Each
Merchant Generally Carried With Him Silver And Goods To The Value Of 25,000
Gold Ducats; The Expence Of
The whole journey was from 300 to 350 ducats.
The other travellers of the fourteenth century, from whom we derive
Any
information respecting Eastern geography and commerce, are Haitho, Oderic,
and Sir John Mandeville; they add little, however, to the full and accurate
details of Marco Polo, on which we can depend.
Haitho's work, comprehends the geography of the principal states of Asia;
his information was derived from Mogul writings, the relation of Haitho I.
king of Armenia, who had been at the head quarters of Mangu Khan, and from
his own personal knowledge.
Oderic is the first missionary upon record in India; the date of his
journey is 1334; among much that is marvellous, his relations contain some
extraordinary truths. He went, in company with other monks, as far as
China. There is little new or valuable till he reaches the coast of
Malabar: of the pepper trade on this coast he gives a clear and rational
account. He next describes Sumatra and the adjacent islands, and mentions
the sago tree. Respecting China, he informs us, among other things which
are fabulous, that persons of high rank keep their nails extremely long,
and that the feet of the women are very small. He expresses great surprise
and admiration at the wealth of the cities through which he passed on his
return from Zartan to Pekin. Tartary and Thibet were visited by him, after
leaving China; he mentions the high price of the rhubarb of the former
country and the Dalai Lama of Thibet. In his voyages in India he sailed on
board a vessel which carried 700 people, - a confirmation, as Dr. Vincent
observes, of the account we have from the time of Agatharcides down to the
sixteenth century, - which sailed from Guzerat and traversed the Indian
Ocean.
Sir John Mandeville, an Englishman, in order to gratify his desire of
seeing distant and foreign countries, served as a volunteer under the
Sultan of Egypt and the Grand Khan of Cathai. He travelled through Turkey,
Armenia, Egypt, Africa, Syria, Arabia, Persia, Chaldea, Ethiopia, Tartary,
India, and China. There is, however, little information in his travels on
our present subject. He represents the Venetians as not only trading
regularly to Ormus, but sometimes even penetrating as for as Cambalu.
Famagusta, in Cyprus, according to him, was one of the most commercial
places in the world, the resort of merchants of all nations, Christians and
Mahomedans.
Some curious and interesting particulars on the subject of Oriental
commerce are scattered in the travels of Clavigo, who formed part of an
embassy sent by Henry III. of Castile to Tamerlane, in 1403. Clavigo
returned to Spain in 1406. He passed through Constantinople, which he
represents as not one-third inhabited, up the Black Sea to Trebizond. Hence
he traversed Armenia, the north of Persia, and Khorasan. Tauris, according
to him, enjoyed a lucrative commerce: in its warehouses were an abundance
of pearls, silk, cotton goods, and perfumed oils. Sultania also was a great
mart for Indian commodities. Every year, between June and August, caravans
arrived at this place. Cotton goods of all colours, and cotton yarn were
brought from Khorasan; pearls and precious stones from Ormus; but the
principal lading of the caravans consisted of spices of various kinds: at
Sultania these were always found in great abundance, and of the best
quality. From Tauris to Samarcand there were regular stations, at which
horses were always ready to convey the orders of the khan or travellers. We
are indebted to Clavigo for the first information of this new route of the
commerce between India and Europe, by Sultania: it is supposed to have been
adopted on the destruction of Bagdat by the Moguls; but we learn from other
travellers that, towards the end of the fifteenth century, Sultania was
remarkable for nothing besides the minarets of a mosque, which were made of
metal, and displayed great taste and delicacy of workmanship.
Tamerlane lived in excessive magnificence and luxury at Samarcand; hither
he had brought all his captives, who were expert in any kind of
manufacture, especially in the silks of Damascus, and the sword cutlery of
Turkey. To this city the Russians and Tartars brought leather, hides, furs,
and cloth: silk goods, musk, pearls, precious stones, and rhubarb, were
brought from China, or Cathay. Six months were occupied in bringing
merchandize from Cambalu, the capital of Cathai, to Samarcand; two of these
were spent in the deserts. Samarcand had also a trade with India, from
which were received mace and other fine spices. Clavigo remarks, that such
spices were never brought to Alexandria.
Schildeberger, a native of Munich, was taken prisoner by the Turks in 1394:
he afterwards accompanied Tamerlane in his campaigns till the year 1406.
During this period, and his subsequent connexion with other Tartar chiefs,
he visited various parts of central Asia. But as he had not an opportunity
of writing down at the time what he saw and learnt, his narrative is
neither full, nor altogether to be depended upon for its accuracy. He was,
besides, illiterate, And therefore it is often extremely difficult to
ascertain, from his orthography, what places he actually means to name or
describe. With all these drawbacks and imperfections, however, there are a
few points on which he gives credible and curious information. He
particularizes the silk of Strana, and of Schirevan; and adds, that from
the last the raw silk is sent to Damascus, and there manufactured into the
stuffs or damasks, for which it was already so celebrated. Fine silk was
produced at Bursa, and exported to Venice and Lucca, for the manufacture of
velvet. It ought to be mentioned, that he takes no notice of Saray and
Astrakan, the latter of which was taken and destroyed by Tamerlane, in
1395. The wild asses in the mountainous deserts, and the dogs which were
harnessed to sledges, are particularly mentioned by this traveller.
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