Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.9010

c10.9010

In the year 1409, the imperial envoy Cheng Ho brought an order from the emperor and gave to the chief two silver seals, . . . he erected a stone and raised the place to a city, after which the land was called the Kingdom of Malacca (Moa-la-ka). . . . Tin is found in the mountains . . . it is cast into small blocks weighing 1 catti 8 taels . . . ten pieces are bound together with rattan and form a small bundle, whilst 40 pieces make a large bundle. In all their trading . . . they use these pieces of tin instead of money.”—Chinese Annals, in Groenveldt, p. 123.