pigafetta ’s voyage round the world. 403
only two fathoms deep, as is obferved by Marco Polo , lib. iii. chap. 12. The greatheat of the climate obliges the inhabitants to go entirely naked.
<c The people of this kingdom are imitated by thofe of the country of Vaar, whoalike go without cloaths, and, as do the inhabitants of Pentan, adore an ox.”
IJland Coylur *.
“ In this illand Coylur, Saint Thomas the Apoftle fuffered martyrdom.
* c Here, in the time of Sir John Mandeville , was found an ifland, the inhabitants ofwhich had the heads of dogs ; and here the polar ftar, called with us the arctic pole, isnot vifible. Thofe who navigate this fea are under neceffity of ufing the aftrolabe, asthe compafs in this part does not point.
“ All this country, and all thefe feas, with the illands and their kings, w T ere given bythe three holy kings to the Emperor Prefter John. The inhabitants of almoft all ofthefe illands and countries profelfed Chriftianity at one time, but at prefent only feventy-two nations are Chriftian.
“ Thofe who inhabit thefe illands have tails like animals, according to Ptolemey , whomakes this ftatement in his eleventh table of Afia.
“ Thefe illands are ten in number, and are called the Manilla Illands. Veffels framedwith iron cannot navigate among them, on account of the loadftone in them.”
<c In the book of Genefis is feen that the country through which the Ganges flows iscalled Havilah. Here Ihould grow the finelt gold in the known world. In holy writ,in the 3d Book of Kings, chapters ix. and x. it is faid that King Solomon fent hither hisveffels in fearch of this gold, as well as of pearls and precious Hones, which he caufedto be brought from Ophir to Jerufalem.”
Tartary.
** Marco Polo (lib. iii. cap. 47.) fays that, in the northern parts, among mountainsand deferts under the ar£tic pole, dwell a people of Tartar race, called Permians. Theyadore an idol made of furs, and called Natigai. The occupations of thefe people arelimited to repairing in fummer northward to the arctic pole, where they catch ermines,martins, rein-deer, foxes, and other animals, on which they fubfift, and the Ikins ofwhich ferve them for clothing. During fummer they inhabit the country for the fakeof hunting; and at approach of winter retire towards the fouth to Ruffia, where theydwell in caverns under ground to Ihelter themfelves from the bleak wind called aquilo,and line their caverns, for warmth, with the ikins of animals. With them in winterthere is very little day, but in fummer the fun never leaves them at night. In the verymidft of fummer foine few herbs and roots grow with them, but the earth yields neithertorn nor wine, on account of the intenfenefs of the cold.”
. “ In Iceland fair men are found, who are Chriftians. The cuftora of its inhabitantsis to fell dogs at a very high rate, while they willingly part with fome of their childrenmerchants for nothing, that they may have fufHcient to fupport the remainder.
1 . Marco Polo written Coylum ; with this author moreover it is not denominated an ifland, but a’tigdom of the ifland of Seylam, or Ceylan. O11 the globe of Behaim this ifland is a peninfula ofin form of a peninfula.
3 F 2
“ Item.—