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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
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Citation Information
CHAP. LXXXII. THE CITY AND HAVEN OF ZAYTON
24!
Franciscan church built by ANDRÉ DE PÉROUSE outside the city of Zaitun : " The heathen of Changchow," says Ricci, " found buried in a neighbouring hill called Saysou another cross of a most beautiful form cut out of a single block of stone, which I had the pleasure of placing in my church in that city. The heathen were alike ignorant of the time when it was made and how it came to be buried there."—H. C.]
Whether the application by foreigners of the term Zayton, niay, by some possible change in trade arrangements in the quarter-actury after Polo's departure from China, have undergone a transfer, is a question which it would be vain to answer positively without further evidence. But as regards Polo's Zayton, I continue in the belief that this was T'swan-chau and its haven, with the admission that this haven may probably have embraced that great basin called Amoy Ilarbour, or part of it.*
[Besides the two papers I have already mentioned, the late Mr. Phillips has published, since the last edition of Marco Polo, in the T'oung-Pao, VI. and VII.: Two Mediceval Fuh-kien Trading Ports : Cküan-chow and Chang chow. He has certainly given many proofs of the importance of Chang-chau at the time of the Mongol Dynasty, and one might well hesitate (I know it was also the feeling of Sir Henry Yule at the end of his life) between this city and T'swan-chau, but the weak point of his controversy is his theory about Fu-chau. However, Mr. George Phillips, who died in TR96, gathered much valuable material, of which we have made use ; it is only fair to pay this tribute to the memory of this learned consul.—H. C.]
Martini (circa 1650) describes T'swan-chau as delightfully situated on a promontory between two branches of the estuary which forms the harbour, and these so deep that the largest ships could come up to the walls on either side. A great suburb, Loyang, lay beyond the northern water, connected with the city by the most celebrated bridge in China. Collinson's Chart in some points below the town gives only it fathom for the present depth, but Dr. Douglas tells me he has even now occasionally seen large junks come close to the city.
Chinchew, though now occasionally visited by missionaries and others, is not a Treaty port, and we have not a great deal of information about its modern state. It is the head-quarters of the T'i-tuh, or general commanding the troops in Fo-kien. The walls have a circuit of 7 or 8 miles, but embracing much vacant ground. The chief exports now are tea and sugar, which are largely grown in the vicinity, tobacco, china-ware, nankeens, etc. There are still to be seen (as I learn from Mr. Phillips) the ruins of a fine mosque, said to have been founded by the Arab traders who resorted thither. The English Presbyterian Church Mission has had a chapel in the city for about ten years.
'Layton, we have seen from Ibn Batuta's report, was famed for rich satins called Zaitúníah. I have suggested in another work (Cathay, p. 486) that this may be
the origin of our word Satin, through the Zettani of mediæval Italian (or Aceytuni
of medival Spanish). And I am more strongly disposed to support this, seeing that Francisque-Michel, in considering the origin of Satin, hesitates between Satalin
from Satalia in Asia Minor and Soudanin from the Soudan or Sultan ; neither half so probable as Zaituni. I may add that in a French list of charges of 1352
we find the intermediate form Zatony. Satin in the modern form occurs in
Chaucer :--
~
„ In Surrie whilom dwelt a compagnie
Of chapmen rich, and therto sad and trewe, That widë where senten their spicerie, Clothes of gold, and satins riche of hewe."
—Man of Lawe's Tale, st. 6.
[Hatzfeld (Dict.) derives satin from the Italian setino ; and setino from SETA, pig's hair, and gives the following example : " Deux aunes et un quartier de satin
* Dr. Douglas assures me that the cut at p. 245 is an excellent view of the entrance to the S. channel of the Chang-chau River, though I derived it from a professed view of the mouth of tht Chinchew River. I find he is quite right ; see List oflllustra/ions.
VOL. H. Q
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