THE PORTUGUESE. 



279 



(Patta), visited Melinde, Mozambique, and the 

 Aguada de S. Braz, and doubled the Cape of 

 Storms on March 20, 1499. Goes 1 declares 

 that da Gama, after touching at Makdishu and 

 Melinde, arrived at Zanzibar on February 28, 

 and was supplied by its ruler with provisions, 

 presents, and specimens of country produce. The 

 island is described as large and fertile, with 

 groves of fine trees, producing good fruit, two 

 others, 6 Pomba ' (Pemba) and c Mofia ' (our Mon- 

 fia and the Arab Mafiyah), lying in its vicinity. 

 These settlements were governed by Moorish 

 princes c of the same caste as the King of Melinde ' 

 — doubtless hereditary Moslem Shaykhs and 

 Sayyids. The population is represented as being 

 in e no great force, but carrying on a good trade 

 with Mombassa for Guzerat calicoes and with 

 Sofala for gold.' The 4 King of Melinde ' made 

 a name in Europe. Rabelais commemorates 

 Hans Carvel, the King of Melinda's jeweller, and 

 (in Book I. chap, v.) we read, ' thus did Bacchus 



appearing to one of the Shaykhs. The city is supposed to 

 have been founded in a.d. 295, about 70 years before Kilwa. 



The three voyages of Yasco da Gama, &c, as from the 

 Lendas da India of Gaspar Correa, translated by the Hon. 

 Henry C. J. Stanley, London, Hakluyt Society, 1869, chap, 

 xxi., note to page 261. M. Guillain (i. 319) makes the expe- 

 dition reach Zanzibar on April 29, 1499. 



