Suachen

Sources from old books:

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

SVACHEN, on the red Sea, and the trade thereof.

SVACHEN is one of the richest Cities of the Orient, scituated within the Arabique Gulfe in the coast of Ethiopia sub Aegypto, and amongst all the famous Cities of trade in the Orient; this is accounted equall, if not superior to them in foure things; the first in •…he goodnesse and securitie of the Haven; the second in the faci•…tie and good service for lading and unlading of shippes; the third •…n the traffique with very strange and remote people and Coun•…ries, and of divers behaviours; the fourch in the strength and •…cituation of the Citie; as for the goodnesse and securitie of the Port, Nature hath so made it, that it is defended from all stormes whatsoever; the Haven is capacious and large, of smooth tydes, the ground good, and able in circuit to hold 300 great saile of burthen, with water at all times, from six to twelve fadome; the Shippes are laden round about the whole circumference of the Citie, casting onely a planke into the Merchants ware-houses where their wares are kept; and the Gallies fastning themselves to the stones and doores of their houses, set their prowes over the streets, and by them as by bridges they are commodiously laden or unladen; and secondly, as touching the traffique and navigation thereof, few Cities can in these parts be compared with •…t, for this Citie is found to have traffique with all India intra and extra Gangem, that is, Cambaia, Tanacerim, Pegu, Mallacca, and with the Arabique, with Iudea Cairo and Alexandria, as I said above, and with all Ethiopia and the land of Abexi; from whence •…t gathereth great abundance of gold and Ivorie: thirdly, for the •…cituation of it, for it is such as if nature had framed it purposely for a Royall Mart, for it is an Iland round in forme, incompassed with many sholds and flats, for defence of the Port and the Citie, occupying and taking up the whole bodie of the Iland, so that it may as properly be termed an Iland of a Citie, as a Citie in an Iland; for there is no one foote of wast ground upon the whole Iland, but is imployed in housing and Magazins: the manner of trade here, as farre as I have gathered is thus:

It is now the principall port Towne in these Seas belonging to Prester Iean, from whose Court called Dombia, it is twenty-five dayes journey by Caravan, and the concourse of Merchants are here so great, that twenty caravans are yearly found to set out hence towards severall parts of the neighbouring Regions.

The commodities they carry are all kinde of Indian clothing, and also of our English commodities, as Broad clothes, kersies, leade and tinne; likewise Velvets, Damaskes, Sattins, Taffettaes, and all other sorts of silke stuffes; their colours more desired are reds, greens, violets, murries, and other light colours.

Their measure is called a (—) about halfe a yard, and cloth that is worth in Suachen 4 Rialls of 8/8 is there worth 8 Rialls, and the price of kersies is halfe the price of Broad-cloth; Uelvets of China is here worth 10 ℞ 〈◊〉 the said measure, and Italian Velvets are much more worth, but not so profitable to the Merchants as being much dearer; Sattins of Florence are worth 10 〈◊〉 Damaskes of the best sort worth from 8 to 10 ℞ 8/8 Taffetta's 3 ℞ 〈◊〉 and all colours well sold, excepting yellow and blacke, which are out of use in these Countries.

Their waight is the Rotolo, which is about 16½ ounces haberdepois, the Rotolo is foure Wakies, and 360 rotoloes makes here a waight called a Bahar.

The commodities here abounding are these; Civet in great quantitie, and worth a R 8/8 a wakia, Elephants teeth also plentie, worth thirtie R 8/8 the Bahar, Waxe worth 1 R 8/8 the 100 rotolo's; Gold worth 60 R 8/8 the rotolo, Tynn worth 1 ℞ 8/8 the rotolo, and lead much more; but the Turkes will not suffer any to be brought hither through his Dominions, for they hold it a conterabanda commoditie: from Grand Cairo there goeth alwayes in August a great Caravan for these parts, and likewise another in November, and the commodities they carry thence is broad clothes, kersies, velvets, sattins, damaskes, and silkes of all sorts, and from Cairo to Dombia this way is fiftie dayes travell by Caravan, and no more, which hence is easily performed.

Now for as much as I finde not on the Arabian side of the red Sea any other Towne of eminence in trade besides this, and that from cape guarda fue alongst the coast, I finde none other worthy my detention, I will hence sayle downe to the bottome of this Gulfe, and willingly passe by in silence the famous Port Towne of () the place conceived where the Israelites passed on dry foot over, or rather through this Sea, when they were pursued by their envious enemies the Aegyptians, who therein found their death the reward of their hatred; and perusing the same survay the now famous Port of Sues, the present station of the Grand Signeors Fleete, that aweth this Sea, and the neighbouring Regions thereof.