401
deprive his country of fuch a treafure. This ruby is faid to be a foot and a half long,a fpan in breadth, and without any flaw.”
IJland Java Minor.
t cc This ifland is two thoufand Italian leagues in circumference, and contains eightkingdoms. The inhabitants have a diftinct language, and are addicted to the worfhip°f idols. The country produces all kinds of fpices. In the kingdom of Boffman # areniany unicorns, elephants, and monkeys, with a human countenance. Item, no corngrown on the ifland, but bread is made in it from rice ; inftead of wine the peoplenfe for drink a liquor which is extracted from trees. This is of a red as well as a whitecolour; it is tolerably pleafant to the tafte, and is met with in great plenty in the king-dom of Samara. In the kingdom of Dageram f it is cuftomary, when the idol affirmsthat a fick individual will not recover, to ftifle him immediately after the oracle is de-livered ; his friends then caufe his flefli to be cooked, and partake of it with much re-joicing, in order, as they fay, that it may not become the food of worms. In the king-dom of Jambri J, the inhabitants of both fexes have a tail growing from their rumplike dogs. In this kingdom is an extraordinary abundance of fpices ; and animals ofa U defcriptions are found, fuch as unicorns, &c. In the other kingdom, called Fanfur,the bell camphor in the known world is produced, which is fold for its weight in gold.Idere alfo are large trees, from between the bark and the heart of which a kind of flourls collefted ; it ferves to make bread, and is excellent food §. Marco Polo fays, in'theSixteenth chapter of his third book, that he redded five months on this ifland.”
IJland Java Major.
te After leaving the great country of Cathay, going by the way of the kingdom ofCiamba, and failing fifteen hundred Italian leagues towards the eaft, you arrive at theifland called Java Major, three thoufand Italian leagues in circumference. The kingthis ifland is tributary to no one, and adores idols. Here, all kinds of fpices areround, fuch as pepper, nutmegs, mace, ginger, galanga, cloves, cinnamon; and all kinds°r roots, which are tranfported thence to different quarters of the globe, and whichlender this country the refort of a number of merchants at all times.”
IJland Angatna ||.
In the 22d chapter of the laft book of Marco Polo it is faid, that the people ofifland Angama have the head, eyes, and teeth of dogs ; and that they are a veryUncivilized and cruel race of men. They prefer human to other flelh, and eat ricecooked in milk in lieu of bread. They worlhip idols, and cultivate all kinds .of fpicesgreat abundance, as well as many fruits, peculiar to their country, and differing muchrom thofe which grow with us in the weft.”
0 Marco Polo writes the name of this kingdom Bafman.4 According to the above-noticed author, Dragoian.f Called by Marco Polo , Lambri.
§ An erroneous account of the fago-palm.
II Marco Polo writes Anganiam.
3 F
V °L. XI.
IJland