610 
ANTIQUITY OF THE CHINESE TRADE 
ables us, we think, to demonstrate that Mr. Marsden correctly fixed 
the position of the first three kingdoms, and that all the others are 
to be found in their order along the safne coast. 
The first that Marco Polo reached was Ferlecli (the Arabic pro¬ 
nunciation of Perlak or Diamond Point). The next is Basman, evi¬ 
dently Pacetn or Pase. Then follows Sam&ra, the Soumouthra of 
I bn Bathoutha, and Samadra of the Malay annals, called now Sama- 
langa or Samarlanga. Dagroian, the next in order, was probably the 
place now called Gigiran. Lambri is next mentioned, Mr. Marsden 
thinks this must be Jambi, but Mr. Murray properly identifies it 
with the Lambri which occurs in a list by De Barros of the king¬ 
doms along the coast of Sumatra.* 
The Sijara Malayu tells us that the first Arab missionary to Su¬ 
matra, Shaik Ismail, landed at Pasuri (Fansur), called Fansuri by 
the Arabs, from which he proceeded to La min (Lambri) and Ha- 
ru (Pasti). At Pas4 he asked the people where Samadra was, when 
he was informed that he had passed it. He went on to the country 
of Perlak, and then sailed back to Samadra, which this narrative 
thus proves to have lain between Lambri and Pas£. Marco Polo’s 
three months’ voyage therefore clearly ended on the north coast.f 
'* According to Mr. Marsdcn’s identifications the order in which the king¬ 
doms are mentioned is this: Perlak, Pase, and Samarlanga on the north 
coast, and Jndragiri, Jambi and Kampar on the west coast. But why should 
all the other kingdoms around the island be omitted ? At Samalanga where 
the fleet lay 5 months they were as likely to hear of these as of the three ri¬ 
vers in question. Mr. Murray’s identifications give us the following order. 
Siak on the east coast, Passummah an inland country to the S. E. of 
Bencoolen on the west coast, Samanka at the southern extremity, Ayer 
Aje or Inprapura, on the east coast, Lambri towards the extreme N. 
W. and lastly Barns to the south again. 
*j- He describes the inhabitants of Samara as idolatrous. In the next 
century Ibn Bathoutha found them Mahomedans. The chief seat of power 
along this coast appears from Malay histories to have shifted frequently. 
