or fine Hollande were carryed thither, it would peraduenture
bee more esteemed then the Cotton linnen of India.
The 15. of Iune there rowed a scute called a Prawen
harde vnder the lande by vs, wee called him, but not
against his will, and shewed him siluer, and other
wares that liked him well, he bad vs make towards the
strand, and told vs of Bantam, saying that there we
should haue al kinds of Marchandise. Then we
made signs vnto him that if he wold bring vs to Bantam,
we wold pay him for his labor, he asked vs 5. rialles
of 8. and a redcap, which we graunted vnto, and so
one of the men in the scute came on bord the Mauritius,
and was our Pilot to Bantam, where we passed by many
Islandes.
The nineteenth of Iuly as wee sailed by a towne, many
Portingalles borded vs, and brought vs certaine Cocus
and Hens to sell, which wee bought for other wares.