Sonderlinge reysen van Joseph, den geboornen Indiaan; bevattende een aanmerklĳke beschrĳvingh der landen,... (1706) - Page 16

it casts its shadow towards the South; or in Virgo the Virgin, they have the shadow straight again. But in Capricornus the Sea-goat, the shadow falls to the North.

Shipping.

The season changes from the middle of May until the middle of August. During these three months, they will for no reason whatsoever venture out to sea with their ships. Many of these ships in India sail to the West, others to Arabia, some to Persia, to the Pontus Euxinus Black Sea or the Red Sea, to the high Indian Sea as far as the Orient at the Chersonnesus Aurea Golden Peninsula/Malay Peninsula, and also to the end of India, past Cathay, the island of Taprobana Sri Lanka, Faylla, and many others.

Ships, how built.

The ships which they use for their voyages are very large, so that they carry more than twelve sails and have a multitude of copper fasteners. These come from the islands. Others prepare all kinds of sails and rigging from cotton. They build their ships quite sturdy, with iron nails. I relate this here because some claim that they only use wooden nails, about which I have diligently questioned Joseph, who testified to the contrary and also informed me that the Indians equip their keels just as we do ours, which they secure with pitch mixed with incense and other things. When they want to bring their ships into the sea, they are accustomed to harness elephants in front of them, but because many people lost their lives through this, they have abandoned this manner of working and harness so many more men to pull that heavy burden into the sea.

Gold and silver coins.

Three kinds of coins are in circulation among those of Caranganor. Their gold coin they call Zaraph, being in value as much as a ducat. Another of silver bears the name Paran, being worth as much as six shillings by our valuation. Then there is still one more, of about one shilling. All these coins are marked with the King's image and inscription. In their land they have neither gold nor other metals, but it is brought to them from elsewhere, from some mountains, fully three hundred miles from there.