42 THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 



has confused Java with Borneo. Especially noteworthy 

 is the report that Java is " the largest island in the world, 

 being in circuit above 3,000 miles " about double the 

 truth, says Yule. We shall notice again and again 

 evidence of the fact that navigators long remained 

 curiously ignorant of the South coast of Java. So 

 late as the end of the sixteenth century there were 

 well-informed geographers who doubted that Java had 

 a South coast, and who were inclined to think of it, as 

 ancient geographers had thought of Ceylon, as the 

 projecting tip of the unknown continent of the South. 

 Marco Polo " When you leave Java" all the manuscripts and texts, 

 stood "osa without exception, have these words, says Yule "and sail 

 that, South for 700 miles on a course between South and South-West, 

 a province y ou an "i ve at two Islands, a greater and a less. The one 

 named is called Sondur and the other Condur. As there is nothing 



Beach, about them worth mentioning, let us go on 500 miles 



another manuscript has 50 miles beyond Sondur, and 

 then we find another country which is called Locac. It is 

 a good country and a rich ; it is on the mainland ; and it 

 has a King of its own. The people are Idolaters, and have 

 a peculiar language, and pay tribute to nobody, for their 

 country is so situated that no one can enter it to do them 

 ill. Indeed, if it were possible to get at it, the Great Kaan 

 would soon bring them under subjection to him. In this 

 country the brazil which we make use of grows in great 

 plants ; and they also have gold in incredible quantity. 

 They have elephants likewise, and much game. In this 

 kingdom too are gathered all the porcelain shells which 

 are used for small change in all those Islands as I have told 

 you before. There is nothing else to mention, except that 

 this is a very wild region, visited by few people ; nor does 

 the King desire that any strangers should frequent the 

 country and so find out about his treasures and other 

 resources." Another manuscript accounts for lack of 

 visitors to Locac by the phrase " so inhuman are its in- 

 habitants." 



" When you leave Locac, and sail for 500 miles towards 

 the South, you come to an island called Pentam, a very 



