rything is sold by weight. There are some copper and
bronze coins for small change. There is gold and a great deal of
silver. One peso [weight] of gold is worth four pesos of silver,
according to their calculation. For so many pesos of silver so many
of silk are obtained, and so with other things.

56. Everything is sold by weight, even wood and chickens, and all
other things; they are sold very cheaply, for land is very cheap.

57. Wheat and rice are raised abundantly. There are mines of gold,
silver, quicksilver, copper, lead, tin, and all the metals.

58. It takes a week, generally, to make the voyage from Manila to
Chiunchiu [the modern Chwan-Chow-Foo], a distance of about one hundred
and forty leagues. It is said that the journey has been made in fair
weather in six days, and has never required more than ten.

59. These people never travel by water except during the months of
the bonancas, which I have explained. Their ships cannot stand the
wind astern, because both bow and stern have the same form and are
flat, like a square table; they are so made in order that either end
can be used. They navigate always, in either direction, by means of
side-winds. These vessels rock to and fro, like cradles with oars.

60. The sails of their ships are made of bamboo, like matting. They
do not use a yard on the mast, but raise the mainsail on the mast
fastened to a pole as an infantry flag is placed on a pike; and the
sheets hang down from the other side with which the sail is turned to
this or that side, according to the direction of the wind. The sail is
half the width of the ship, and the mast is large and high. The sail
is raised by means of a windlass, which contrivance is used also for a
capstan. The rigging is made of reeds and grass, which grow wild. The
mast is stepped about two-thirds of the length of the ship nearer the
prow, in order that the ship may pitch forward. The foremast is not
stationary, being moved to port or starboard, according to the weather
or other requirements. The sheets are worked in the same way. The
compass is divided for fewer directions than ours. They also use
stern-masts as mizzen-masts, which, like that at the bow, are changed
from one side to the other, so that they do not need quadrants. They
go from one side to the other with the wind which helps them. They
use two oars at the bow to turn the ship, and two others at the stern
that assist the sailing. The compass consists of a small