OF THE ISLAND OF MADAGASCAR, THE COUNTRY OF
ETHIOPIA, AND OTHER PARTS OF AFRICA.
A thousand miles thence southward is Magaster, one of the greatest
and richest isles in the world, three thousand miles in circuit,
inhabited by Saracens, governed by four old men; the people live by
merchandise, and sell vast quantities of elephants' teeth. The
currents in these parts are of exceeding force. They report strange
stories of fowls called Ruch, like an eagle, but of incomparable
bigness. Zensibar also is said to be of great length, etc. There
are elephants, giraffes, and sheep, very unlike to ours; the men and
women very deformed. I have heard mariners and skilful pilots of
those parts report, and have seen in their writings, which have
compassed the sea of India, that there are in it twelve thousand and
seven hundred islands inhabited and desert. In India Major, which is
from Malabar to Chesmacoran, are thirteen kingdoms.
India Minor is from Ziambi to Murfili, in which are eight kingdoms,
besides many islands. The second, or Middle India, is called
Abascia, the chief king a Christian. There are six other kings,
three Christians and three Saracens, subject to him; there are also
Jews. St. Thomas having preached in Nubia, came to Abascia, and
there did the like, and went afterwards to Malabar. They are very
valiant soldiers, always in arms against the Soldan of Aden and the
people of Nubia. I heard that, A.D. 1288, the great Emperor of the
Abissines would have visited Jerusalem, but being dissuaded by reason
of the Saracen kingdoms in the way, he sent a bishop of holy life to
perform his devotions, who in his return was taken by the Soldan of
Aden, and circumcised by force; whereupon the Abissine monarch raised
an army, discomfited the Soldan, with two other Mohammedan kings, and
took and spoiled Aden. Abascia is rich in gold; Escier is subject to
Aden, forty miles distant south-east, where is plenty of white
frankincense, very good, which drops from small trees by incision of
the bark, a rich merchandise, etc. Some in that country, for want of
corn, make biscuit of fish, of which they have great plenty; they
also feed their beasts with fish. They take them in March, April,
and May.