Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra43441905roya).pdf/329

 The other Portuguese coins collected by Mr. Bland are identical with those described in my former paper. I therefore merely give the number of the specimens found with their references:

Eight coins from the reign of King Emmanuel (1495-1521), loc. cit. p. 194 pl. I, figs. 2 and 2 a.

Eight coins from the reign of King John III (1521-1557), loc. cit. pl. II, figs. 8 and 8 a.

Five coins from the same reign, loc. cit. pl. II, figs. 9 and 9 a.

Seven coins from the same reign, loc. cit. pl. II, figs. 10 and 10 a.

Three coins without incriptioninscription [sic], loc. cit. pl. I, figs. 3 and 3 a.

One coin, with the letters B. A. and three crossed arrows between them, loc. cit. pl.II, figs 12 and 12 a.

In addition to these there are about twenty-five Malay coins, most of them, however, too much worn to be deciphered. One of them hears the inscription and is almost indenticalidentical [sic] with the one described in my former paper (p. 185, pl. I, fig. 5). The Rev. Dr. Luering has kindly pointed out to me that the reading I gave at the time of this inscription, viz. "maliku ’l-‘âdil" and the translation 'The just king,' were based on a wrong vocalisation of the first word which is not to be read 'malik,' i. e. king', but 'milk' or 'mulk', that is 'possession,' 'property,' and is often used with regard to coinage in the sense of the French 'fonds.' He further says that the word 'âdil' which originally means 'just,' 'righteous,' has in this connection the secondary meaning of 'equal weight,' 'full weight,' so that the inscription might be translated 'full weight currency,' or 'legal tender.'

I wish to point out that the figures of the accompanying plate are faithful reproductions of the originals, in natural size, and that their indistinctness is not due to the photographer and printer, but to the condition in which the coins were found. Only by examining the coins in different lights was it possible to decipher their inscriptions.