— Ill — 
SAN ROMAN. 
This likewise is one of the early and important Historians 
of Portugal. The extracts from his “ Historia ” aomprise only 
a short resume of the time of Almeida, and the chief points 
in the career of Mascarenhas, which completely confirm the 
view taken above, as no mention of the Islands or any disco- 
very of them, is anywhere made. 
MAPS. 
The Maps sent are all extremely rare, and are facsimiles 
Pigafetta, and a few others deny that Taprobana is Ceylon, 
(see Blactin Behaim’s Map.) The Map of the early part of 
the 16th century, is an Arabic one and very curious ; the 
names. Din Aroby and Dimo-Bay seem to be the Arabic po- 
sition for the islands afterwards Bourbon and Mauritius. Juan 
de Lisboa must evidently be some rock or islet to the South 
of Mauritius, for the place of this island is the same in all the 
early maps. I fancy that Apolonia (Apolina etc.) is a much 
more ancient name than Cirne or Mascarenhas, and is found 
on much earlier maps than either of these, and has been given 
to Bourbon, and probably comprehended both the islands to- 
gether. Madagascar, in most of the early charts, is the real 
Cirne (Othiopica) Yel Insula Manuthias, Vel Manupias. The 
Illuminated Chart from the grand Vellum Altas of Diegus 
Homen (1558) is unique, and is carefully preserved in the 
King’s Library. Sir Frederick Madden gave me special per- 
mission to have it copied. This map is one of the first in 
which these Islands are called u Mascarenhas.” The other 
Illuminated Map by Johann Rotz, the most ancient Portu- 
guese Portulan in England in which the name c ' Mascarenhas ” 
is given to these Islands. It has been copied from the vellum 
original in the King’s Library, the only' copy extant. In this 
Map, Bourbon is called Apolina, and Mauritius, Mascarenhas . 
The Arabic Maps and Books will be examined by me when 1 
can find time ; for the above reseai’ches have occupied me an 
entire month, and I have had the work copied in the most 
economical manner possible for the Society, consistent with 
J 
