There is no commodity in the Indies worth bringing to Pegu, except sometimes the opium of Cambay, and if any one bring money he is sure to lose by it.  The only merchandise for this market is the fine painted calicos of San Thome, of that kind which, on being washed, becomes more lively in its colours.  This is so much in request, that a small bale of it will sell for 1000 or even 2000 ducats.  Also from San Thome they send great store of cotton yarn, dyed red by means of a root called saia, which colour never washes out.  Every year there goes a great ship from San Thome to Pegu laden with a valuable cargo of these commodities.  If this ship depart from San Thome by the 6th of September, the voyage is sure to be prosperous; but if they delay sailing till the 12th, it is a great chance if they are not forced to return; for in these parts the winds blow firmly for certain times, so as to sail for Pegu with the wind astern; and if they arrive not and get to anchor before the wind change, they must perforce return back again, as the wind blows three or four months with great force always one way.  If they once get to anchor on the coast, they may save their voyage with great labour.  There also goes a large ship from Bengal every year, laden with all kinds of fine cotton cloth, and which usually arrives in the river of Pegu when the ship of San Thome is about to depart.  The harbour which these two ships go to is called Cosmin.  From Malacca there go every year to Martaban, which is a port of Pegu, many ships, both large and small, with pepper, sandal-wood, porcelain of China, camphor, bruneo[165], and other commodities.  The ships that come from the Red Sea frequent the ports of Pegu and Ciriam, bringing woollen cloths, scarlets, velvets, opium, and chequins, by which last they incur loss, yet they necessarily bring them wherewith to make their purchases, and they afterwards make great profit of the commodities which they take back with them, from Pegu.  Likewise the ships of the king of Acheen bring pepper to the same ports.

[Footnote 165:  Perhaps we ought to read in the text camphor of Perneo.—­E.]

From San Thome or Bengal, out of the sea of Bara? to Pegu, the voyage is 300 miles, and they go up the river, with the tide of flood in four days to the city of Cosmin, where they discharge their cargoes, and thither the customers of Pegu come and take notes of all the goods of every one, and of their several marks; after which they transport the goods to Pegu to the royal warehouses, where the customs of all the goods are taken.  When the customers have taken charge of the goods, and laden them in barks for conveyance to Pegu, the governor of the city gives licences to the merchants to accompany their goods, when three or four of them club together to hire a bark for their passage to Pegu.  Should any one attempt to give in a wrong note or entry of his goods, for the purpose of stealing any custom,