326 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIX. 



A 9. 



Paesi Novamente Retrovati, cap. cxlii. 



[From information of Padre Joseph, 1 after June 1502.] 



There are also in this Indian sea many islands, among which 

 are two worthy of mention. The first is Saylam, distant from the 

 cape Comaricc miles, in which are produced the horses. 2 Beyond 

 this towards the east is the island of Samotra or Taprobana. 3 



1 This man and his brother Mathias, professed Christians, were 

 found at Cranganor in 1500 by Pedralvares Cabral, who brought them 

 to Portugal, where Mathias died. Joseph went to Rome, and thence 

 to Venice, where the details published in the P. N. R. were obtained 

 from him. 



2 In original " dove nasceno le Caualle " — a ridiculous misprint for 

 " le canelle" " the cinnamon [barks or quills].'' 



3 Like Gaspar da India, Padre Joseph could not identify Ceylon 

 with Taprobana, which name he agreed with the compilers of the 

 Canerio and Cantino charts (see A 10) in applying to Sumatra. 



A 10. 



Legends in the Canerio Chart. 1 

 [1502.] 



Ataprobana, 2 — This island called Ataprobana is the largest 

 island in the world and the richest in everything, such as gold 

 and silver and precious stones and pearls and very large and fine 

 rubies and all kinds of spicery and silks and brocades ; and the 

 people are idolators and very [well] disposed and trade with out- 

 siders and send out from here many wares and bring others that 

 are not found in this island. 



[Qillam. 3 ] — Here is produced the cinnamon and many kinds 

 of spicery, and here they fish pearls and seed-pearls ; the people 

 of this island are idolators and trade much cloves with Caliqut. 4 



1 A reproduction of part of this chart is given in the First Voyage 

 of V. da Gama, the legends, with English translations, being printed 

 in App. G. The reference letters prefixed to the last five legends do 

 not correspond with those in the map. 



2 In the map this name is assigned to Sumatra ; but the descrip- 

 tion in the legend would seem to show some confusion with Ceylon. 



3 In the Canerio chart no name is given to Ceylon, though the names 



of three places on the east coast are marked, viz., Morachim ( ?), 



Traganollaneo (Trincomalee), and Panama (Panawa). The name 

 Cillam is from the Cantino chart, also of 1502 (c/. the first extract 

 above, A 1). 



4 This last statement is, of course, erroneous. Leonardo Nardi 

 (see supra, A 8) was better informed. 



