From China to India Summary and Analysis

India is in the center, lower half of the map on pages 348 and 349. The "Indian Ocean" borders south India on both pages. Merchants who trade with India travel in wooden ships made of spruce and fir with four masts and a deck of sixty or more cabins. Hulls are double-planked, caulked and fastened with iron nails. Big ships have watertight hull sections that close off to protect cargo if the hull is damaged. Lime and hemp is used with oil as pitch to daub on the ship. Ships crews are between 150 and 300 men to carry 6,000 baskets of pepper. Two or three smaller craft manned by up to 100 seamen tend to the larger craft and tow them when needed. Ships are repaired with a layer of wood and fresh caulk every year for six years before...