That Sunda,
i.e. Western Java, which the Portuguese regarded as a distinct island,
produced inferior gold of 7 carats, but that pepper was the staple, of
which the annual supply was more than 30,000 cwt. (Ram. I. 318-319; De
Barros, Dec. IV. liv. i. cap. 12.)
[Illustration: Ship of the Middle Ages in the Java Seas. (From Bas-relief
at Boro Bodor.)
"En ceste Ysle vienent grant quantite de nes, e de mercanz qe hi acatent
de maintes mercandies et hi font grant gaagne"]
The circuit ascribed to Java in Pauthier's Text is 5000 miles. Even the
3000 which we take from the Geog. Text is about double the truth; but it
is exactly the same that Odoric and Conti assign. No doubt it was a
tradition among the Arab seamen. They never visited the south coast, and
probably had extravagant ideas of its extension in that direction, as the
Portuguese had for long. Even at the end of the 16th century Linschoten
says: "Its breadth is as yet unknown; some conceiving it to be a part of
the Terra Australis extending from opposite the Cape of Good Hope.
However it is commonly held to be an island" (ch. xx.). And in the old
map republished in the Lisbon De Bairos of 1777, the south side of Java is
marked "Parte incognita de Java," and is without a single name, whilst a
narrow strait runs right across the island (the supposed division of Sunda
from Java Proper).
The history of Java previous to the rise of the Empire of Majapahit, in
the age immediately following our Traveller's voyage, is very obscure. But
there is some evidence of the existence of a powerful dynasty in the
island about this time; and in an inscription of ascertained date (A.D.
1294) the King Uttungadeva claims to have subjected five kings and to be
sovereign of the whole Island of Java (Jawa-dvipa; see Lassen, IV. 482).
It is true that, as our Traveller says, Kublai had not yet attempted the
subjugation of Java, but he did make the attempt almost immediately after
the departure of the Venetians. It was the result of one of his unlucky
embassies to claim the homage of distant states, and turned out as badly
as the attempts against Champa and Japan. His ambassador, a Chinese called
Meng-K'i, was sent back with his face branded like a thief's. A great
armament was assembled in the ports of Fo-kien to avenge this insult; it
started about January, 1293, but did not effect a landing till autumn.
After some temporary success the force was constrained to re-embark with a
loss of 3000 men. The death of Kublai prevented any renewal of the
attempt; and it is mentioned that his successor gave orders for the
re-opening of the Indian trade which the Java war had interrupted.
