Materials for the Medieval History of Indonesia

Java1512.Duarte.Barbosa.

Report of Duarte Barbosa on Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Timor. Description of Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Timor after the Majapahit era, by Duarte Barbosa who was on a voyage to the coasts of the Indian ocean, starting from East Africa to the Indonesian archipelago in the service of the king of Portugal; he will have reached Java in about 1512; the last dated entry comes from 1513; the book was published in 1518. Barbosa later took part in the voyage of Magellan in which he was killed.
Reports on religion and lordship, economy, trading and local customs.
Duarte Barbosa, pp. 195-99.

{195} ISLAND OF SAMATRA.

Having passed these islands near the Cape of Malaca, / {196} about twenty leagues to the south there is a large and very beautiful island which is called Samatara,(1) which has in circumference seven hundred leagues reckoned by the Moors, who have sailed all round it: and it has many seaports and kingdoms of Moors and Gentiles. The Moors live in the seaports, and the Gentiles in the interior of the country. The principal kingdom of the Moors is called Pedir.(2) Much very good pepper grows in it, which is not so strong or so fine as that of Malabar. Much silk is also grown there, but not so good as the silk of China. Another kingdom is called Birahem,(3) and another Paser,(4) and another Campar,(5) another Andraguide,(6) another Manancabo,(7) where much fine gold is collected, which is taken thence to Malacca, most of it in dust; and another kingdom called Haru, of Gentiles, who eat human flesh, and any person whom they can catch, they eat him without any mercy. And it also contains many other kingdoms of Gentiles in the interior of the country. In some parts of this island there grows much benjuy, pepper, and long pepper, camphor, and some ginger, and wax. Many ships sail to this island for these goods. Cloths and goods from Cambay are worth a good deal in it, and so also coral, quicksilver, rose-water, dried fish from Maldiu. These Moors are very disloyal, and often kill their kings and set up others who are more powerful. The King of Portugal has a fortress in this island, and trade. And having passed Samatara towards Java there is the island of Sunda(8) in which there is much good pepper, and it has a king over it, who, they say, desires to serve the King of Portugal. They ship thence many slaves for China. /

{197} JAVA MAJOR.

Further on than this said island towards the western quarter and the south there are many islands small and great, amongst which there is one very large which they call Java the Great;(9) it is one hundred and twenty leagues distant from the Cape of Malaca to the south south east, and it is inhabited by many Gentiles and Moors. And in its seaports there are many towns and villages and large settlements of Moors, with Moorish kings. But they are all obedient to the king of the island, who is a Gentile, and lives in the interior of the country, and is a great lord called Patevdara,(10) and sometimes some rebel against him, and afterwards he again subjugates them. Some of these Moorish rulers and inhabitants of Java desire to serve the King of Portugal, and others are ill affected towards him. They say that this island is the most abundant country in the world. There is in it much good rice, and various meats of all kinds, domestic and wild, they make in this place much dried and salted flesh for many parts. There grows in this island pepper, cinnamon, ginger, bamboos, cubebs, and gold. Its inhabitants are short and stout in stature with broad faces. Most of them go bare from the waist upwards, others wear silk clothes down to the middle of the thigh, and their beards thin; the hair shaven on the top and curled upwards, they wear nothing on their heads, and say that nothing must be on their heads, nor anything whatever, and if any person were to put his hand upon. their head they would kill him: and they do not build houses with stories, in order that they may not walk over each other's heads. They are very proud / {198} men, liars and treacherous; very ingenious as carpenters and masons, and very good artillerymen. They make in this country many guns and long muskets, and many other fireworks. And in all other parts they are much esteemed for this and as artillerymen. They have got many ships and great navigation, and many rowing galleys. They are great corsairs and mariners, and they make many kinds of arms of good temper and of good steel, wrought with very pretty inlaid work of gold and ivory: they are great sorcerers and necromancers, and they make arms in certain places and hours, and they say that those cannot die by steel who wear them, and that they kill by drawing blood: and others of which they say that those who bear them cannot be conquered. And they say that there are arms which they employ eight or ten years to complete, watching for places, hours and minutes, disposed for these effects : and the kings prize and take great care of these. They are great sportsmen and hunters, they have plenty of horses and many good hunting dogs, and birds of prey for the chase. When they go to hunt they take their wives with them in handsome carts with canopies and curtains; and the kings and great lords also go in those carts, which are drawn by horses when they go hunting. The ladies are white and very pretty in figure and of pleasing countenances though rather long; they sing well, are polished in manner, and are very industrious workwomen.

JAVA MINOR.

Further out to sea five leagues to the east of the said island of Java Major is another island also very well supplied with provisions of all kinds, inhabited by Gentiles, with a Gentile king, and a language of its own. A few Moors subjects of the Gentile king live in the seaports. This island is called amongst them Sumbava, and the Moors, Arabs, and Persians call it Java Minor.(11) And after passing the said island there / {199} is another small island called Oçare, and a fire always burns in the centre of it. They go much on horseback and are hunters, and the women take much care of the Rocks.

TIMOR.

Having passed these islands of Java Major and Minor, forty-two leagues distant from Java Minor to the east south. east there are many other islands great and small, inhabited by Gentiles and by a few Moors, amongst which there is an island called Timor; which has a Gentile king, and a language of its own. Much white sandal grows there, and those who go for it carry as goods to this island iron hatchets, large and small, knives and swords, stuffs from Cambay and Palecate, porcelain, small beads of all kinds, tin, quicksilver and lead. They also ship in this island honey, wax, slaves, and some silver which is found in these islands.

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(1) Sumatra.
(2) Pedir in Ortelius.
(3) Biraen in Ortelius.
(4) Pasem, Pazer in Ortelius.
(5) Camper in Ortelius.
(6) Amdaragui in Ortelius.
(7) Menancabo in Ortelius.
(8) The Western part of Java.
(9) Java.
(10) Palevdora, Pateudru in other ms.
(11) Bali.

first adaptation 06.10.2009 Jürgen Sarnowsky / revised 06.10.2009 /
first draft, not proofread /