Notes by Columbus

Original text

Sandalwood

Amber

Leopards

Deer

many ships

strong currents in the sea

the sea always runs south and very fast

birds

the feathers of one 12 feet

grab an elephant

Sugar    Dates

Amber

Elephants

Brew for elephants

giraffes

CHAPTER 39

About the island of Madaigaster (Madagascar)

After leaving Socotra, there is after thousand miles in the south, the island of Madaigaster, which is one of the largest and richest islands in the world. It covers its circumference four thousand miles. Its inhabitants are Saracens (16) and observe the law of the miserable Muhammad. They have no king, but the government of the whole island has been entrusted to four elders. In it there are more elephants than those that can be found in any other region of the earth. Even in the whole world there is not as much traffic of elephant tusks as there and on the island of Zanzibar. Its inhabitants do not eat meat other than camel, since they discovered that it was healthier than the others; indeed, there is so countless a multitude of camels that it would seem incredible for the astonishment caused by his unheard-of number to which he has not seen it with his own eyes. The red sandalwood forests abound, of which there grow large trees, with which many negotiations are made. There is an infinite amount of amber, since in the sea sperm whales and huge whales are often found from which amber is caught. There are leopards, cheetah and lions astonishingly big. There are deer, fallow deer and goats in great numbers, and a lot of hunting of animals and birds. The birds of that region are very different from ours. There are also birds of many kinds, which we do not have at all in our country. To this place many ships go on contract. In contrast to the other islands that are beyond, in the south, there is little influx of ships except at the island of Zanzibar, because of the very fast current in the sea; indeed, the ships arrive there quickly, but return with terrible difficulty; for the same vessel that goes in 20 days from the kingdom of Moabar (17) to the island of Madaigastar can hardly return from Madaigastar to Moabar in three months, because that impetuous current of the sea always runs south and never its flow is diverted in another direction nor in the opposite direction.

CHAPTER 40

Of the huge birds that are called Ruch (18)

In the islands those, to which the ships go in spite of themselves, as I said, by the very rapid current of water, appears at a certain time of the year a wonderful species of bird called Ruch. It resembles the eagle in the shape of its body, but it is of enormous size. Those who have seen it assure that the feathers of a wing measure 12 steps of length; the width of the feathers and of his body keeps the proportion due to such an excessive length. This bird has so much strength and courage that one of them, without the help of another, seizes an elephant and raises it to the top of the air, from where it releases it so that it collapses and bursts; then it rests on its corpse and devours its flesh. I, Marco, when I heard this for the first time, thought that those birds were Griffins (19), of which it is said that in part they have the figure of a bird and in part of beasts; but those who have seen them affirm without hesitation that in no one member they resemble any beast, but they have only two legs like birds. The Great Khan Kublay (20) sent messengers to those islands so that an ambassador who was imprisoned there would be released. He also instructed them to inform themselves, and to inform him to their return, of the qualities and wonderful things of the region. These, on their return, brought the captive they had gone to look for and, among other things they told about these islands, they said that there were wild boars the size of buffalo, as well as giraffes and wild asses in large numbers and many other animals that we do not have in our land.

CHAPTER 41

About the island of Zanzibar

Next is the island of Zanzibar, which encompasses in its circumference two thousand miles. There is a king and a particular language there. All the inhabitants of the island are idolaters. They are also big in size, but the height of their body does not keep the proportion due to their fatness; indeed, if they extended in height as their thickness would require, they would no doubt look like giants. However, they are very strong, because one of them carries as much weight as four men from another region can carry; also one of them swallows food for five from another region. They are black and they walk naked, but they cover their shame. Their hair is so matted and frizzy, that they can hardly stretch it with water. They have a very large mouth, nose turned up towards the forehead, big ears and frightening eyes. Their women are equally monstrous: they have a large mouth, a snub nose, protruding eyes, and hands four times as thick as women in other towns. They eat meat, milk, rice and dates. They lack vines, but they make an excellent brew as an ordinary drink of rice, sugar, dates and other spices. Great deals are made there, especially of amber and elephant tusks, as there are many elephants and in the sea of that island large wales are caught. The men of this land are very strong and warlike and do not seem to be afraid from death. They do not have horses, but they go to war with elephants and camels. On the elephants they place wooden turrets of such great size that on one of these turrets fit 16 or 20 armed men; those who go in such castles fight with spears, swords and stones; the turrets are covered with a framework of beams. So, when they get ready to go to war, they first give the elephants that great concoction that the people of the land prepare for themselves, so that with such a drink they become more fierce. On this island the lions abound, which are very different from those of the other regions. There are also leopards and cheetahs in large numbers. In the same way, all the beasts of this place differ from the beasts that exist in the rest of the world. There are white rams that have a black head, and that is how many are reared on the island. There are many giraffes, whose neck is three steps long; its front legs are long, the hind legs short; Its head is small and its color stained white and red. * * * The aforementioned are tame animals and do not hurt anyone.