BOOK VI. xxvi. 104-106 



third port named Mokha, which is not called at on 

 the voyage to India, and is only used by merchants 

 trading in frankincense and Arabian perfumes. 

 Inland there is a town, the residence of the king 

 of the district, called Sapphar, and another called 

 Save. But the most advantageous way of sailing to 

 India is to set out from Cella ; from that port it 

 is a 40 days' voyage, if the Hippalus ° is blowing, to 

 the first trading-station in India, Cranganore — not a 

 desirable port of call, on account of the neighbouring 

 pirates, who occupy a place called Nitriae,* nor is it 

 specially rich in articles of merchandise ; and further- 

 more the roadstead for shipping is a long way from 

 the land, and cargoes have to be brought in and 

 carried out in boats. The king of Muziris, at the date 

 of publication, was Caelobothras. There is another 

 more serviceable port, belonging to the Neacyndi 

 tribe, called Porakad ; this is where king Pandion 

 reigned, his capital being a town in the interior a 

 long way from the port, called Madura ; while the 

 district from which pepper is conveyed to Becare 

 in canoes made of hollowed tree-trunks is called 

 Cottonara. But ail these names of tribes and 

 ports or towns are to be found in none of the previous 

 writers, which seems to show that the local condi- 

 tions of the places are changing. Travellers set sail 

 from India on the return voyage at the beginning of 

 the Egyptian month Tybis, which is our December, 

 or at all events before the sixth day of the Egyptian 

 Mechir, which works out at before January 13 in our 

 calendar — so making it possible to return home in 

 the same year. They set sail from India with a south- 

 east wind,<^ and after entering the Red Sea,continue 

 the voyage with a south-west or south wind. 



419 



