Little is known of Captain Alexander Hamilton other than what he tells us in this work, first published in 1727. Written during his retirement, it is both an invaluable source of information on south-east Asia at the time and a lively travelogue of Hamilton's adventurous seafaring life in the service of the East India Company and independently between 1688 and 1723. An engaging storyteller, Hamilton writes of encounters with pirates, the Portuguese, and of a poisoning in Malacca, as well as providing vivid descriptions of the countries he visited – from Africa to Japan via India, Sumatra and China – and their social customs, religions, trade and commerce. His idiosyncratic maps and illustrations enhance his narrative despite his admission that he makes 'but little use of the pencil'.
Contents
Volume 1: Preface; 1. Gives a traditional account of the first settling of Europeans at the Cape of Good Hope; 2. Gives a short description of the islands in the Ethiopian seas; 3. Gives a description of Zeyla's sea-coast; 4. Gives a short description of the coast of Arabia the Happy; 5. Gives a description of the Immaum of Mocha's country; 6. Contains a description of Aden; 7. Treats of the kingdom and city of Muskat; 8. Gives an account of Bassora city; 9. Gives a description of the sea-coast of Persia; 10. Is a continuation of observations on the empire of Persia; 11. Treats of the Mogul's dominions on the river Indus; 12. Gives an account of the ancient kingdom of Guzerat; 13. Gives an account of the cities of Cambay, Baroach and Surat; 14. Is a continuation of my observations of the religions and customs used in Surat; 15. Gives an account of the famous Aurengzeb's birth; 16. Treats of the cities and towns on the sea-coast belonging to the crown of Portugal; 17. Gives a description of Bombay; 18. Continues the observations on the affairs of Bombay; 19. Gives an account of the war of Bombay; 20. Gives an account of what is remarkable on some islands, and of the sea-coast, as far as Goa; 21. Gives an account of Goa; 22. Gives an account of Sundah Rajah's dominions; 23. Gives a description of Canara; 24. Treats of the Malabars; 25. Observations of the Samorin and his country; 26. Gives an acount of Couchin; 27. Treats of the island of Ceylon; 28. Treats of the countries of the sea-coast; 29. Gives a short description of Fort St George; 30. Gives an account of the coast of Chormondel; 31. Treats of the sea-coast and some inland countries in the ancient kingdom of Orixa; 32. Is an account of the maritime towns on the coast of Orixa. Volume 2: 33. Treats of the towns, cities, country, and customs of Bengal; 34. Is a continuation of the description of Bengal; 35. Gives an account of Xatigam; 36. Gives an account of the famous kingdom of Pegu; 37. Gives an account of the Pegu clergy; 38. Treats of Merjee and Tanacerin; 39. Give an account of Malacca; 40. Treats of the dominion of Johore; 41. Gives an account of the island of Sumatra; 42. Gives an account of the islands and trading ports on the west coast of Sumatra; 43. Treats of the east side of Sumatra; 44. Treats of Java and the islands near it; 45. Gives an account of Borneo; 46. A continuation of the dominions of Johore; 47. Gives an account of the dominions and city of Siam; 48. Gives an account of Cambodia; 49. Treats of Couchin-China; 50. Gives some account of China; 51. Some observations and remarks on the province and city of Canton; 52. Is a continuation of the history of Fokien; 53. A continuation of observations on the gods, clergy, and devotion of the Chinese; 54. Gives some account of the islands of Mindanoa, Luconia, Formosa, and Japon.
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