A General History And Collection Of Voyages And Travels - Volume 1 - By Robert Kerr


















































































































 -  Though not mentioned, it is probable his travels were
undertaken for the purpose of trade, as we can hardly suppose - Page 44
A General History And Collection Of Voyages And Travels - Volume 1 - By Robert Kerr - Page 44 of 425 - First - Home

Enter page number    Previous Next

Number of Words to Display Per Page: 250 500 1000

Though Not Mentioned, It Is Probable His Travels Were Undertaken For The Purpose Of Trade, As We Can Hardly Suppose Him To Have Twice Visited Those Distant Countries Merely For The Satisfaction Of Curiosity.

With regard to the second treatise or commentary, it seems probable, that when the affairs of China became better

Known, some prince or person of distinction had desired Abu Zeid to examine the former relation, and to inform him how far the facts of the original work were confirmed by succeeding accounts. The date of the commentary is not certainly ascertainable; yet it appears, that Eben Wahab travelled into China A.H. 285. A.D. 898, and that Abu Zeid had conversed with this man after his return, and had received from him the facts which are inserted in his discourse, which therefore is probably only sixty or seventy years posterior to the actual treatise of the nameless traveller.

[1] Translation from Renaudot, 8vo. Lond. 1733. See likewise Harris, I. 522.

SECTION I.

Original Account of India and China, by a Mahomedan Traveller of the Ninth Century.

The third of the seas we have to mention is that of Herkend[1]. Between this sea and that of Delarowi there are many islands, said to be in number 1900, which divide those two seas from each other[2], and are governed by a queen[3]. Among these islands they find ambergris in lumps of extraordinary bigness, and also in smaller pieces, which resemble plants torn up. This amber is produced at the bottom of the sea, in the same manner as plants are produced upon the earth; and when the sea is tempestuous, it is torn up from the bottom by the violence of the waves, and washed to the shore in the form of a mushroom or truffle. These islands are full of that species of palm tree which bears the cocoa nuts, and they are from one to four leagues distant from each other, all inhabited. The wealth of the inhabitants consists in shells, of which even the royal treasury is full. The workmen in these islands are exceedingly expert, and make shirts and vests, or tunics, all of one piece, of the fibres of the cocoa nut. Of the same tree they build ships and houses, and they are skilful in all other workmanships. Their shells they have from the sea at certain times, when they rise up to the surface, and the inhabitants throw branches of the cocoa nut tree into the water, to which the shells stick. These shells they call Kaptaje.

Beyond these islands, and in the sea of Herkend, is Serendib[4] or Ceylon, the chief of all these islands, which are called Dobijat. It is entirely surrounded by the sea, and on its coast they fish for pearls. In this country there is a mountain called Rahun, to the top of which Adam is said to have ascended, where he left the print of his foot, seventy cubits long, on a rock, and they say his other foot stood in the sea at the same time. About this mountain there are mines of rubies, opals, and amethysts.

Enter page number   Previous Next
Page 44 of 425
Words from 22346 to 22873 of 222093


Previous 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 Next

More links: First 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200
 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300
 310 320 330 340 350 360 370 380 390 400
 410 420 Last

Display Words Per Page: 250 500 1000

 
Africa (29)
Asia (27)
Europe (59)
North America (58)
Oceania (24)
South America (8)
 

List of Travel Books RSS Feeds

Africa Travel Books RSS Feed

Asia Travel Books RSS Feed

Europe Travel Books RSS Feed

North America Travel Books RSS Feed

Oceania Travel Books RSS Feed

South America Travel Books RSS Feed

Copyright © 2005 - 2022 Travel Books Online