THE KINGDOM OF SUNDA

The Portuguese who came to Sunda Kalapa in 1513 considered Java as two islands, whose position was from east to west. It was assumed that the total of the length of the two islands was about one hundred and eighty leagues. But the natives them selves did not divide the land into two islands. They considered the whole length as one island.

Some people affirm that a third part of the island of Java, embracing its western portion, is called Sunda. These people say that God divided this island into two countries, Sunda and Java, from the earliest time. A river called Chi Manuk that means bird river separates these two countries. The large and beautiful trees on each side of the river lean over to each country with the branches on the ground. The people also have a believe that whoever passes the river into the South Sea will be carried off by a violent current and will be unable to return.

The land of Sunda is more mountainous than Java. The soil is very rich. The pepper grown is small grained but heavy and much better than those from Tuban. It has enough tamarinds to load a thousand ships. The country produces pumpkins, sugar, bottle gourds, beans and egg plants. Gold of six carats is also found.

There is rice that Sunda can sell. This country has unlimited vegetables, countless meats, pigs, goats, sheep, and cows in large quantities, it has wines and plentiful supply of fruits.

The kingdom of Sunda is justly governed. Most of the year the King lives in the principal city, Pakuan Pajajaran. It is situated a little towards the interior.

The city has well built houses. The houses are made of poles stuck in the ground. The top is covered with palm leaves. The inside is partitioned into rooms with wooden boards tied with bits of rattan. The King’s house has three hundred and thirty wooden pillars that are five fathoms in height with beautiful timberwork on the top of the pillars. The city is two day’s journey from its chief port, Calapa.

The king is a great sports man and hunter. He has two chief wives from his own kingdom and up to a thousand concubines. He is fond of rich arms, ornamented with gold and inlaid work. His krises are gilt and also his lances. The kingdom descends from father to son, and not from uncle to nephew.

The people of Sunda are very truthful. Those who live along the sea coast get on well with the merchants in the land. They are accustomed to trade. These people often go to Malaca to trade.

The kingdom of Sunda has six good trading ports that have a great traffic, on account of the trade carried on , not only with Java, Sumatera and Malcca, but also with many overseas countries such as Portugal, England, China, Japan, India and the Netherlands. The ships from Malacca and specially India usually bring white cloths such as white sinabaffs, synhavas, pachauelezes, balachos and atobalachos. They also bring enrolados, a kind of wool, and also cotton such as turias, tiricamdies and caydes. When they return to their countries they bring with them rice, pepper, and other goods and articles sold by the people of Sunda.

The ports of the Sunda kingdom are ports of Bantam, Pontang, Chegujde, Tamgara, Calapa and manuk. They are all busy ports except Che Manuk because no junks can anchor there. Calapa besides the busiest ports of all the kingdom has is also a good and beautiful port.