As regards the second, the fact urged is true. But even now a straggling
street extends to the river, ending in a large suburb on its banks, and a
famous bridge there crosses the river to the south side where now the
foreign settlements are. There may have been suburbs on that side to
justify the por le mi, or these words may have been a slip; for the
Traveller begins the next chapter - "When you quit Fuju (to go south) you
cross the river."[3]
Touching the question of foreign commerce, I do not see that Mr.
Phillips's negative evidence would be sufficient to establish his point.
But, in fact, the words of the Geog. Text (i.e. the original dictation),
which we have followed, do not (as I now see) necessarily involve any
foreign trade at Fu-chau, the impression of which has been derived mainly
from Ramusio's text. They appear to imply no more than that, through the
vicinity of Zayton, there was a great influx of Indian wares, which were
brought on from the great port by vessels (it may be local junks)
ascending the river Min.[4]
[Illustration: Scene on the Min River, below Fu-chau. (From Fortune.)
"E sachies che por le mi de ceste cite vait un grant fluv qe bien est
large un mil, et en ceste cite se font maintes nes lesquelz najent por cel
flum."]
[Mr. Phillips gives the following itinerary after Unguen:
