ABSTRACT
LEAVING these islands which no man can number and the names whereof we know not, some inhabited and some lying waste, I turn to the coast which goes from Malaca towards the Chins 1 [of which I myself know nothing but have enquired from trustworthy Moors and Heathen who have told me that there were four uninhabited islands; and through them I have only learned that] after passing by the Kingdom of .Ansiam and many others there is the Kingdom of China, which they say is a very great country ruling the main and the sea-coast and inhabited by Heathen. The King thereof is a Heathen and gives great worship to Idols; he dwells ever in the inland region and holds many great and fair cities. No strangers may enter the inland country, but they may trade is the seaports; their [chief] trade is in the islands.
