where they were likely to have first made the land. Here he says the
people in general were idolaters; but the Saracen merchants who
frequented the place had converted to the faith of Mahomet the
inhabitants of the towns, whilst those of the mountains lived like
beasts, and were in the practice of eating human flesh. Basma or Basman:
this nearly approaches in sound to Pasaman on the western coast, but I
should be more inclined to refer it to Pase (by the Portuguese written
Pacem) on the northern. The manners of the people here, as in the other
kingdoms, are represented as savage; and such they might well appear to
one who had long resided in China. Wild elephants are mentioned, and the
rhinoceros is well described. Samara: this I suppose to be Samar-langa,
likewise on the northern coast, and noted for its bay. Here, he says, the
expedition, consisting of two thousand persons, was constrained to remain
five months, waiting the change of the monsoon; and, being apprehensive
of injury from the barbarous natives, they secured themselves, by means
of a deep ditch, on the land side, with its extremities embracing the
port, and strengthened by bulwarks of timber. With provisions they were
supplied in abundance, particularly the finest fish. There is no wheat,
and the people live on rice. They are without vines, but extract an
excellent liquor from trees of the palm kind by cutting off a branch and
applying to it a vessel which is filled in the course of a day and night.
A description is then given of the Indian or coconut. Dragoian, a name
bearing some though not much resemblance to Indragiri on the eastern
coast; but I doubt his having proceeded so far to the southward as that
river. The customs of the natives are painted as still more atrocious in
this district. When any of them are afflicted with disorders pronounced
by their magicians to be incurable their relations cause them to be
suffocated, and then dress and eat their flesh; justifying the practice
by this argument, that if it were suffered to corrupt and breed worms,
these must presently perish, and by their deaths subject the soul of the