[6] CHINESE-ENGLISH DICTIONARY _of the Vernacular or Spoken language of Amoy, with the principal variations of the Chang-chew and Chin-chew Dialects_; _by the_ Rev. Carstairs Douglas, M.A., LL.D., Glasg., Missionary of the Presb. Church in England. (Trübner, 1873.) I must note that I have not access to the book itself, but condense these remarks from extracts and abstracts made by a friend at my request. BOOK THIRD. JAPAN, THE ARCHIPELAGO, SOUTHERN INDIA, AND THE COASTS AND ISLANDS OF THE INDIAN SEA [Illustration: The Kaan’s Fleet passing through the Indian Archipelago. “=Fist aparoiller xiv. nés, lesquels avoit chascune iv. arbres, et maintes foies aloient à xii. voiles ... et najérent bién iii. mois, tant k’il vindrent a vne Ysle qui es ver midi ...=”] BOOK III. CHAPTER I. OF THE MERCHANT SHIPS OF MANZI THAT SAIL UPON THE INDIAN SEAS. Having finished our discourse concerning those countries wherewith our Book hath been occupied thus far, we are now about to enter on the subject of INDIA, and to tell you of all the wonders thereof. And first let us speak of the ships in which merchants go to and fro amongst the Isles of India. These ships, you must know, are of fir timber.{1} They have but one deck, though each of them contains some 50 or 60 cabins, wherein the merchants abide greatly at their ease, every man having one to himself. The ship hath but one rudder, but it hath four masts; and sometimes they have two additional masts, which they ship and unship at pleasure.{2} [Moreover the larger of their vessels have some thirteen compartments or severances in the interior, made with planking strongly framed, in case mayhap the ship should spring a leak, either by running on a rock or by the blow of a hungry whale (as shall betide ofttimes, for when the ship in her course by night sends a ripple back alongside of the whale, the creature seeing the foam fancies there is something to eat afloat, and makes a rush forward, whereby it often shall stave in some part of the ship). In such case the water that enters the leak flows to the bilge, which is always kept clear; and the mariners having ascertained where the damage is, empty the cargo from that compartment into those adjoining, for the planking is so well fitted that the water cannot pass from one compartment to another. They then stop the leak and replace the lading.{3}]