Chapter 1

Firstly, there is a headland west of Aceh that the sailors call West and which the natives call Panchor. It is approximately five leagues from this headland to the bar of Aceh, although the map shows it to be further than that. Eastward from this headland is the coast of Aceh as far as the bar that the sailors call East. And this headland is located at approximately five degrees north of the equator. Moving past the said headland towards the west on this side of the island of Sumatra is another point called the Sumatra headland, which is the head- land on the opposite coast. The distance between the two points is about ten leagues. Between them are villages and streams which will be discussed in the following chapter. 

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Chapter 2: Regarding the Settlements and Streams Found Between the Headland of Aceh and the Headland at the Western End of Sumatra

One and a half leagues to the west of the headland of Aceh is a small bay called Talacuna where the fishermen from Aceh go to fish. At the bay there are around ten houses. It is impossible to anchor there because of the many rocks. Heading west from that bay is a headland called Ayer Tawar where there are gardens and palm groves and as many as fifty houses

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[101v] and a sentry for people traveling on foot. It has springs where water can be taken on at high tide. Three leagues westward from the point of Ayer Tawar is a small stream called Daya where no vessel can enter due to the numerous rocks that are found on the bar. It has a population of 600 households and contains many gardens. And from the headland of Ayer Tawar to Daya there is a distance of three leagues. And on any part of this coast ships can anchor. Four leagues to the west is located the headland of Sumatra where there are also several streams and gardens and houses. One can sail to the city of Aceh from all of the cities mentioned in this chapter. And from the other side of the said headland of Sumatra begins the opposite coast where there are numerous settlements, rivers and islands; for example, Barus, Pariaman and many other similar settlements from where it is possible to sail to Aceh.

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Chapter 3

At the tip of the aforementioned headland of Aceh, a harquebus’ shot from the sea, there is a mansion that functions as a fortress. It has a few rooms and houses a garrison of forty guards who send signals to the city of Aceh when ships come to port, as follows: if they see from a ship’s signals that she comes in peace, they fire two salvos and the fortress on the bar responds 

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[102r] with another two. And if a ship comes with hostile intentions or cannot be identi- fied as one of their own, they fire four shots and the fortress on the bar responds with another four; the residents of the city then take up arms and rush to the bar. And only at the headland where the aforementioned rooms are located are there houses where the guards stay. It is impossible to land between the sea and that headland, nor can people go there. And the whole coast along that point is high and steep until it descends to the flats. And roads lead from there to the city of Aceh. Between the headland of Aceh and the open sea is a small island called Pulau Chichen which measures about half a league in circumference; this island is about a fourth of a league from the headland. And between the two points pass small ships hailing from Java, Minangkabau, Barus, Daya and other villages from the opposite coast and from some islands that are located in the western part of the sea; they say there is one island whose ruler has ten bahars of gold. And at high tide or ebb tide, the water runs with such force between the aforementioned headland and the island that no ship can pass there. And if a ship does pass through where the current runs, she will necessarily pass by this island, because the headland creates a whirlpool in the inlet that is so big that a ship would run the risk of getting stuck in it.

And between the island of Pulau Chichen and the open sea is another island called

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[102v] Pulau Nasi, which will be discussed below. And between these two islands there is a distance of about half a league; there is a wide open- ing between them through which large ships may pass, especially those from Mecca, Khambhat and Dabhol when they are pushed off course towards that side by the winds and currents. And ships do not enter there except during the day and at high tide because of the rocks in the center of the opening near the island of Pulau Nasai. And they steer from this opening, and in order to maneuver properly through it and reach the bar of Aceh, ships should head east-south-east; this way, because of these rocks, they should arrive closer to the aforementioned island of Pulau Chichen.

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Chapter 4

Half a league to the east from the headland of Aceh there is a small island called Pulau Ruesa. And from this island it is about a camelete shot away. On the island are two houses and a little spring water. And at night the people that keep watch on this island are the same ones who keep watch on the island of Aceh, as is recorded in Chapter 3.

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Chapter 5

Roughly one league from the headland of Aceh, which is on the western part, there is another small island which lies towards the bar, called by the Acehnese Pulau Angkasa. And this island is half a league from Pulau Ruesa. On the island of Pulau Angkasa 

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[103r] there is a Muslim pilgrimage house, which is continually guarded by six or seven Acehnese men. There is also a small amount of spring water that they use for drinking and washing, and palm groves. From this island of Pulau Angkasa to the mainland there is beach for the approximate distance of a camelete shot. And between this island and the mainland you can anchor with your galleys and foists because there is more than four fathoms of water, at both low and high tides. And there is sand from this beach to the bar of Aceh where one can always land on any section of the beach. The soldiers should land in small boats so they do not get wet, because it is best for them to hit the ground with both their persons and their powder dry. And when the waves are big, they will have to land between the island of Pulau Angkasa and the mainland.

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Chapter 6

Next, one league separates the headland of Aceh from the island of Pulau Angkasa, as mentioned above. And the fleet can anchor between the headland of Aceh and the island at a distance of more than half a league eastwards from the headland of Aceh and the mainland there, as well as from the island of Pulau Ruesa, taking shelter there in westerly winds, because easterly winds will drag the fleet onto the coast. And they must also take care to not throw anchor near the 

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[103v] headland of Aceh, but rather half a league from it, because when the current runs in or out it creates a big whirlpool near the place where the water runs, and any ship in that vicinity would be in danger. And they must also keep from anchoring at the headland, or in the inlet close to land, or at the island of Pulau Ruesa, because of the many rocks.

Between the island of Pulau Angkasa and the headland of Aceh the water is more than four fathoms deep. Further seaward the depth is greater, up to fifteen and twenty fathoms, and since there are rocks below the surface, one must be careful not to cut the cables. And note that not only is the water fifteen fathoms deep or more further seaward between the aforementioned headland of Aceh and the island of Pulau Angkasa, but also between that headland and the opposite bar of Aceh. Further seaward there are fifteen fathoms and more, and towards the mainland there are three to four fathoms of good bottom for anchoring. And from there seaward the depth increases to fifteen and more

fathoms, all good for anchoring. And the moorings need to be secure because of the strong currents and the north-western winds and the winds that come from that side. On the sea side, the island of Pulau Angkasa is shaped like an arc, and on the land side it is straight. It is of average elevation and thus can protect ships that anchor next to it, except from easterly winds, which are very dangerous

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[104r] on that coast. And any kind of ship can receive protection between the island and the coast, provided they are galleons, galleys or foists. Seaward from this island there is another island called Pulau Nasi, mentioned in Chapter 3, where timber is obtained for houses and stone for the graves of the Muslims. The island of Pulau Nasi lies three long leagues on a north to south line from Pulau Angkasa. And there is nowhere to anchor next to Pulau Nasi except when heading towards the wide opening which was mentioned in Chapter 3. Indeed, in front of this wide opening there are places to anchor on both sides where ships that are waiting to enter throw anchor because of the tides; if they don’t, they will drift towards the wide opening, as was treated in the said chapter.

This island of Pulau Nasi must be three leagues in circumference. And from there roughly a half a league to the east there is another island called Pulau Weh, which is the Island of the Exiles. And because this island is located on a nearly north to south line with the bar of Aceh, it is impossible to miss the bar of Aceh. And from this island it is about three and a half leagues to the island of Pulau Angkasa; they are almost exactly north-east and south-west of each other. This island of Pulau Weh has almost the same circumference as Pulau Nasi. And it is inhabited by exiles. And it has areca, palms, betel, bananas, water and yams.

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[104v] And a few prows go there from Aceh to buy and sell. And there is no sure place to anchor close to the island, but there well could be one on the south side. However, anchoring the ships in the north-western winds that come from overtop the island may cause all the people on board to take ill with fever. And from the western point, which runs from the bar to the point of Aceh, there are no more islands apart from the ones already mentioned. There is also a black rock that the locals call Pulau Buro; it is visible at the surface of the water at high and low tides where the waves are constantly breaking; as one approaches the bar of Aceh to make a landing there, this rock is on the side towards the Island of the Exiles. If you are anchored in the bar, you will see this rock to the north. There are also anchorages at a distance from these islands, as will be discussed in Chapter 9. And there no more islands from this point to the bar except for those that make up Pulau Gomes, which lie six or seven leagues from to the north of the bar. They have timber but are uninhabited.

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Chapter 7

From the island of Pulau Angkasa to the sea you can anchor but with great dif- ficulty because of the strong currents and northerly and other winds that come from the north-east,

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[105r] and there is no shelter whatsoever.

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Chapter 8

No sea-going vessel will be able to maneuver between these islands, even though they look distant from each other, for there is a high risk of a ship being lost because of the many rocks there except for the aforementioned open- ing between Pulau Nasi and Pulau Chichen, which are opposite the headland of Aceh.

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Chapter 9

It is further written that from the headland of Aceh to island of Pulau Angkasa and from the latter island to the bar of Aceh, and from the bar two leagues to the east, all is good anchorage, the closer to land the better. And if the ships are not tied fast they will be driven onto the coast by the northwesterly winds, which blow most frequently on this coast. The northerly, north-easterly, easterly, and westerly winds can also be dangerous on occasion, but not as much as the north-westerlies. And the further ships anchor to seaward, the stronger the currents and heavier the seas. And this is why they say that galleons, galleys and frigates can anchor with protection from the north-westerly and westerly winds between Pulau Angkasa and the coast, as well as on the seaside of the same island in the manner described above. They can also anchor between the Island of the Exiles and Pulau Nasi at a remove from the island 

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[105v] both towards the land side and towards the open sea.

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Chapter 10

It is also said that there are thunderstorms and downpours on this coast, though they are not as frequent or dangerous as our people seem to think. Most of them come over land. And May’s moon is very dangerous because it marks the beginning of winter. And in the month of June there is so much runoff from the heavy rain in the mountains that the Madre River overflows its banks and floods the entire city; the water can be as deep as two or three spans30 and last for two or three days. And during the month of September there are more floods, similar to this one, because it is winter during those times.

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Chapter 11

It is also said that from the point of Aceh as far as the island of Pulau Angkasa there is sandy beach with good roads. And towards the interior there are gardens, palm groves, rice paddies and a few other things, but no river blocks the way and there are roads that lead to the city. The main road begins at the beach of Pulau Angkasa and runs straight inland from the island. This road is well travelled and is well known by the Moros, who make a pilgrimage to the house that is located on this island, which is half a day’s walk to the village. The city of Aceh is approximately three leagues away following this road, which is lined with houses and 

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[106r] gardens. And the village called Meurasa is situated at about the midpoint along the road to the city of Aceh. And no rivers cross the road, except for two streams; one of them, called Indragiri, is about a span deep where it crosses the road. And past the village of Meurasa there is another stream called Kuala Sabang which is more or less two and a half spans deep at this point. And everyone who makes this pilgrimage crosses this stream on foot at low tide, just as they cross the Indragiri. These streams are roughly a league apart. If the people from the fleet land on the beach directly across from the island of Pulau Angkasa and take this road, they will be heading directly towards the village of Meurasa and will necessarily pass right through it. And they will proceed from there to the city, as discussed below in Chapter 17. And note that whenever anyone comes over to the mainland from the island of Pulau Angkasa near the river called Kuala Sabang, no matter which road they find themselves on, they should always look for this vil- lage called Meurasa. And from there they should make their way to the city of Aceh. And good landing-places are found all along the beach, from which there are roads leading to the village of Meurasa, but if there are no waves or winds, the best place to land is between the two streams called Indragiri and Kuala Sabang. And if there are strong winds and waves they should land between the island of Pulau Angkasa and the mainland.

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[106v]

Chapter 12

Furthermore, it is about a league from the beach opposite the island of Pulau Angkasa to the river called Indragiri, which is located on the beach of Aceh. And this stream is less than a stone’s throw wide. And close to it, about a crossbow shot upstream, there is a trench that is now very old; once used to store artillery, it is now empty. There are also gardens and houses and rice paddies. And up and down the beach there are roads that originate near this stream that lead to the road to Meurasa, which, as has already been mentioned, leads from the island of Pula Angkasa to the city of Aceh. And there are roads from this island that meander through the gardens and rice paddies, and from these gardens one can reach the main road that runs from the island of Pulau Angkasa to the city of Aceh, so that this entire beach is good for landing, as stated earlier, because from any point one can find the road that leads to the village of Meurasa and the city of Aceh. And they say that the entire beach is good for landing when the winds are not blowing from the sea on the northern side because these winds cause rough seas. And it is essential to land on the beach between the island of Pulau Angkasa and the mainland as has already been stated.

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Chapter 13

Furthermore, from the stream called Indragiri, foists will be able to enter

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[107r] another larger stream, called Kuala Sabang, and head upstream to the village of Meurasa. Both of these are less than one and a half leagues from the bar of Aceh. Kuala Sabang is a good stone’s throw wide and its waters run swiftly. Though it cannot be crossed on foot next to the sea, even when the tide is out, Kuala Sabang can be crossed on foot at low tide in other places, as was mentioned above, at a distance of one league from the sea. And between these two streams, near the beach and moving inland, there are palm trees and rice paddies. And from any point on the beach near the stream, and on either side of it, there are roads that lead to the village of Meurasa, in the same way that was stated above regarding the stream and beach of Indragiri. And the beach of this stream of Kuala Sabang is more than two and a half leagues from the village of Meurasa. And it should be noted that after landing, food and artillery and other things can be transported to the village of Meurasa in foists on this river at high tide when the current is swift. Also, when there are no winds that make rough seas between these two streams, it is the best of all landing-places.

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Chapter 14

Furthermore, it is more than a league and a half from this stream of Kuala Sabang to the bar of Aceh, which is also good beach. And in the interior there are

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[107v] palm tree groves and gardens and rice paddies. And there are roads, though muddy, heading to the city of Aceh. And the closer one gets to the bar from the beach near the Kuala Sabang, the further one is from the village of Meurasa, but not all that far, as was mentioned above regarding the other beaches. And following the Kuala Sabang upcountry from its head towards the bar of Aceh a distance of a harquebus’s shot, there is a very old and ruined earthen trench that has no fortification. Ships could also land on this beach, as they could on the others, except when there is a sea wind, which blows from the north, like at the other beaches, as mentioned earlier. And between the stream of Kuala Sabang and the bar the landing-places are not as good as those that were mentioned above because of the mud and because the roads are not clear.

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Chapter 15

Diogo Gil, after being held captive many years in Aceh by the king, never stopped spying or keeping watch, and thinking about this landing-place in order to give to me, Dom João Ribeiro Gaio, an account of the affairs in Aceh that is far better than any other available to date. And I state, possessed of more truth, that the best landing-place is between the beach that is across from the island of Pulau Angkasa and the said stream

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[108r] of Kuala Sabang because it is a clean beach, except when the wind beats the seas up, in which case it would be necessary to make landfall between the island of Pulau Angkasa and the mainland, as has been said mentioned, because from any point along the beach there are very good roads to the village of Meurasa. And the closer you land to the stream called Kuala Sabang, the closer you will be to the village of Meurasa and to the city of Aceh. And the best road is found by landing right next to the Kuala Sabang on the Indragiri side and heading straight to Meurasa and to the city of Aceh.

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Chapter 16: Concerning What is on the Western Side of the Bar

of Aceh

On the bar of Aceh there is a square bastion made with mud walls that contains artillery; it is a harquebuses’ shot from the river and half a camelete shot from the sea. Its walls are about two fathoms high and it commands the beach, the bar and a section of the river, as well as the surroundings as far as its guns can reach. It stands about three leagues from the city of Aceh, too far for its guns to bother any foists that approach the bar next to the beach. A stone’s throw from the southern side of this bastion, next to the bar, the river becomes a marsh, which extends a short distance inland and then almost immediately becomes the river again nearly a 

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[108v] league from the city of Aceh. And on the island that creates this strait are some fishermen’s houses, and banana trees and mangroves. There is also a narrow marsh next to the river that runs through the strait; it crosses the river at a village called Kampung Pegu  and becomes lost in the gardens, almost arriving at the stream of Kuala Sabang. And you pass close by the village of Kampung Pegu by walking along a boardwalk that is almost three fathoms long. And from this part of the point of Aceh to the bar there are no more villages save the one that has been described, which is Meurasa. And next to the river there are some salty mud flats that make walking very difficult, which is why close to the river is not a good landing-place, as has been mentioned. And the route to the city of Aceh from the bastion is either on the said river in prows or on the other, eastern side of the river, which is the good road. People cross the river from the bastion in prows, as described below.

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Chapter 17

Approach the village of Meurasa from either of the landing-places that have been mentioned, because from whichever of them you disembark, you must find the village of Meurasa by seeking signs and landmarks in order to go from there to the city of Aceh. The best landing-place, as has been mentioned, is the beach next to Kuala Sabang

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[109r] on the Indragiri side. And as soon as you reach the village of Meurasa, you should make your way from there to the city of Aceh in the following manner: the above-mentioned village is in the middle of a field before the crossing of the stream called Kuala Sabang. You should then pass directly through the village and, crossing through the field eastward, pass by the above-mentioned ford of Kuala Sabang. From that point there are three roads. One of them is on the left side and leads to Kampung Pedagang, but you should not take this one, though the road is good. There is another road on the right side which cuts through the gardens, ending at the King’s fence on the western side. This one is not good because it is muddy. There is another road in the middle and this is the one that should be taken. And follow it eastward, heading for the side of some gardens that extend into the above-mentioned field a crossbow shot more than the others that are on the left-hand side. And after passing it on the right side more than a shot from a harquebus and positioning yourselves on a north to south line, you should head towards the place where the side of the garden starts extending into the field. And proceeding straight ahead from there, you should reach the gardens where you will find a road that winds its way through the gardens to the city of Aceh. You will see the sides of other gardens, but you should avoid them, heading only towards the side that lies east by south-east, which is on the eastern side towards the right hand and is the last one towards the side of the above- mentioned village of Meurasa. And if you see the sides of other gardens that lie

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[109v] to the east by north-east, which is towards the left, you should not follow along them although they may lie towards the east. And you should only follow along the above-mentioned side. And after reaching the wide road you should take it to the east through the gardens, and continuing from there for a harque- bus’s shot you will end up at the foundry. And from there, turning to the right and heading south, you will pass through a populated area called Betan Rajal and Pekan Seri Darya where the Pasai live and which has a population of about 700 households. And it has two streets lined with straw houses, one that leads to the mosque and the other to the King’s palace, which are the main streets. And by taking them you will be heading south. One of them goes right through the village and leads directly to the big mosque. And upon arriving at a large patio at the above-mentioned mosque, if you should take the road on the left towards the south-east, you will end up at the gate in the fence of the King’s residence. The other street to the south next to the river will also take you to the gate in the fence of the King’s residence. And going from the foundry by way of the road and in the manner which has been described herein you will end up at the back of the customs house. And from the customs house towards the north there is a langgar, which is their pilgrimage house. Further along to the north is Kampung Pedagang, which is a large village of 600 households where all the foreigners live. North of Kampung Pedagang

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[110r] sits another village called Kampung Pegu which contains roughly 100 households and is where people from Pegu live. Behind these villages of Kampung Pedagang and Kampung Pegu is another small village called Kampung Bengala, which has another 100 households. The rest of the land behind these villages is filled with groves of palm, banana and large trees. There are fenced fields containing Muslim graves. And by the above-mentioned gardens there are houses and people live in them. And the gardens are fenced off by hedges and thorns.

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Chapter 18: Concerning the Fence Where the King’s Lodgings are Located

The King’s lodgings are located on a plain that lies beyond the above- mentioned villages on the southern part. The last of these villages is about a harquebus’s shot from the gate in the fence of the King’s lodgings. On the right side of a large patio, or square, as you approach the King’s house, there is a big house52 with numerous pillars called Bunga Satanguei, which is the King’s State House in which he receives embassies. It is more than a stone’s throw from this house to the King’s gate, which is in the fence. The house is made of wood and straw and is uninhabited. It is approximately seventy spans long and forty spans wide53 and has an upper story, which has no artillery or furniture54 of any kind and is only

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[110v] used as a state room. And the bottom floor is completely empty. And between the above-mentioned house and the King’s house, also on the right hand side, there is a balai or house forty spans long and twenty-five spans wide56 that serves as an auditorium for the justice officials, which is on the right hand side. There is a tree to which an elephant is tied, and in front of the tree there is an entrance to the gate of the King’s fence where there are four small balais. And on the left hand side of those four small balais, or huts, there are another three the same size as the other four where the commanding general and the King’s nobles sleep. The total number of souls who sleep there every night, including them and their people, could be as many as 200. Beyond these balais is the entrance to the gate; there might be twenty-five spans58 between these balais and the gate. In the middle of all this there is a wooden bridge at ground level; water flows underneath the wall in the moat. There is a space of two spans between the bridge and the water in the moat; the water is about three or four spans deep. The water is close to the King’s chamber, making a circle of about half a league, all of which is protected by a barricade built with the earth that was taken from the moat when it was dug around the above-mentioned wall. The fence and barricade are about twelve spans high on the outer part and not as high on the inner part, and about fifteen spans thick.

And on top of this

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[111r] barricade and dirt wall that was thrown up in this manner and packed down with heavy stones, many bamboo trees were seeded and planted on both sides in an orderly manner and so close together that when they grew they created a curtain and fortification which spills down over the edge like roots so that balls from harquebuses cannot pass through it. These bamboo plants do not produce thorns; they are a span and a half thick and not very hollow inside. And with these roots the above-mentioned bar- ricade has been fortified. But with two blows of a good broad scythe even the thickest roots can be severed, though with difficulty, for they are closely inter- woven and mesh snugly together; but artillery will tear the whole thing apart. Around the entire above-mentioned earthen wall there is a moat that measures 200 spans in length—I mean of width from the gate on the north (and there is no other gate on the west) to the west, and from the west to the south, and from the south to the south-east, and the water is three to four spans deep, as was mentioned earlier. And the muck and the mire in the above-mentioned moat could be about two spans deep. And there is always water in it. And many ducks and other water birds use it. A few thin stakes from some trees have also been planted in it that have taken root. They are a little more than a finger thick, and sharp tips, like barbs, have been whittled on them. There are many such sticks. The above-mentioned moat, from the south-east to the east and from there to the main gate, is about half the width of the other one

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[111v] and just as high. And it has the same barbed stakes. And from the south-east to the east to the north where the above-mentioned gate in the fence is located, the moat is about 100 spans wide or less, and the water is just as deep and has the same kinds of barbed stakes made from plantings. And after entering the gate in the inner fence, there is a barricade which has been built in the same way as the one described previously, which is constructed like a corridor fourteen paces long and eight wide. This corridor only has one gate on the western side. On the other side of the above-mentioned gate in the wall, after passing through the gate, there are three pieces of artillery situated on the floor on the west- ern side. And towards the northern section there are storage rooms containing foodstuffs, nails, rigging and pitch and other things for the fleets. And from these storage rooms towards the western side there is a hill surrounded by jungle. And at the base of this hill, on its southern slope, there is a house, or balai raesa, where the officers and servants of the King socialize in the evenings. They and their servants total upwards of 100 men. And from the aforemen- tioned gate in the wall and its false door, a distance of 150 spans, there is a barricade like the one previously mentioned, which follows the length of the wall that runs straight 

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[112r] from the west to the east. And in the middle of this barricade, opposite the gate mentioned above, is another gate that opens onto the inside of the fence or another square like the one already mentioned, though it is bigger. This gate is like the other one, complete with false door and a corridor in which, ahead of it, there is a flag and a piece of artillery that guards the entrance to the gate. And inside this second square on the western part there is thick jungle as well. And in front of it there is a balai, which is called Sidasida, where the eunuchs in the service of the King sleep. And below this balai is all of the heavy and light artillery that this King possesses. And right next to this balai is a house where all of the balls and harquebuses are located. And behind the balai at a distance of 30 spans are some small houses that are used as powder magazines and for storing ammunition for the artillery. And in the eastern square there is only one small uninhabited house that is used to store a few items used in the service of the King. And then a wall made of brick and lime has been built from west to the east that is two and a half feet wide, running the length of the fence. And the wall extending southwards is bigger, being nearly a third of the width of the fence. And at the foot of the northern side in the second square there are a few scant bamboo trees, planted willy-nilly. 

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[112v] And in the middle of the wall across from the aforementioned gates behind, there is a gate behind which lives only the King. And he has his own houses, which are made of wood and covered with straw, on the eastern side, and inside of them are compartments where he has his women, each with her own compartment, and a large house where about 200 laundresses are kept; there is access through one door, the only one it has. And inside this third patio from one end to the other opposite the King’s houses, there are small houses where the servant women live. And from the King’s houses to the east by south-east inside this third patio, a distance of seventy spans along the wall, there is a small, hidden side door that leads through the bamboo plants to the outside through which the bodies of women who die inside are removed. And be aware that this side door is the one that you should look for to go in, as will be explained below. No man lives inside the fence except the King, and no women either, except his own and those who serve him. And all of the rest is patio that has no trees. And this fence from the north to the west and from the west to the south of the outside part, and from the south to the south-east has gardens and common roads.

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[113r] To the east and from the east to the north- east there are no roads, only gardens next to the moat. And nobody crosses the moat except the inhabitants of the gardens because they are ignorant of the above-mentioned false door in the fence. And because no one knows about it the fence at that part is narrower. And from that point and from the north-east towards the north where the door in the fence is located, there is a barricade made of earth and bamboo that opens to the east onto the gardens. And from the northern part with the corridor of the main gate, the one that was made so that nobody could come over from the other side, to the east and south-east, and so the hole and the false door could not even be seen because it is less fortified and because entrance is easier there. And there is nothing else about it worthy of mention on the inside or the outside.

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Chapter 19: In Which It is Stated Where the Fleet Should Anchor and Where the People Should Disembark and the Road They Should Take to the City of Aceh and Where They Should Enter the Village and the King’s Fort

The fleet that sails to Aceh should carry a force of 4,000 Portuguese soldiers, in addition to sailors and servants. It should depart from Goa early enough to arrive in Aceh by the fifteenth of March; arriving earlier would be even more advantageous

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[113v] if possible. It must arrive early enough to obtain victory before the moon of May, which is very dangerous for sailing on that coast because this signals the beginning of winter in those parts. And because of all the rain it will not be possible to employ artillery and harquebuses. And winter lasts through September and into October; and if [the fleet] does not come in this monsoon, it can also come in the September monsoon because from the middle of October on is summer. And it rains very little until May. The winds are the following: east, east by north-east, and the north-west wind, the north, and the north-west, and the west by north-west, and the west. All of these are dangerous on the coast of Aceh. And there is no shelter. The north-west wind is particularly dangerous. And after the fleet sails from Goa at any of the afore- mentioned times of year, having an abundance of good sheathed mooring cables and small boats for conveying the people to shore, if it chances to drift towards the Daya side, it should steer from there, if possible, towards the islands of Pulau Gomes. After passing them, head south by south-east, always keeping those islands and other islands on the right-hand side. And when you see more islands in front of it, head south, leaving the said islands a little more than half a league behind you on the right. Then steer towards the coast, veering slightly to the south by south-west until finding depths of six to ten fathoms. And run down the coast with the prow towards land and a plumb-line in hand until arriving in five fathoms of water, keeping the land on the left-hand side; follow this course until it is in front of Aceh.

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[114r] And as you arrive in front of the said bar of Aceh, you will see the bastion, and after seeing it you will pass it heading west; two leagues past it, you will see the headland of Aceh and the aforementioned island of Pulau Angkasa. And you should anchor in five fathoms of water, more or less, depending on the ships. And this anchorage is located between the said island of Pulau Angkasa and the bar. And this anchorage, which is the best, is across from the stream and beach of Kuala Sabang on the Indragiri side. And if, after passing the islands of Pulau Gomes, as has been stated earlier, the currents carry the fleet towards the east, there will be seen at the aforementioned latitudes, if you run down the coast long enough, a tall mountain called Lobor that is about eight leagues from the city and the same distance from the bar. You will pass the said moun- tain, maintaining the same heading and watching for a headland that juts out into the ocean called Ujung Ladang. And at the point of the mountain on the west side there is a sandbank. And a little less than a league further on there is another point called Lojor, which point has palm trees that grow in the interior and at which point the beach at the bar of Aceh ends, on the east side of the bar. And after passing said point, you will maintain the same head- ing indicated above until arriving across from the stream called Kuala Sabang, where you should anchor. But one must be very careful because the depth is different from this point of Lojor just mentioned to the spot in front of the bar. It varies in depth from deep to shallow, but the shallows will never be less than four fathoms. And there are rocks in this area. And from the bar 

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[114v] to the west of the island of Pulau Angkasa there is good anchorage. And if, as was stated above, the fleet should drift towards Daya and cannot head for the islands of Pulau Gomes, it will then arrive at the headland of Aceh on the Daya side, but only after ordering that the wide openings be measured, along with their entrances and exits. And the fleet can enter through them, thebig ships through the one that is between the point of Aceh and the small island of Pulau Chichen, and the small ships in the way that was explained in Chapter Three. And passing the said openings, you will anchor across from the said stream at Kuala Sabang. And once the fleet lies at anchor, when the oared vessels deem fit, they should fire decoy salvos at the bastion of the bar. And then move further along the coast to the east for almost two leagues from the bar where the landing-place is located. It is obvious that the Acehnese greatly fear this landing-place because it has a good and sure road, and thus this area is fortified, as will be described below in Chapter 21. And when the foists arrive in front of this landing-place they will all signal that they want to disembark so that the people will go there. And the foists will lie to so that it appears even more obvious to the Acehnese that the men will disembark there. And the foists will not be carrying anybody who will disembark to attack the city.

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[115r] And in front of the bar, but beyond the range of the artillery of the bastion, a few carracks should also anchor with the fewest possible men on board so no fleet can sail out from Aceh. And once the men are disembarked, it will be best for the entire fleet to be anchored in front of the bar, having some of the heavy ships remain in the first anchorage for messaging and other necessities. And at the dawn watch the men will begin disembarking so that by the crack of dawn they will have arrived on land. And if there are no waves or high seas, they should make landfall between Kuala Sabang and Indragiri, but if there are waves, between the island of Pulau Angkasa and the land. And after the men and the necessary artillery are disembarked, they will make their way to the village of Meurasa, and from there to the gate in the King’s fence, as has been explained above in Chapter 17. And after arriving at the fence, and setting up camp and ordering the artillery as if the intent were to make your entrance at the fence through the main gate, which is on the north side, play the artillery with all possible fury, without endangering the men. Thus disposed, position 700 men and some artillery so that they can be seen and dispatch them on the west side as if they were also going to attack the moat and entrance on that side. And make this attack 250 spans from the said main gate on the west side before arriving at the middle of the said fence 

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[115v] so that the men who stay behind will already be fighting with the first section of the fence, which is opposite the first gate of the fence. And these 700 men should fight with the people on the second section. And you should play the artillery in such a way that it is aimed towards the south so the balls will not strike our men who will still be fighting on the eastern section, as explained below. And after these two lines are engaged simultaneously, 1,000 or more good soldiers should climb the eastern section of the fence, going around a barricade that extends eastward from the gate. And no sooner than you reach the gardens, you will crash through them and continue marching next to the moat of the fence, heading south by south-east, which is almost at the end of the gardens. And then you will see one end of the fence, which is the second gate of this fence, as mentioned in Chapter 8. And you should enter here, covering and blocking the moat with brush and dirt, and carrying the artillery and all the other tools for making a path and cutting the bamboo on the fence and every other necessary thing, because this is the path you absolutely must take to enter, for it is here where the moat is the narrowest and the barricade is the thinnest and the weakest, containing less dirt than the one on the western side, because the moat on this side94 is narrower and less earth was removed from it. And in the gardens there are branches and sticks for filling the moat. And this path is better for many reasons. For instance, there are no fortifications in the patio

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[116r] except for the houses and chamber for the King and his women; also the King does not let other men enter this patio except when he perceives he is under attack. And if you attack the entrance through the main gate of the fence, there are two bamboo barricades to get through, plus the brick wall, and the main force of the people is there. And if you attack the entrance on the west side first, there is the moat, which is very wide and full of water and mire. Therefore, in the name of Jesus, and with the voice of blessed St. James, and invoking as intercessory and guide the Holy Virgin, our Lady of Light, to whom we, João Ribeiro Gaio, give our promise, may the Lord grant this victory and give us life to build him a house: all of our force and our invasion should be concentrated on the above-mentioned small door that is on the eastern side to the east by south-east, as has been explained above. And the men who approach it in that way should be advised to take up the fight at each of the above-mentioned portions of the aforementioned fence, the first group fight- ing in front of the gate. And the second group that will be fighting on western side should make their way to the west, for that is how they will attack the second portion of the fence. And the men who come from the eastern side before arriving at the south-east side where the entrance is will fight, because the other two groups need to stage attacks with the least possible danger to the men.

Chapter 20: In Which the River of the City of Aceh is Described

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[116v] Between the bar where the river of Aceh empties out to the city and its wall is about three leagues. And it is long way from the city to the moun- tains where the river rises. And large vessels do not sail on it. Thus we will not dwell on the topic of this river, except to say that heading up it from the said city the temperature becomes cool. It can be navigated in small prows for nearly three leagues. There are numerous palm groves, gardens and rice- fields and houses among the gardens and villages. And the said river runs for three leagues between the city of Aceh and the bar. And in some places it is as wide as a stone’s throw and a half, while in other places it is no more than a stone’s throw. And at high tide galleys can navigate as far as the city. And at low tide foists can enter. The said river has curves and its course runs now one way and now the other. And it has some deep parts where empty carracks can enter with the tide. And this river has deep banks on both sides, especially on the west side towards the city. One of these banks runs from the village of Kampung Pedagang to the patio of the main mosque; it [the bank] is about ten long spans high. The said river can be forded at low tide in some places, being as deep as a man’s navel. And its water is potable. And the river has no other bank except this one. And the ships that are built are constructed in front of his fence. And they are in ditches at the riverbank, and next to the river there is no other fortification except the two bastions that are 

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[117r] on the bar, one on one side and another on the other side. And the bar and the entrance to this river are good and there is no danger. You should only be watchful of one sandbar of the river that shifts with the wind, at times being on the east and other times on the west, according to the winds. It is small and easily spotted.

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Chapter 21: In Which are Stated the Things Which are between the City and the Bar on the West Side

Between the city and the bar, after crossing the river, going from west to east, there is a village called Kampung Pedagang, meaning ‘of the oarsmen’. It is almost two stones’ throw from the bar of the river and from the river wall almost two harquebus shots. And past this village there is a road that leads to the bar. It takes some turns because of the gardens that are found on both sides. And there is some mud at the beginning for a distance of two harque- bus shots. And from that point forward the road is almost straight until it reaches a palm grove that abuts the marsh of Kuala Cadek. This marsh can be forded at low tide; it is about two spans deep. And past it the road runs straight towards the bar. And half a league from the bar there is a farm with a bamboo barricade; this is the house where the King occasionally repairs to rest. And past the said farm go straight along the road, and there are some houses on each side where farmers 

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[117v] live as far as the bar and the bas- tion that is on the riverbank. And a good harquebus’s shot before arriving at the bar there is a barricade made of dirt and bamboo that runs the length of the entire beach almost as far as Kuala Cadek, which would be about three leagues from the bar. It was constructed to guard and defend that beach during the time that was referred to when Francisco Barreto was going to Aceh. And between the earthen barricade and the beach there are some small pits filled with pieces of thorns and small trees. And as one goes from the earthen barricade to the beach by the bar next to the river, there is another earthen barricade, a very weak one, which is like a trench; it was also made during the time of Francisco Barreto to hinder the latter’s entry into the city. And this second barricade and trench create an area that is about 300 spans long and 200 spans wide. And after you arrive at this trench and barricade, there is a square bastion in a corner that is created on the east side. It is a square bastion, a little larger than the other one, on the east side. It is just as wide as the other one and has the same artillery and guard. It is a crossbow shot from the said river and from the beach it is more than a harquebus shot. And the artillery commands the whole bar as far as it reaches. And it is further to the north than the other bastion, on the west on the other side of the river. The artillery of one bastion reaches as far as the other one. And along this entire beach, as far as Kuala Cadek, which would be about three leagues, there are good landing-places and roads to the city 

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[118r] of Aceh. The Acehnese fear that we will land in this place because one can walk from any of the beaches to the said city and it is out of range of the artillery from the above-mentioned bastion. And not only this landing-place, but all of them on this eastern side; there are others that will be mentioned below. You have to . . . One must go around the above-mentioned barricade, which is an obstacle, as well as the river of Aceh, where the people from the fleet cannot cross while fighting because of its depth—the water reaches below a man’s navel at low tide. On the city side there are high banks of ten spans and more, which cannot be climbed. And at that spot they can defend the passage, because it is a mere stone’s throw from the steep bank of this river to its channel where the water is deeper. And hence, because of the river and the steep bank, the landing-place discussed in this chapter is not a good one. And neither is the one by the bar because of the above-mentioned bastions. And since the river and its channel are so hindered by curves and shoals, it is necessary to be well acquainted with the channel.

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Chapter 22: In Which Will be Mentioned the Things That Exist from the Bar to Kuala Cadek

Between the bar and the marsh of Kuala Cadek, which is on the east side,

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[118v] there are approximately three leagues of very good beach and landing-places, and good roads, except the above-mentioned marsh that stretches from its entrance to the western part where it joins with the river of Aceh two leagues from the city. This road is not good because of the obstacle presented by the said river and its bank, as was explained Chapter 21. And the passage through the marsh presents an even greater obstacle, since at low tide it is two and a half spans deep, not to mention the bamboo barricade that is next to the beach, a league and a half from the said bastion. In front of this beach and further towards the east you can anchor in five or six fathoms or more. And from the above-mentioned league and a half to the east until the headland of Loor there are horrible anchorages, as has been mentioned in previous chapters.

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Chapter 23: Which Declares the Things That Exist from the Marsh of Kuala Cadek to Loor

A league to the east of the marsh of Kuala Cadek there is a headland that juts northward into the sea called Loor. There is a road leading to this headland. And there are palm trees along this road, among which a few houses are nes- tled. Four or five people keep watch over the people on the road and those who are on their way to Cron Raya and Lobor and other villages that are further down the road. And thus the only people who are allowed to go pass the head- land are those who have written permission

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[119r] and certification of their identities and their destinations. And there is no landing-place between the said marsh and the said headland. Anchorage is had in the ocean with up to five, six or seven fathoms.

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Chapter 24: In Which are Declared the Things between Loor

and the Headland of Ujung Ladang

From the point of Loor towards the east is another point called Ujung Ladang. And the two are approximately one league apart from each other. And there is a road, though unpopulated and lacking in palms. And it extends from the said point to the foot of the mountains. There are perhaps ten houses nestled among the palms where goats and buffalo are kept. And it is not a road that can be taken by a body of men, neither does it have a landing-place next to the beach because it has a lot of rocks. This point of Ujung Ladang juts out into the sea a little more than that of Lobor, and nobody lives on it. And from here a sandbar extends seaward for a league and a half, against which the carracks should be on their guard. Behind this point on the east side many carracks can anchor, as well as all the other ships, being watchful of the westerlies, because from this point of Ujung Ladang eastwards begins the inlet of Loor.

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Chapter 25: Which Treats the Things Which are from Ujung Ladang to Cron Raya
Between Ujung Ladang and Cron Raya there are approximately two and a half leagues. And next to the beach there are some very good 

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[119v] landing-places. And the closer you can get to the stream, the better. And this is because of the beach at the inlet, and because the seas are lower, except when they blow from the north. And all the winds in that place and the anchorages in every part of the inlet are good. And it is more than three leagues from the said inlet to the city of Aceh. And the roads from this beach to the said city are muddy in some places, and pass through jungle, orchards and villages. And these are roads of such miserable vapors that most of the people who travel them come down with high fevers. Thus, because some people say that this is the landing-place for going to the city of Aceh, it must be stated that this road is not good for the above-mentioned reasons, and because of the river of Aceh and its banks, as has been stated in previous chapters. And foists can enter the said stream of Cron Raya. And there is a village of a little more than twenty houses that has no artillery at all. And the water in the stream is cool. This village is about a fourth of a league up the stream.

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Chapter 26: Which Treats the Things That Exist between Cron Raya and Lobor towards the East

A third of a league eastwards from the stream of Cron Raya is a headland called Lobor, which is part of the inlet of Cron Raya. Thus the said headland

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[120r] of Ujung Ladang is a headland of this inlet, and the headland of Lobor is the other one. And the stream of Cron Raya is in this inlet, but closer to the headland of Lobor. And everywhere in this inlet is good anchorage and good landing-places and roads leading to the city of Aceh. And the latter are just as poor and unsuitable as the ones from Cron Raya, as was explained in Chapter 25. And anywhere a landing is made in this inlet with the intent of going to the city of Aceh, the town of Cron Raya should be used as a landmark, because if you try to go another way there are very high mountains that you will not be able to traverse. And the said town of Lobor is a headland that juts out into the sea and makes an arc where many carracks can also drop anchor, more than at the other headland of Ujung Ladang, being sheltered against the east winds. Thus these two headlands protect the carracks, that of Ujung Ladang protecting the carracks from the west winds and the other one of Lobor protecting them from the east winds. And several people have attested to the Viceroys that this landing-place is good, but it is not because the roads leading to the city of Aceh are full of perils.

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Chapter 27: Regarding the Things of Lobor as Far as Bato Pute

Four leagues eastward from the headland of Lobor there is another headland called Bato Pute. There are roads all along this beach, but they are fraught with difficulties. And there is no landing-place whatsoever. The said headland has a langgar at its base, which is a Muslim pilgrimage house, and at its tip there is another one. And next to

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[120v] the one at the base there is a hamlet of ten or twelve houses belonging to syekhs, who are their priests, and a few fisher- men, where you can disembark at high tide in small vessels. And at low tide there is no landing there because of the many rocks.

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Chapter 28: Regarding the Things Which are between Bato Pute

and Bornot

From Bato Pute to Bornot is perhaps a third of a league. And next to the said stream of Bornot there is a landing-place, and towards the headland, it creates a small inlet where upwards of thirty foists, galleys and caravels can drop anchor. And foists can enter the said stream of Bornot at high tide. And a harquebus shot towards the river from the stream of the bar there is a hamlet of fifteen houses.

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Chapter 29: Regarding the Things of Bornot as Far as Lampanas 

About one league eastwards from the stream of Bornot there is another stream called Lampanas. And the bar of this stream is closed off when the west winds blow. It is inhabited by fishermen. And when the said bar is closed the fisher-men carry their prows across the sand. And this beach has no anchorages or landing-places.

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Chapter 30: Regarding the Things That are between the Stream

of Lampanas and the Stream of Biar 

About two leagues from the stream of Lampanas is the stream of Biar.

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[121r] And galleys enter this stream of Biar at high tide. And it is a sea coast. And you can easily throw anchor here, but there is no shelter whatsoever. And next to the stream on the beach there is a village of approximately thirty houses. And among these there is a langgar, which is a Muslim house of prayer or pilgrim- age house.

Chapter 31: Regarding the Things Which There are between the

Stream of Biar and the Stream of Laban

About three leagues from the stream of Biar is the stream of Laban. Galleys enter this stream of Laban, and at high tide. It is somewhat bigger than the stream of Biar. There is sea coast here. And it has unsheltered anchorages and a town of around fifty houses that is situated on the beach one harquebus shot from the stream. And in the town there is another langgar. Eastward from this stream of Laban there is a small inlet, a league from the said river where upwards of twenty small carracks can throw anchor. And a half league past this inlet to the east is a rivulet called Otoy, which is uninhabited, except for the bar, where there is a balai where passers by may rest. And one league to the east of Otoy is the river of Pedir, which is discussed in the next chapter.

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Chapter 32: Which Treats the Things of Pedir

The town of Pedir has a river as big as the river of Aceh, and the town has around 1,000 households. And there are in the town two weak fortresses and six of the