Chau Ju-Kua - University of Oregon Libraries

INTRODUCTION. 3
choose one of the more important traders as head-man (^ "^) who, with an
assistant head-man— (g|J ^ ^), manages various matters. The Superinten-
dent of Merchant Shipping (at Canton) gives them a certificate (:^ |E) per-
mitting them to use the light bamboo for the punishing of their followers.
5 When one (of the company) dies, they (i. e., the head-men) make an inventory
of his property.
((Traders say that it is only when the vessel is large and the number
of men considerable that they dare put to sea, for over-seas (y^ ^\>) there are
numerous robbers, and they plunder, moreover, those who are not bound for
10 their (the robbers') country. For instance, if a ship be bound for Chan-ch'ong
and by chance get off her course and enter Chon-la, both ship and cargo are
confiscated and the men are bound and sold, (the robbers and the people of
the place) saying: (dt was not your purpose to visit this place»^.
((In foreign lands, though there may be no tax on commerce, there is
15 an insatiable demand for presents. No matter whether the cargo is large or
small, the same demands are made; consequently small ships are not profit-
able. Sea-going ships are several tens of c/j'awi; in breadth and depth ('^ yf^).
The traders divide the space by lot among themselves and store their
goods therein. (Each) man gets several feet (of space for storing his goods)
20 and at night he sleeps on top of them.
((The greate;r part of the cargo consists of pottery ([^ ^), the small
pieces packed in the larger, till there is not a crevice left.