Travels in India (Tavernier) 96.7

96.7

But concerning this navigation and commerce between America and the Philippine Islands, it should be remarked that the Americans having arrived at these islands, the people of Bengal Arakan, Pegu, Goa, and other places, carry thither all sorts of cloths, and a quantity of worked stones, as diamonds and rubies, with many manufactured articles of gold and silver, silken stuffs and Persian carpets. But it should be added that they are unable to sell anything directly to these Americans, but only to those who reside in the Manillas, and that they resell them again when the former have left. Similarly, if any one obtained permission to return from Goa to Spain by the Southern Sea he would be obliged to pay 80 or 100 per cent for transmitting money as far as the Philippines, without being allowed to buy anything, and to do the same from the Philippines as far as New Spain. This it is then which was done with the emeralds before the West Indies were discovered, for they only came to Europe by this long way and tedious journey. All that were not fine remained in this country, and all those that were passed on into Europe.