Chapter CAMEEZE to CANARA of C by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

Italian (i. f. 299v).

c. 1535.—“The last Kingdom of the First India is called the Province Canarim ; it is bordered on one side by the Kingdom of Goa and by Anjadiva, and on the other side by Middle India or Malabar. In the interior is the King of Narsinga, who is chief of this country. The speech of those of Canarim is different from that of the Kingdom of Decan and of Goa.”—Portuguese Summary of Eastern Kingdoms, in Ramusio, i. f. 330.

1552.—“The third province is called Canará, also in the interior.…”—Castanheda, ii. 50.

And as applied to the language :—

“The language of the Gentoos is Canará.”—Ibid, 78.

1552.—“The whole coast that we speak of back to the Ghaut (Gate) mountain range …they call Concan, and the people properly Concanese (Conquenijs), though our people call them Canarese . (Canarijs).… And as from the Ghauts to the sea on the west of the Decan all that strip is called Concan, so from the Ghauts to the sea on the west of Canará, always excepting that stretch of 46 leagues of which we have spoken [north of Mount Dely] which belongs to the same Canará, the strip which stretches to Cape Comorin is called Malabar.”—Barros, Dec. I. liv. ix. cap. 1.

1552.—“…The Kingdom of Canará, which extends from the river called Gate, north of Chaul, to Cape Comorin (so far as concerns the interior region east of the Ghats)…and which in the east marches with the kingdom of Orisa ; and the Gentoo Kings of this great Province of Canará were those from whom sprang the present Kings of Bisnaga.”—Ibid. Dec. II. liv. v. cap. 2.

1572.—

“Aqui se enxerga lá do mar undoso
Hum monte alto, que corre longamente
Servindo ao Malabar de forte muro,
Com que do Canará vive seguro.”

Camões, vii. 21.

Englished by Burton :

“Here seen yonside where wavy waters play
a range of mountains skirts the murmuring main
serving the Malabar for mighty mure,
who thus from him of Canará dwells secure.”

1598.—“The land itselfe is called Decan, and also Canara.”—Linschoten, 49 ; [Hak. Soc. i. 169].

1614.—“Its proper name is Charnathaca, which from corruption to corruption has come to be called Canara.”—Couto, Dec. VI. liv. v. cap. 5.

In the following quotations the term is applied, either inclusively or exclusively, to the territory which we now call Canara :—

1615.—“Canara. Thence to the King-dome of the Cannarins, which is but a little one, and 5 dayes journey from Damans. They are tall of stature, idle, for the most part, and therefore the greater theeves.”—De Monfart, p. 23.

1623.—“Having found a good opportunity, such as I desired, of getting out of Goa, and penetrating further into India, that is more to the south, to Canara.…” P. della Valle, ii. 601 ; [Hak. Soc. ii. 168].

1672.—“The strip of land Canara, the inhabitants of which are called Canarins, is fruitful in rice and other food-stuffs.”— Baldaeus, 98. There is a good map in this work, which shows ‘Canara’ in the modern acceptation.

1672.—“Description of Canara and Journey to Goa.—This kingdom is one of the finest in India, all plain country near the sea, and even among the mountains all peopled.” —P. Vincenzo Maria, 420. Here the title seems used in the modern sense, but the same writer applies Canara to the whole Kingdom of Bisnagar.

1673.—“At Mirja the Protector of Canora came on board.”—Fryer (margin), p. 57.

1726.—“The Kingdom Canara (under

which Onor, Batticala, and Garcopa are dependent) comprises all the western lands lying between Walkan (Konkan ?) and Malabar, two great coast countries.”— Valentijn, v. 2.

1727.—“The country of Canara is generally governed by a Lady, who keeps her Court at a Town called Baydour, two Days journey from the Sea.”—A. Hamilton, i. 280.

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