.S U H A T R A. 
lies in India, differs from the former in relating the circumftanc^s of the 
foundation of Malacca, whofe firft prince he calls Raja Sahu^ and fays 
that m the reign of his fecond fon Cafmo, an Arabiin pricft ai rived, and 
firft preached the doflrine of the Caliphs, converting this king thereto, 
aad giving hifn the name of Xa Mahamtd^ in the year 1584. QarmtlU 
kBrun was informed by the king of Bamtanh in 1706, that the people 
of Java^ were made converts to that feft, about three hundred years 
before. From thefe feveral fources of information, which are per- 
fectly diftin^l from each oihcr, we may juftly draw this conclufion, that 
Mahometanifm, which fprnng up in Arabia in the feventh century, 
had made no progrefs on Sumatra before the j^ear 1400, and that the 
period of its introduction, confidering the vicinity to Mahicca^ could 
not be much later. Marco Paula ^ the Venetian traveller, who, notwith- 
jftanding all the inaccuracies of his work, was doubtlefs in mbft of the 
countries which he defcribes, and certainly vifited Sumatra or Java^ or 
both ; fays, that thofe of the people who lived near the Tea fhore, when 
he was onjava mwcrf about were addided to the Mahometan 
law, which they had learned from the Saracen merchants. This throws 
the period of converlion back, upwards of an hundred years ; but I 
am fcrupulous of infitling uu Lis *utlsority_^? Fr^wss Xaviify the ce- 
lebrated 
» To irace the couxfe of Marco Paulo'* travels, fs wandenng in a very ob(cur« path, but not aho- 
gcther dcftitute of glhumering light. The foUowing abftrafl will enable the reader to form a judg- 
ment of his much difputed authenticity. " From PelattyQM go ty the kingdom of MeUlur, where are 
many fpices, and a peculiar language. Steering to the fouthward Qf Fttan, tlurty three leagues, you 
arrive at the ifland of Java minor, (evidently Sumatra} In circuit about Ciz hundred and fifty lea- 
gues. It is divided into eight kingdoms, having a proper tongue. It ftretches fo far to the fouthward, 
that the north pole h invir»ble. I, Marco Paulo, was there, and vifited fix of the eight king- 
doms } namely, Fsrietbf Bafman, Samaraf Dra^fiim, Larnbrij and Fanfut, Thofe of the peo- 
ple of T^rkch who inhabit the mountains, are without bw, and live brutally, eating the flefti of 
all forts of beafts indifcriminately, and even human fiefii : thofe who live near the borders of the 
fca, arc Mahometans, converted by Saracec merchants. In Bafman (<iuaere Fajamman) they 
have a peculiar language. Here we 6nd elephants and nnicom* (rhinoceros) with hides like 
buffaloes, feet like elephants, heads like wild boars, and a fingle horn on the fnout ; many mon- 
keys alfo, refembling the human figure, the ikms of which are ftuffed by the natives, deprived of 
liie hair, and fold ro firangcrs for a diniiinutive race of men, I was five months in Samara^ wait- 
ing for the fcafon. The inhabitaat» are Jkyage, cmei, and addicted to eating human ficlh. 
They 
