Farther north than the aforesaid islands are others, the nearest to Luzon being called Xipon [S:  Japan].  We have not seen this island, and what I shall say about it has been related to us by the Moros who carry on trade with that land.  It is said that the island possesses silver mines, and that silks and other necessary articles from China are purchased with the silver; for all the people, both men and women, are well clad and shod.  And because of being so near China, they have acquired the civilization of that country.  These people manufacture very good cutlasses, which they call legues.  These have single or double hilts, are very sharp, and are curved like Turkish cutlasses.  On the side without any edge, they are about half as thick as the finger, but the edge is very sharp.  It is said that Theatin religious have gone thither from Portugal; but I do not know the result of their mission.  The Portuguese tell me that the natives of that land are considered very warlike.  The women are virtuous, modest, and very jealous of the men [a very rare thing for these regions].  They [S:  the men] shave or pluck out the hair from their heads.

A little to the east between these islands and China are the islands of Lequios.  They are said to be rich; but we have been unable to learn much about them, for I have not seen any one who has been there.  For this reason I conclude that they must be small, and that the people are not much given to commerce.

Likewise immediately north is the mainland called China.  This is a vast country—­so much so that, as we are assured, it extends as far as Tartary; for merchants who have traded there say that the two nations are at war with each other.  The Chinese are highly civilized.  They work iron with tools.  I have seen iron inlaid with gold and silver, as cunningly and skilfully wrought as they could be in any part of the world.  In like manner they work in wood and all other materials.  The Portuguese say that the Chinese are good people—­that they possess somewhat of the light of the world, but they see it with only one eye.  They make gold into threads as is done in Milan, and weave raised designs of it on damasks and other silken fabrics.  They possess all kinds of weapons that we have.  Their artillery, judging it by some culverins I have seen that came from China, is of excellent [S:  better] quality and better cast than ours.  They have also a form of government; but they do not elect a governor (or captain, as they call him) unless he is a great astrologer and has first foretold the weather, future events, and the true outcome of things; so that he may be able to provide for future necessities.  In each city and province there is an armed garrison.  The people dress well; they wear beards and are as white as ourselves.  The women are very beautiful, except that they all have small eyes.  They wear long shirts and robes, reaching to the ground.  They dye and dress their hair carefully, and it is