Cochin: Palegua. Tone, de balheo, digo bayleo. Goa: Almadia. Almadia, de cangalha.
Author
Jan Huyghen van Linschoten
(Dutch, 1563 - 1611)
Engraver
Joannes Bapista van Doetechum
(Dutch, 1554 - 1606)
Date1595 - 1598
Object number00008710
NameEngraving
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 222 x 320 mm, 0.05 kg
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Cabinet of Discoveries
DescriptionAn engraving titled 'Cochin and Goa' taken from a book by Jan Huyghen van Linschoten called 'Reys-gheschrift vande navigatien der Portugaloysers in Orienten' ('Travel Accounts of Portuguese Navigation in the Orient') first published in 1595.'
The engraving features four different types of canoes and their means of power. Two types of boats are featured from Cochin - 'Palegua' (with paddles) and 'Tone de Baylheo', digo Bayleo' (with cabin and paddles). The two boatws from Goa are 'Almadia' (with sails) and 'Almadia, de Cangalha' (with paddles).
The Latin and Dutch inscription at the bottom of the page, 'Scaphe piscatorie goenfium et Cochinenfium, altere ex folido trunco excavate, altere, e pluribus funibus coagmentate, priores almadias, alteras tones et paleguas vocant, implent et hashydrns aque ecentis, quam ad naves deferents divendant, quarum magnus illic numerus'. 'Schuyten Diemen to Goa, en Cochyn, gebruyckt om te visschen, d'eene wt een hout wtgeholt, dander wt weel struycken, met coorden tsamen, gebonden, d'eerste worden almadias, d'andere tones, en palequas, genaemt, die daer in groot getal zyn, welcken verladen met cruycken vol foet waters daer in gestort, om stort, om schepen te vercoopen' ('Goenfium Cochinenfium and fishing boats, other solid stem from excavate, alter, pieced together from several ropes , almadias first, second and paleguas call tones, hashydrns and fill the water eagerly, rather than to ships deferents divendant, there are a great number.')
HistoryIn 1595 Jan Huyghens wrote 'Reys-gheschrift vande navigatien der Portugaloysers in Orienten' (Travel Accounts of Portuguese Navigation in the Orient). In 1596 he wrote 'Itinerario: Voyage ofte schipvaert van Jan Huyghen van Linschoten naer Oost ofte Portugaels Indien, 1579-1592' (Travel account of the voyage of the sailor Jan Huyghen van Linschoten to the Portuguese East India). An English text edition of the Itinerario was published in London in 1598, titled 'Iohn Huighen van Linschoten his Discours of Voyages into ye Easte & West Indies'. These works enabled the Dutch and English to break the Portuguese grip on trade with the East Indies.
SignificanceJan Huygen van Linschoten’s books, combined in 'Itinerario' revealed much information that had previously only been known to the Portugeuse. Having spent so much time with the Portugeuse colony in Goa, van Linschoten’s work once published, became known as ‘the key to the East'.
