[53] Or Indians.
[54] Alaquequa is an Indian stone which stops the flow of blood;
alaquequas are glass beads. Dictionary of V. Salva, Paris, 1856.
[55] The cocoa-nut shell is within a very thick husk, and so maybe
called a kernel.
[56] Lac.
[57] Mangala, fortress of Sumatra, in the country of Lampong, on the
shore of the Tulang-Buvang, nine leagues and two-thirds from the
mouth of that river. _Geographical Dictionary_, Barcelona, 1832.
[58] Dhafar.
[59] Fartach, Ortelius, Fartaque, Atlas of 1753.
[60] Greco y levante, N.E.E., Gregal, Grech, N.E. wind, still used
in Catalan.
[61] Mastro y Soroco, Mistral & Sirocco.
[62] Marked with a cross thus in the MS.
[63] Sangre de dragon.
[64] Dolfar, Ortelius.
[65] Shehir, one of the chief seaports of Hadramant. Zehar,
Ortelius.
[66] Enciencio, antient for ajenjo, Absinthe; perhaps the Kat or
Katta, a very expensive leaf of a shrub.
[67] This refers to the monsoon; if it is unfavourable the ships
cannot get up the Red Sea.
[68] This word is illegible, it reads _se enpegen_.
[69] Probably an error of the pen for Ras al Gat.
[70] Cape Mussendom, in Ortelius and the German Atlas of 1753 also
Mocandon, here it is evident that the cedilla of the c has been
forgotten, and the error has been perpetuated. C is often used for s
in old manuscripts.
[71] In the German Atlas there is a place called Kellat, and another
close by called Calajute; Calata, Ortelius.
[72] Curiate in Ortelius and the German Atlas.
[73] This may be read Sar, or Sari.
[74] Soar Ortelius, Sohar in the German Atlas (map of Persia).
[75] Lebeche or leveche, S.W. wind.
[76] In the German Atlas Corscan, there is also another place there
inland a long way off called Orfacan, both these seem to be
corruptions of the name in the text Khor Fakan.
[77] Julphar or Giotoffar in the German Atlas.
[78] Roccalima in the Atlas of Abraham Ortelius, Antwerp, 1570: the
Ras el Khyma of Captain Felix Jones's Chart.
[79] Probably Amulgowein of Captain F. Jones.
[80] Calba, Ortelius.
[81] Baha, Ortelius.
[82] Iguir in Ortelius, 1570.
[83] Naban, Ortelius, 1570.
[84] Quesibi, Ortelius.
[85] Berou, ibidem.
[86] Moy Macina, Ortelius, 1570.
[87] Lima, Ortelius.
[88] Carmon, Ortelius.
This list of towns is thus introduced without anything to connect it
with the narrative; they would apparently be places on the Shat el
Arab, between the sea and Basrah, but from the Atlas of Ortelius it
is clear that they are intended to follow after Quesebi, from which
word to "estuary" should be read in a parenthesis: from the entire
absence of punctuation and capital letters in the MS. there is great
difficulty in ascertaining always the correct meaning. This passage
seems to show that those who made the early maps had had a copy of
this MS. under their eyes. "Quesebi: y dende aqui adelante da vuelta
la costa a maestro y tramontana hasta la boca del Rio eufrates y
comienca en esa vuelta una tabla berohu caljar," et cetera. The word
_tabla_ can hardly as here placed mean a list, and one of its
meanings, dead water, or water without a current, in speaking of a
river, seems here most applicable. Ortelius, however, followed by
the German Atlas of 1753, has got _Tabla_ as a town between Quesibi
and Berou, in which case the sense of comienza and una would be
imperfect. As the word _tabla_ is Spanish, and in Portuguese is
_tabula_, it would appear that this Spanish translation and not the
Portuguese original has been made use of for the ancient atlases.
This view is confirmed by there being no such place as Tabla in
Captain F. Jones's Chart. Ramusio's edition has Tabla between
Quesibi and Berohu.
[89] Gues, Ortelius, on the Persian shore.
[90] Gues, before named, re-appears as Cuez, Basida, Costaque,
Conga, which are placed on the Arabian shore: Gonga also appears on
the Persian shore in Ortelius's Atlas, 1570.
[91] Braimu, Ortelius.
[92] Denaze, ibid.
[93] Doan, ibid., on Persian shore.
[94] Laron, ibid.
[95] Andrani, Ortelius.
[96] Quaro, ibid.
[97] Lar, ibid.
[98] Coiar, ibid.
[99] Tome, ibid.
[100] Mulugan, ibid.
[101] Quezimi, ibid.
[102] Baharem, ibid. Besides these islands, Ortelius has got Gicolar
and Ficor, which names might have been made out of the above list
from this very MS. by reading differently the names which are
written in italics.
[103] Here there appears to be a gap in the MS. of three quarters of
a line.
[104] Shah Ismail, King of Persia, contemporary of the writer of
this MS. and founder of the Shiah rite as at present existing.
[105] Son-in-law. This account is like that of Ramusio and differs
somewhat from the Portuguese.
[106] The origin of the Kizilbashes.
[107] Chalderan, 3rd Rejeb 920, or August 1514. Vicente Rocca, in
his history of the Turks, printed at Valencia 1556, says that the
corpses of many Persian women who had accompanied their husbands in
disguise, were found after the battle, and that Sultan Selim ordered
them to receive an honourable burial.
[108] This embassy came to Albuquerque when he was at Ormuz the last
time, the envoy sent by Albuquerque was Fernan Gomez. San Roman
Hist. de la India, pp. 239, and 246-249. Valladolid, 1603.
[109] Frat, with a Persian termination.
[110] With respect to this geography of the four rivers of Paradise,
see M. Renan's remarks on the Persian traditions, in his Hist. des
Langues Semitiques, pp. 481-483. Paris, 1863.
[111] Zircon or jargon, a stone of which false diamonds are made.
[112] Reubarbaro.
[113] Sarahueles, Serwal or Shalwar.
[114] Almaizar.
[115] Atauxsia, Moorish workmanship of inlaying metals.
[116] This description of Persian customs is very exact.
[117] The Jewish traveller Pedro Teixeira (or Teireira, according to
Rodriquez de Castro, Biblica, Rabinica Esp.) at the end of the
sixteenth or beginning of the seventeenth century, wrote a history
of Persia, translated from Mirkhond, and a "Journey from the East
Indies to Italy Overland," Antwerp, Jerome Verdassen. Teixeira wrote
the first part of this work in Portuguese, and afterwards translated
it into Spanish, adding the second part. Both were translated into
French by C. Cotolendi in 1681, and printed at Paris under the title
of "Voyages de Teixeira, ou l'Histoire des Rois de Perse." He died
at Verona. Teixeira says:
"It was a custom much in use, both formerly and in later times
among the kings of Persia and Harmuz, in order to assure
themselves of those whom they might have reason to fear, and who
commonly were their relations. And even this day may be seen at
Harmuz, on a hill near the hermitage of Santa Lucia, at a little
more than a mile from the city, the ruins of some towers, in
which the kings placed their relations who had been blinded for
this reason. The method which they used for depriving them of
sight was this: they took a brass basin, and heating it in the
fire as much as possible, passed it two or three or more times
before the eyes of the person they intended to blind; and
without other lesion of the eyes they lost their sight, the
optic nerves being injured by the fire, but the eyes remaining
as limpid and clear as before." Amador de Los Rios, Estudios
sobre los Judios de Espana, p. 557. Madrid, 1848.
Ramusio has translated to blind "cavar gli occhi," which in this
case would not apply.
[118] This observation is owing to the Moorish coins of the Almohade
dynasty having been square, which gave rise to the Spanish saying of
spendthrifts: "My money rolls, as it is not Moorish."
[119] The standard of modern Spanish silver coin is eleven dinars,
or dineros.
[120] The Portuguese force is said to have consisted of fifteen
hundred Portuguese and six hundred Indian soldiers; this took place
in 1514. Panorama or Univers Pittoresque. According to San Roman
Hist. de la India Oriental in the beginning of 1515, Albuquerque's
force consisted of 26 sail, 1500 Portuguese, and 600 Malabars.
[121] This governor's name was Rais Hamid; one account says so many
daggers were drawn against him that the Portuguese wounded one
another's hands: the other governor mentioned later was named Rais
Nordim, i.e., Nureddin.
[122] In Ortelius's Map of Asia Dulcinda is some way up a river; in
the German Atlas of 1753 no trace of it appears.
[123] Ulcinde, Camoens, canto x, stanza 106.
[124] Or hither.
[125] Cogecillos.
[126] Or gallery.
[127] A la bastarda.
[128] The Chaugan, Persian game of hockey on horseback.
[129] Urdu perhaps is meant by the writer.
[130] Campanero in Ramusio, Champanel in Portuguese edition.
[131] Gandos, people of Hindustan, established in the mountainous
parts of the province of Ganduana: they live by the chase and the
produce of their flocks, and, contrary to the custom of other
Indians, eat fowls and bury their dead. The women are obese, and
stronger than the men; they wear a dress all of one piece, paint all
their body, and become bald in the prime of life. Ganduana, between
17 deg. and 24 deg. N. lat. and 81 deg. and 88 deg. E. long.
Diccionario Encic., Madrid, Gaspar y Roig, 1855.
[132] Jagri.
[133] Arrak.
[134] This name might also be read Dvuxa or Dimxa.
[135] Shehir.
[136] This word alcatifa might also mean velvets, at least that is
its meaning in Arabic and Wallachian; in modern Spanish it means a
fine carpet.
[137] Coast guards, watch boats.
[138] Kind of artillery.
[139] This passage seems to fix the date of this work as previous to
1515, since in that year the Portuguese made themselves masters of
Diu, in which they built a fortress in 1536. (Diccion. Geog.
Universal, Barcelona, 1831.)
[140] Of Egypt.
[141] This author seems to have confused the account of two naval
battles, reducing them to one; the above account, as far as the
description of the meeting of the hostile fleets, refers to the
battle in 1507, in which the Portuguese, commanded by Lorenzo son of
Francisco de Almeyda, were routed and Lorenzo slain. Melik Az saved
twenty prisoners alive from Lorenzo's ship, which would not strike,
treated them well, and wrote to condole with the father, Francisco
de Almeyda, for the death of his son. Almeyda prepared a fleet of
nineteen sail to avenge his son's death, when Albuquerque arrived to
supersede him; he had been sent from Europe in 1506. In spite of
this Almeyda sailed for Diu, where Emir Hussein, instead of waiting
for him, put out to sea against the advice of Melik Az and was
defeated. Vasco Pereyra, captain of the ship that carried Admiral
Hussein's ship by boarding, was killed, and his lieutenant, Tavora,
took Emir Hussein's ship, killing or capturing all those who did not
save themselves by swimming ashore. The captured ships were richly
laden, and Almeyda distributed all the spoil amongst his crews.
(This action was fought on the 3rd February, 1509.) Melik Az sued
for peace after this defeat. His proposals were received with
arrogance and a demand for the surrender of Emir Hussein: this Melik
Az refused, but gave up all his Portuguese prisoners. Almeyda
accepted this, but cut the heads off all his Moorish prisoners in
cool blood at Cananor. Panorama, India, pp. 358-360, Barcelona,
1845; Translation of the Univers Pittoresque. The same work in the
volume on Portugal, speaking of the first battle of Diu, merely
says, "Mir Hosein routed the Portuguese, and Don Lorenzo lost his
life," p. 121.
Camoens thus describes the second battle of Diu, in his 10th canto,
stanzas 35, 36.
E logo, entrando fero na enseada
De Dio, illustre em cercos e batalhas,
Fara espalhar a fraca e grande armada
De Calecut, que remos tem por malhas:
A de Melique Yaz acautelada,
Co 'os pelouros que tu, Vulcano, espalhas,
Fara ir ver o frio e fundo assento,
Secreto leito do humido elemento.
Mas a de Mir-Hocem, que, abalroando,
A furia esperara dos vingadores,
Vera bracos, e pernas ir nadando,
Sem corpos, pelo mar, de seus senhores:
Raios de fogo irao representando
No cego ardor os bravos domadores:
Quanto alli sentirao olhos, e ouvidos,
He fumo, ferro, flammas e alaridos.
The last speech of Don Lorenzo d'Almeida is given in the following
words in a MS. belonging to the Duke of Gor, at Granada, which
describes the voyages to India from 1497 to 1509; it differs a
little from that given in the second decade:
"Dom Lourenzo lhe disse Snores companheiros e irmaos, minha vida
he acabada que este mundo me tinha emprestada e minha alma ira
dar conta ao Snor Deos que a fez. En vos mando, e muito rogo que
tomandonos Meliquiaz sobre si como diz aventureis as vidas em
sua palavra, porque de o no fazerdes tao certas aqui tendes as
mortes se Ds' no acodir co sua m[=i]a (misericordia) que lhe
pezo que aja co minha alma, que em suas sanctas maos encomendo:
e deu a alma," f. 406 v.
Don Lorenzo said to them:
"Gentlemen, companions and brothers, my life which this world
had lent me is ended, and my soul will go to give an account to
the Lord God who made it. I charge you, and beg much of you,
that as Melikiaz will take us on his own responsibility, as he
says, that you adventure your lives upon his word, because if
you do not do so, you have before you certain death, unless God
succour you with his mercy: which I pray him to have with my
soul, which I commend into his holy keeping."
And he gave up his spirit.
[142] Sambuks, Arab undecked boats.
[143] This may have been intended for ivory of elephants, it would
seem difficult to get an elephant into a sambuk.
[144] _Pozos_, wells, hollows.
[145] Guadamecil, _aluta celata_.
[146] This word is very clearly _enyertan_, which is an old word
meaning to freeze, to congeal, to make _yerto_--hard: so that this
stone would be like the Chinese soap stone, which is soft and easily
carved when first extracted. _Ensartan_ would apply, meaning to
string beads, but the writing does not admit of it.
[147] Ravel in Ortelius's map of India, 1570.
[148] Axuar, the household furniture which a wife has to bring to
her husband on her marriage.
[149] The writer had forgotten that _aduana_ (custom-house) and
_divan_ are the same word.
[150] Or Denby.
[151] Mezzo giorno, the Italian, instead of medio dia, a slip of the
writer, the Genoese envoy.
[152] Chaul, Ortelius, 1570.
[153] Beatilla, betille in French.
[154] Dabul, Ortelius, 1570.
[155] This was done by Don Francisco de Almeyda on his way to Diu in
the beginning of 1509.
[156] Llanten, _plantago_. The leaf is chewed, not eaten, and
assists the digestion.
[157] Munacem in Ramusio, and Muruary in the Portuguese edition.
[158] _Rumys._ Turks are so called east of Turkey. These Turks may
have served in the Egyptian fleet, but did not belong to the Ottoman
forces, as Egypt was not united to the Ottoman Empire till later in
1517.
Traz este vem Noronha, cujo auspicio
De Dio os Rumes feros affugenta,
Dio, que o peito e bellico exercicio
De Antonio da Sylveira bem sustenta.
Camoens, canto x, stanza 72.
[159] February 25th, 1510, or on the 17th February according to San
Roman; Albuquerque was driven out of Goa, and reconquered it on the
25th November 1510.
[160] San Roman says that the revenue of Sabayo was five hundred
thousand ducats; and that Goa produced much more in the hands of the
King of Portugal (p. 183).
[161] Aliga R., German Atlas, 1753.
[162] Cintacola, Ortelius, 1570.
[163] Bisinagar, Ortelius.
[164] Cholmandel, Ortelius.
[165] In the Italian and Portuguese editions Mergeo.
[166] Onor, Ortelius.
[167] Batticalla, Ortelius.
[168] Quarter of a hundredweight.
[169] Gomio, this word is intended, perhaps, for gumia, a kind of
dagger, a Marocco word not Arabic; these words are neither of them
to be found in the old dictionaries. The dagger is not mentioned in
the Italian or Portuguese editions.
[170] Pardao, an Indian coin worth 300 reis coined at Goa by the
Portuguese, with the figure of King Sebastian. Dict. of P. Raphael
Bluteau, Lisbon, 1720.
[171] Bahar, an Indian weight varying from 4-1/2 quintals to 5 quintals
3-1/2 arrobas.
[172] Or Jauibasal, these names are variously spelled in the Italian
and Portuguese editions.
[173] Bacanor and Barsalor, German Atlas.
[174] Fanega--4 bushels or 84 lbs. French.
[175] Mangalor, Ortelius.
[176] Cape Comori, Ortelius.
[177] The Nil Gau or Blue Cow.
[178] Ramusio coincides with this MS. in writing giagonzas on a
former occasion, and on this gegonzas.
[179] The abbreviation is [=m] [=mrs]; this might stand for ccc or
three hundred, the value given by Ramusio.
[180] Filosanias, may be intended for physiognomy. It is so
translated by Ramusio.
[181] The Arab travellers of the ninth century mention this.
[182] Tambarme in Ramusio.
[183] This is the probable origin of the story in Sinbad the Sailor.
The Arabian Nights are not entirely fiction, as is usually supposed:
the story of Seif el Muluk refers to facts in the Malay Annals, and
describes the people, country, and winds about Sumatra.
[184] "Y sobre el dicho palo esta una piedra de altura de un cobdo y
en el medio un agujero en el qual meten un palo agudo y arman
las gradas paramentadas con panos de seda para que la gente de
fuera no vea el secreto de dentro y la madre de la moza con
algunas otras mugeres entran en aquel lugar despues de hechas
muchas cerimonias y alli sobre aquel palo agudo rompen la moza
su virginidad y deraman la sangre sobre aquella piedra."
[185] Apparently Orissa.
[186] Compare Plato's views on this subject:--
"But if a soldier highly distinguishes himself and gains himself
credit, ought he not, think you, in the first place, while the
army is still in the field, to be crowned with a garland by each
of the youths and children in turn among his comrades in arms?"
"Yes, I think so." "But I suppose you will hardly extend your
approbation to my next proposition?" "What is that?" "That he
should kiss and be kissed by them all." "Most certainly I do;
and I would add to the law, that during the continuance of the
campaign, no one whom he has a mind to kiss be permitted to
refuse him the satisfaction; in order that, if any soldier
happens to entertain an admiration for either a male or female
comrade, he may be the more stimulated to carry off the meed of
valour." "Good, I replied; and we have already said that a brave
man will be allowed to enter into marriage relations more
frequently than others will, and to exercise more than the usual
liberty of choice in such matters, so that as many children as
possible may be obtained from a father of this
character."--Republic of Plato, book v, Sec. 468, p. 201.
Translation by Davies and Vaughan, Cambridge, 1858.
[187] Orissa: in this MS. it is clearly a _t_, but _t_ and _r_ are
easily confounded in the handwriting of this period.
[188] Bragueros de laton.
[189] Eyicianos.
[190] Lo al, old expression for Lo demas.
[191] The Chulias or people of Southern India do this always.
[192] Or--these on being opened.
[193] Baxana in Ramusio, and Braechagua in the Lisbon edition.
[194] Nirabixi in Ramusio and Miralexy in Lisbon edition.
[195] People in the East carry stones of this description, which are
said to draw out the venom from the bite of a serpent.
[196] Camoens addresses the King of Malabar as: "O nobre successor
de Perimal" Canto viii, stanza 82.
[197] This agrees with the account of the Arab travellers of the
ninth century. Paris, Langles.
[198] Cananor.
[199] Called Zamorin in other works, and Samorim by Camoens.
[200] Ramusio calls them Cunelanadyri, Benatederi, and Coletri; the
Lisbon edition, Maly Couadary, Benatady, Cobertorim.
[201] Mostasos: old word, before introduction of bigotes from the
German soldiers, and still used in Majorca.
[202] Repostero: a cloth marked with the arms of a grandee for
putting over a beast of burden, or hanging in a doorway,--a
portiere.
[203] No valen mas de que ser hijos de sus madres.
[204] Sister of the king, apparently, from what follows.
[205] Ramusio, Caimaes; Lisbon edition, Cahimal.
[206] Atabal.
[207] Cymbals.
[208] Sistra.
[209] Of a cross-bow shot.
[210] Sygnadas.
[211] Valedor.
[212] Buxen, not in the dictionaries: buxeta, a small casket for
perfumes to put in the pocket, so called because made of bux or box;
Anglice, box.
[213] If the writer had been a Spaniard, especially from Catalonia,
he would have added here, "in our fashion." This way of drinking
extends into Roussillon, and this custom was not introduced by the
Arabs.
[214] Hidalgo por el Rey: an expression meaning a modern noble, not
one whose origin is anterior to the Spanish monarchy: here it may
imply official position only. Ramusio, Talassen; Lisbon edition,
Talixe.
[215] Albala, from Alberat, Letters Patent, Brevet, Warrant, Letter
for drawing Pay. This word is in little use in Castile, but is
common in Valencia and Aragon. Spanish, Latin, and Arabic Dict., Fr.
Francisco Canes. Madrid, 1787.
[216] This part is wanting in Ramusio, who says a little lower down,
"Here several lines are wanting."
[217] Or it may be read Ciessua; Ramusio, Cressuamengan; Lisbon
edition, Cryuamergam.
[218] That is, the first mass said by a new priest.
[219] Como mayorazgo.
[220] See Cardinal Wiseman's Lectures with regard to this subject,
also the work of another Catholic author, where this Hindu doctrine
is termed an _adumbration_. The Abbe Huc is opposed to the
above-mentioned divines, and calls this a _counterfeit of Satan_.
Unless his theory, or another alternative, be adopted, it must be
assumed, since the Brahminical books were contemporary with David,
perhaps with Moses, that the Hindus were more favoured than the
Chosen People of Israel: which is impossible.
"Il faut ajouter que la science brahmanique n'a pas ete
etrangere au developpement du genie grec, l'une des sources de
notre civilisation, ni a la formation du christianisme, religion
de tout l'Occident." M. Emile Burnouf, La Civilisation
Chretienne en Orient, Revue des deux Mondes, 1er Juin, 1865, pp.
632, 633; see also pp. 638, 639.
[221] This may be estimated from the value of rice, 150 to 200
maravedis the 4 bushels or 90 lbs. See above.
[222] The explanation of this ceremony is to be found in Plato:--
"We said, you remember, that the children ought to be the issue
of parents who are still in their prime." "True." "And do you
agree with me that the prime of life may be reasonably reckoned
at a period of twenty years for a woman, and thirty for a man?"
"Where do you place these years?" "I should make it the rule for
a woman to bear children to the state from her twentieth to her
fortieth year: and for a man, after getting over the sharpest
burst in the race of life, thenceforward to beget children to
the state until he is fifty-five years old." "Doubtless," he
said, "in both sexes, this is the period of their prime both of
body and mind." "If, then, a man who is either above or under
this age shall meddle with the business of begetting children
for the commonwealth, we shall declare his act to be an offence
against religion and justice; inasmuch as he is raising up a
child for the state, who, should detection be avoided, instead
of having been begotten under the sanction of those sacrifices
and prayers, which are to be offered up at every marriage
ceremonial by priests and priestesses, and by the whole city, to
the effect that the children to be born may ever be more
virtuous and more useful than their virtuous and useful parents,
will have been conceived under cover of darkness by aid of dire
incontinence." "You are right." "The same law will hold should a
man, who is still of an age to be a father, meddle with a woman,
who is also of the proper age, _without the introduction of a
magistrate; for we shall accuse him of raising up to the state
an illegitimate, unsponsored, and unhallowed child_." "You are
perfectly right." "But as soon as the women and the men are past
the prescribed age, we shall allow the latter I imagine to
associate freely with whomsoever they please, so that it be not
a daughter, or mother, or daughter's child, or grandmother; and
in like manner we shall permit the women to associate with any
man, except a son or a father." Republic, book v, sect. 461.
Davis and Vaughan's Translation, p. 190.