Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/295

 Well it may be that in time past the land of Malacca and China did end beyond the line on the south side, as Ptolemey doth set them foorth: because it might ioine with the point of the land called Ientana, with the Islands of Bintan, Banca, and Salitres being many that waies, and the land might be all slime and oaze; And so the point of China, might ioine with the Islands of the Luçones Borneos, Lequeos, Mindanaos, and others which stand in this parallele:

they also as yet hauing in opinion that the Island of Samatra did ioine with Iaua by the chanell of Sunda, and the Islands of Bali, Aujaue, Cambaua, Solor, Hogaleao, Maulua, Vintara, Rosalaguin, and others that be in this parallele and altitude did all ioine with Iaua; and so they seeme outwardly to those that descrie them. For at this day the Islands stand so neere the one to the other, that they seeme all but one firme land; and whosoeuer passeth betweene some of them, may touch with their hand the boughs of the trees on the one and on the other side also.

And to come neerer to the matter, it is not long since, that in the east the Islands of Banda, were diuers of them ouerflowen and drowned by the sea: And so likewise in China about nine score miles of firme ground is now become a lake, as it is reported. Which is not to be thought maruellous; considering that which Ptolemey and others haue written in such cases; which here I omit, to returne to my purpose.

After the flood 800. yeeres we reade that the citie of Troy was builded by the Dardans; and that before that time they brought out of the Indies into Europe by the Red sea, spices, drugs, and many other kindes of marchandises, which were there more abundant, then now they be.

Whereunto if credit may be giuen, we may conceaue that the sea was of old haunted and frequented, seeing that then they of the East had so much and so great trafficke with them of the West, that they brought their marchandise vnto an hauen which was named Arsinoe, being that which at this day is called Suez, standing in 30. degrees on the north part of the Arabian Gulfe. It is also by authors farther written, that from this hauen of Arsinoe or Suez, these marchandises were carried by Carauans or great com-*