Chapter XXVI.

OF THE ISLAND OF MADAGASCAR, THE COUNTRY OF ETHIOPIA, AND OTHER PARTS OF AFRICA.

A thousand miles thence southward is Magaster, one of the greatest and richest isles in the world, three thousand miles in circuit, inhabited by Saracens, governed by four old men; the people live by merchandise, and sell vast quantities of elephants’ teeth. The currents in these parts are of exceeding force. They report strange stories of fowls called Ruch, like an eagle, but of incomparable bigness. Zensibar also is said to be of great length, etc. There are elephants, giraffes, and sheep, very unlike to ours; the men and women very deformed. I have heard mariners and skilful pilots of those parts report, and have seen in their writings, which have compassed the sea of India, that there are in it twelve thousand and seven hundred islands inhabited and desert. In India Major, which is from Malabar to Chesmacoran, are thirteen kingdoms.

India Minor is from Ziambi to Murfili, in which are eight kingdoms, besides many islands. The second, or Middle India, is called Abascia, the chief king a Christian. There are six other kings, three Christians and three Saracens, subject to him; there are also Jews. St. Thomas having preached in Nubia, came to Abascia, and there did the like, and went afterwards to Malabar. They are very valiant soldiers, always in arms against the Soldan of Aden and the people of Nubia. I heard that, A.D. 1288, the great Emperor of the Abissines would have visited Jerusalem, but being dissuaded by reason of the Saracen kingdoms in the way, he sent a bishop of holy life to perform his devotions, who in his return was taken by the Soldan of Aden, and circumcised by force; whereupon the Abissine monarch raised an army, discomfited the Soldan, with two other Mohammedan kings, and took and spoiled Aden. Abascia is rich in gold; Escier is subject to Aden, forty miles distant south-east, where is plenty of white frankincense, very good, which drops from small trees by incision of the bark, a rich merchandise, etc. Some in that country, for want of corn, make biscuit of fish, of which they have great plenty; they also feed their beasts with fish. They take them in March, April, and May.