216 'Portuguese Inscriptions from Mombassa. [Dec. 



tion of the words, must be referable to tbe names of the Governor, wbo was 

 commanded to fix tbe inscription and of tbe two masons wbo built tbe 

 fortress. Tbe former is solved by consulting the documents given in tbe 

 foot note, tbe latter are scarcely of any historical importance. 



Translation of tfie Inscription, No. II. 



(In the year 16)4<S John da Silva de Menezes entered this fortress 

 and finding it much damnified, hastened to repair soldiers' lodgings, three 

 magazines and one hospital, and commanded to rebuild the bastion 

 * Cavaleiro' and name it ' St. Antonio.' 



Remarks. _ This inscription is far clearer than the No. I. It indicates 

 plainly the advances the Portuguese artist bad made during the fifty years 

 elapsed between the two inscriptions. Its equivalent in modern Portuguese 

 would run thus: — (Ens o anno de 16)48 reio entrer (Joao) da Silva de 

 Menezes (nesta) forteleza, e achanob a mui damnificada traton do reparo 

 de cazas de Soldados e tres almazes (armazens) a una caza de hospital. E 

 mandon refazer este balwarte ' Cavaleiro' por nome S. Antonio. 



Tbe year is evidently 1698, for it was then that the Viceroy of India 

 Joao da Silva de Menezes paid a visit to the island of Mombaza. 



Of the three blasons or arms in the N. W., S. W. and S. E. corners tbe 

 first to tbe left, i. e. the N. W. corner, are the Royal Arms of Portugal. 

 The nest two are private ones, belonging most probably to the Governor or 

 Captains of Mombaza, whose names are given as R. Alves Alberts and Paulo 

 Matheus. 



The arms of the Fidalgos of Portugal are not un frequently seen 

 engraven by tbe side of those of their Kings, the old Fort of Diu is an 

 instance of this. The cross (generally a Maltese one) is often engraven by 

 tbe side of the Royal Arms, and is known as the cross of the King d' 

 Manuel tbe fortunate. It is either placed on one side of the arms, with 

 an armillary sphere or globe on the opposite side, as still observed on the 

 gateway of the citadel of Bassein, or above tbe arms with the sphere on 

 one side and a little below it, and three arrows tied together on the other, 

 as in the ruined Fort of Chaul. 



The two inscriptions above, with the one given by Rev. G. P. Badger,* 

 and the landmark described in his reportf by Dr. Kirk, who visited it on 

 the 14th October, 1873, on tbe coast of Malindi, where it was first placed 

 by Vasco da Gama on his first voyage round the Cape, and which has 

 undergone tbe vicissitudes of being often removed and transplanted by 



* Introduction to the Travels of Ludovico di Varthorua p. CIX. The inscrip- 

 tion is dated 1C35 and is said to have been discovered by Dr. Krapt in the fortress of 

 Mombaza. 



t This Report is published in the Bombay Gazette, 22nd January, 1874. 



