142 ESSAY ON 



of three islands. The eastern Cerne^ it is true, was 

 said to be near the eastern shores of Africa. This 

 mistaken notion arose, through the information of 

 the Hindus, who will have it that the dwipa of Lanca 

 really joins the shores of ^Sancha, Zeng, or Africa. 

 The Nubian geographer adopted this idea, as well as 

 Arabian writers in general. 



The Gods are represented as travelling from one 

 Tri-cuta to the other ; and the grand depot for souls 

 after death, is at Yama-puri, in the Peninsula of 

 Malaca ; from which, on certain days fixed for that 

 purpose, they set off together for D'harrna-puri in the 

 north west, which they reach after a painful march 

 of twelve months. 



These three islands in the south east, are in general 

 called Lanca ; and in every one of them is supposed 

 to be a city called a Lancd-puriy and there is actually 

 a place of that name in Sumatra, according to Mr, 

 Marsden. The walls of these three cities are of the 

 same metal with the soil of their respective islands : 

 of course the walls and palaces of Lanca-puri in the 

 Gold-Island, are of that metal; and of silver in the 

 Silver- Island. In the island of iron, brass, stone, or 

 clay, the walls are of these materials : but more 

 generally they are said to be either of iron or brass. 

 The Gold-Island, or Suvarn'a, is also called Maha- 

 Lanca and Ma-Lancd ; from which is probably 

 derived its modern name of Malaca; which is also 

 called Maldchya in the Devi-purdn'a. 



These islands were well known to the ancients, un- 

 der the appellations of C/zr^/^e, Argyrea, and TaprobanL 

 That of Taprobant, though generally understood of 

 Ceylon^ was also extended to the three islands; for 



