But then the times
Grew to such evil that the holy cup
Was caught away to Heaven, and disappear'd."
- Tennyson's Holy Grail
[1] Apollonia (of Macedonia) is made Bolina; so Bolinas = Apollonius
(Tyanaeus).
[2] In 1870 I saw in the Libary at Monte Cassino a long French poem on the
story, in a MS. of our traveller's age. This is perhaps one referred
to by Migne, as cited in Hist. Litt. de la France, XV. 484. [It "has
even been published in the Spanish dialect used in the Philippine
Islands!" (Rhys Davids, Jataka Tales, p. xxxvii.) In a MS. note, Yule
says: "Is not this a mistake?" - H.C.]
[3] Imprynted at London in Flete Strete at the sygne of the Sonne, by
Wynkyn de Worde (1527).
[4] The first Life is thus entitled: [Greek: Bios kai Politeia tou Hosiou
Patros haemon kai Isapostolon Ioasaph tou Basileos taes Indias].
Professor Mueller says all the Greek copies have Ioasaph. I have
access to no copy in the ancient Greek.
[5] Also Migne's Dict. Legendes, quoting a letter of C.L. Struve,
Director of Koenigsberg Gymnasium, to the Journal General de l'Inst.
Publ., says that "an earlier story is entirely reproduced in the
Barlaam," but without saying what story.
[6] The well-known Kanhari Caves. (See Handbook for India, p. 306.)
[7] The quotation and the cut are from an old German version of Barlaam and
Josaphat printed by Zainer at Augsburg, circa 1477. (B.M., Grenv. Lib.,
No. 11,766.)
[8] Ed. 1554, fol. xci. v. So also I find in A. Tostati Hisp. Comment.
in primam ptem. Exodi, Ven. 1695, pp. 295-296: "Idola autem sculpta in
Aegypto primo inventa sunt per Syrophenem primum Idolotrarum; ante
hoc enim pura elementa ut dii colebantur." I cannot trace the tale.
CHAPTER XVI.
CONCERNING THE GREAT PROVINCE OF MAABAR, WHICH IS CALLED INDIA THE
GREATER, AND IS ON THE MAINLAND.
When you leave the Island of Seilan and sail westward about 60 miles, you
come to the great province of MAABAR which is styled INDIA THE GREATER; it
is best of all the Indies and is on the mainland.
You must know that in this province there are five kings, who are own
brothers. I will tell you about each in turn. The Province is the finest
and noblest in the world.
At this end of the Province reigns one of those five Royal Brothers, who
is a crowned King, and his name is SONDER BANDI DAVAR. In his kingdom they
find very fine and great pearls; and I will tell you how they are
got.[NOTE 1]
You must know that the sea here forms a gulf between the Island of Seilan
and the mainland. And all round this gulf the water has a depth of no more
than 10 or 12 fathoms, and in some places no more than two fathoms. The
pearl-fishers take their vessels, great and small, and proceed into this
gulf, where they stop from the beginning of April till the middle of May.
They go first to a place called BETTELAR, and (then) go 60 miles into the
gulf. Here they cast anchor and shift from their large vessels into small
boats. You must know that the many merchants who go divide into various
companies, and each of these must engage a number of men on wages, hiring
them for April and half of May. Of all the produce they have first to pay
the King, as his royalty, the tenth part. And they must also pay those men
who charm the great fishes, to prevent them from injuring the divers
whilst engaged in seeking pearls under water, one twentieth part of all
that they take. These fish-charmers are termed Abraiaman; and their
charm holds good for that day only, for at night they dissolve the charm
so that the fishes can work mischief at their will. These Abraiaman know
also how to charm beasts and birds and every living thing. When the men
have got into the small boats they jump into the water and dive to the
bottom, which may be at a depth of from 4 to 12 fathoms, and there they
remain as long as they are able. And there they find the shells that
contain the pearls [and these they put into a net bag tied round the
waist, and mount up to the surface with them, and then dive anew. When
they can't hold their breath any longer they come up again, and after a
little down they go once more, and so they go on all day].[NOTE 2] The
shells are in fashion like oysters or sea-hoods. And in these shells are
found pearls, great and small, of every kind, sticking in the flesh of the
shell-fish.
In this manner pearls are fished in great quantities, for thence in fact
come the pearls which are spread all over the world. And I can tell you
the King of that State hath a very great receipt and treasure from his
dues upon those pearls.
As soon as the middle of May is past, no more of those pearl-shells are
found there. It is true, however, that a long way from that spot, some 300
miles distant, they are also found; but that is in September and the first
half of October.
NOTE 1. - MAABAR (Ma'bar) was the name given by the Mahomedans at this
time (13th and 14th centuries) to a tract corresponding in a general way
to what we call the Coromandel Coast. The word in Arabic signifies the
Passage or Ferry, and may have referred either to the communication with
Ceylon, or, as is more probable, to its being in that age the coast most
frequented by travellers from Arabia and the Gulf.[1] The name does not
appear in Edrisi, nor, I believe, in any of the older geographers, and the
earliest use of it that I am aware of is in Abdallatif's account of Egypt,
a work written about 1203-1204.
