Chapter JUNGLE-MAHALS to JUNK of J by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

18th century, says of the word (junkos): “This word I cannot find in any medieval glossary. Most probably we are to understand vessels of platted reeds (a juncis texta) which several authors relate to be used in India.” It is notable that the same erroneous suggestion is made by Amerigo Vespucci in his curious letter to one of the Medici, giving an account of the voyage of Da Gama, whose squadron he had met at C. Verde on its way home.

The French translators of Ibn Batuta derive the word from the Chinese tchouen (chwen), and Littré gives the same etymology (s.v. jonque). It is possible that the word may be eventually traced to a Chinese original, but not very probable. The old Arab traders must have learned the word from Malay pilots, for it is certainly the Javanese and Malay jong and ajong, ‘a ship or large vessel.’ In Javanese the Great Bear is called Lintang jong, ‘The Constellation Junk,’ [which is in Malay Bintang Jong. The various forms in Malay and cognate languages, with the Chinese words which have been suggested as the origin, are very fully given by Scott, Malayan Words in English, p. 59 seq.].

c. 1300.—“Large ships called in the language of China ‘Junks’ bring various sorts of choice merchandize and cloths from Chín and Mchín, and the countries of Hind and Sind.”—Rashíduddín, in Elliot, i. 69.

1331.—“And when we were there in harbour at Polumbum, we embarked in another ship called a Junk (aliam navim nomine Zuncum). … Now on board that ship were good 700 souls, what with sailors and with merchants. …”—Friar Odoric, in Cathay, &c., 73.

c. 1343.—“They make no voyages on the China Sea except with Chinese vessels … of these there are three kinds; the big ones which are called junk, in the plural junuk. … Each of these big ships carries from three up to twelve sails. The sails are made of bamboo slips, woven like mats; they are never hauled down, but are shifted round as the wind blows from one quarter or another.”—Ibn Batuta, iv. 91. The French translators write the words as gonk (and gonoûk). Ibn Batuta really indicates chunk (and chunuk); but both must have been quite wrong.

c. 1348.—“Wishing them to visit the shrine of St. Thomas the Apostle … we embarked on certain Junks (ascendentes Junkos) from Lower India, which is called Minubar.”—Marignolli, in Cathay, &c., 356.

1459.—“About the year of Our Lord 1420, a Ship or Junk of India, in crossing the Indian Sea, was driven … in a westerly and south-westerly direction for 40 days, without seeing anything but sky and sea. … The ship having touched on the coast to supply its wants, the mariners beheld there the egg of a certain bird called chrocho, which egg was as big as a butt.…”—Rubric on Fra Mauro’s Great Map at Venice.

„ “The Ships or junks (Zonchi) which navigate this sea, carry 4 masts, and others besides that they can set up or strike (at will); and they have 40 to 60 little chambers for the merchants, and they have only one rudder. …”—Ibid.

1516.—“Many Moorish merchants reside in it (Malacca), and also Gentiles, particularly Chetis (see CHETTY), who are natives of Cholmendel; and they are all very rich, and have many large ships which they call jungos.”—Barbosa, 191.

1549.—“Exclusus isto concilio, applicavit animum ad navem Sinensis formae; quam Iuncum vocant.”—Scti. Franc. Xaverii Epist. 337.

[1554.—“… in the many ships and junks (Jugos) which certainly passed that way.”—Castanheda, ii. c. 20.]

1563.—“Juncos are certain long ships that have stern and prow fashioned in the same way.”—Garcia, f. 58b.

1591.—“By this Negro we were advertised of a small Barke of some thirtie tunnes (which the Moors call a Iunco).”—Barker’s Acc. of Lancaster’s Voyage, in Hakl. ii. 589.

1616.—“And doubtless they had made havock of them all, had they not presently been relieved by two Arabian Junks (for so their small ill-built ships are named. …)” —Terry, ed. 1665, p. 342.

[1625.—“An hundred Prawes and Iunkes.” —Purchas, Pilgrimage, i. 2, 43.

[1627.—“China also, and the great Atlantis (that you call America), which have now but Iunks and Canoas, abounded then in tall Ships.”—Bacon, New Atlantis, p. 12.]

1630.—“So repairing to Iasques (see JASK), a place in the Persian Gulph, they obtained a fleete of Seaven Iuncks, to convey them and theirs as Merchantmen bound for the Shoares of India.”—Lord, Religion of the Persees, 3.

1673.—Fryer also speaks of “Portugal Junks.” The word had thus come to mean any large vessel in the Indian Seas. Barker’s use for a small vessel (above) is exceptional.