Ibn Battuta sailed across the Indian Ocean on his way to China in a time around 1345. He understood that the Chinese served as an "authority" who regulated the transit of ships along the route from the Middle East to China. He was under the impression that the whole route was safe, stating that he was able to transport a large sum of money without any fear. He was also impressed by the amount of wealth that the residents of the ports which he visited had. He wrote that even poor people used silk as clothing.