Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/294

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mountaines of Estrella, which ioine unto the sea ouer the towne of Syntra: And also from Sierra Verde or the greene mountaine, which adioineth vnto the water, hard by the citie of Sasin in the land of Cucu (which is the selfe same Island of Muchin, where Algarbe is) come the Islands of Porto Santo and Madera.

For it is held as a true and undoubted veritie, that all Islands haue their roots running from the firme land, though they be neuer so farre from the continent: for otherwise they could not stand firme.

There are other histories which say, that from Spaine vnto Ceuta in Barbarie men sometimes trauailed on foote vpon drie land, and that the Islands of Sardinia and Corsica did ioine the one with the other, as also did Sicilia with Italie, and Negroponto with Græcia.

We reade also that there were found hulles of ships, ankers of iron, and other memorials of shipping vpon the mountaines of Sussa farre within the land: where as it seemeth now no salt water or sea ever came.

In India also, and in the land of Malabar, although now there be great store of people, yet many writers affirme that it was once a maine sea vnto the foote of the mountaines; and that the Cape of Comarim, and the Island of Zeilan were all one thing: As also that the Island of Samatra did ioine with the land of Malacca by the flats of Caypasia; and not farre from thence there stands now a little Island, which few yeeres past was part of the firme land that is ouer against it.

Furthermore it is to be seene, how Ptolemey in his tables doth set the land of Malacca to the south of the line in three or fower degrees of latitude, whereas now it is at the point thereof, being called Ientana, in one degree on the north side, as appeereth in the Strait of Cincapura, where daily they doe passe through vnto the coast of Sian and China, where the Island of Aynan standeth, which also they say did ioine hard to the land of China: and Ptolemey placeth it on the north side far from the line, standing now aboue 20. degrees from it towards the North, as Asia and Europe now stand.