and the island is called
Pentara. This may possibly be the island of Bintang in the
south-eastern entrance of the straits of Malacca.--E.

[9] Most probably the kingdom of Malacca. From the Trevigi edition
Pinkerton calls this Malonir, and curiously identifies Pepetam,
Pentara, or Pentan, as the name of the city and kingdom of Malonir or
Malaiur.--E.

[10] If right in our former conjectures, the island spoken of in the text
must be Sumatra not that now called Java. Indeed, the mention
immediately afterwards of the islands of Nocueran and Angaman 150
miles to the north, which can only he the Nicobar and Andaman islands,
establish the identity of Java-minor, here called Java the less, and
Sumatra.--E.

[11] The animal here described under the name of unicorn is the Rhinoceros
monoceros, or one-horned rhinoceros of naturalists; but the single horn
is placed a little above the nose, not on the middle of the forehead,
as here erroneously described by Marco.--E

[12] He had evidently missed the Monsoon, and had to await its return. From
this kingdom or division of the island, it probably acquired the name
of Sumatra, by which it is known in modern geography. From the
circumstance in the text of not seeing the great bear, it is probable
that Marco was stopped near the south-eastern extremity of the island.
What is here translated the great bear, Pinkerton calls, from the
Trevigi edition _del Maistro._ The polar star was invisible of
course.--E.

[13] Called Deragola by Pinkerton, from the Trevigi edition.--E.

[14] He here distinctly indicates the manufacture of sego.--E.

[15] Nicobar and Andaman, on the east side of the bay of Bengal; called
Necunera and Namgama in the Trevigi edition.--E.

SECTION XIX.

_Of the Island of Ceylon, and various parts of Hither India_.

Sailing from Angaman 1000 miles west, and a little to the south, we come to
the island of Zelan or Ceylon, which is 2400 miles in circumference; but
was anciently 3600 miles round, as appears from the former charts of the
country, the north winds having occasioned the sea to destroy a great part
of it. This is the finest island in the world, and its king is called
Sendernaz. The men and women are idolaters, and go entirely naked, except a
small cloth before them. They grow no corn except rice; and they have
plenty of oil of sesame, milk, flesh, palm wine, Brazil woo