In Short, Ships Are Under A
Necessity Of Wasting Much Time In Refitting, And Many Other Causes Of
Delay.
Soliman[6] the merchant, writes, that at Canfu, which is a principal
staple of merchants, there is a Mahomedan judge appointed by the emperor of
China, who is authorized to judge in every cause which arises among the
Mahomedans who resort to these parts.
Upon festival days he performs the
public services of religion to the Mahomedans, and pronounces the usual
sermon or Kotbat, which he concludes with the usual form of prayers for
the sultan of the Moslems. The merchants of Irak or Persia, who trade to
Canfu, are no way dissatisfied with the conduct of this judge in the
administration of his office, because his decisions are just and equitable,
and conformable to the Koran.
Respecting the places whence ships depart and those they touch at, many
persons affirm that the navigation is performed in the following order:
Most of the Chinese ships take in their cargoes at Siraff[7], where also
they ship their goods which come from Basra, Oman, and other ports; and
this is done because there are frequent storms and many shallows in those
seas. From Basra to Siraff is an hundred and twenty leagues; and when ships
have loaded at this latter place they take in water there also. From thence
they sail to a place called Mascat, in the extremity of the province of
Oman, which is about two hundred leagues from Siraff.
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