Mr. Phillips's Chinese extracts, already cited, state that west of Sumatra
(proper) were two small kingdoms, the first Naku-urh, the second Liti.
Naku-urh, which seems to be the Ting-'ho-'rh of Pauthier's extracts,
which sent tribute to the Kaan, and may probably be Dagroian as Mr.
Phillips supposes, was also called the Kingdom of Tattooed Folk.
[Mr. G. Phillips wrote since (J.R.A.S., July 1895, p. 528): "Dragoian has
puzzled many commentators, but on (a) Chinese chart ... there is a country
called Ta-hua-mien, which in the Amoy dialect is pronounced Dakolien,
in which it is very easy to recognise the Dragoian, or Dagoyam, of Marco
Polo." In his paper of The Seaports of India and Ceylon (Jour. China
B.R.A.S., xx. 1885, p. 221), Mr. Phillips, referring to his Chinese Map,
already said: Ta-hsiao-hua-mien, in the Amoy dialect Toa-sio-hoe (or
Ko)-bin, "The Kingdom of the Greater and Lesser Tattooed Faces." The
Toa-Ko-bin, the greater tattooed-face people, most probably represents the
Dagroian, or Dagoyum, of Marco Polo. This country was called Na-ku-erh
and Ma Huan says, "the King of Na-ku-erh is also called the King of the
Tattooed Faces." - H.C.]
Tattooing is ascribed by Friar Odoric to the people of Sumoltra.
(Cathay, p. 86.) Liti is evidently the Lide of De Barros, which by
his list lay immediately east of Pedir. This would place Naku-urh about
Samarlangka. Beyond Liti was Lanmoli (i.e. Lambri). [See G.
Schlegel, Geog. Notes, XVI. Li-tai, Nakur. - H.C.]
There is, or was fifty years ago, a small port between Ayer Labu and
Samarlangka, called Darian-Gade (Great Darian?). This is the nearest
approach to Dagroian that I have met with. (N. Ann. des V., tom. xviii.
p. 16.)
NOTE 5. - Gasparo Balbi (1579-1587) heard the like story of the Battas
under Achin. True or false, the charge against them has come down to our
times. The like is told by Herodotus of the Paddaei in India, of the
Massagetae, and of the Issedonians; by Strabo of the Caspians and of the
Derbices; by the Chinese of one of the wild tribes of Kwei-chau; and was
told to Wallace of some of the Aru Island tribes near New Guinea, and to
Bickmore of a tribe on the south coast of Floris, called Rakka (probably
a form of Hindu Rakshasa, or ogre-goblin). Similar charges are made
against sundry tribes of the New World, from Brazil to Vancouver Island.
Odoric tells precisely Marco's story of a certain island called Dondin.
And in "King Alisaunder," the custom is related of a people of India,
called most inappropriately Orphani: -
"Another Folk woneth there beside;
Orphani he hatteth wide.
When her eldrynges beth elde,
And ne mowen hemselven welde
Hy hem sleeth, and bidelve
And," etc., etc.
- Weber, I. p. 206.
