Chapter JAROOL to JAVA of J by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

parts, to wit the country known as Jawa on the sea-coast, like to India; from it are brought Aloeswood (’ud), camphor, and nard (sunbul), and clove, and mace (basbasa), and China drugs, and vessels of china-ware.”—Ibid. iii. 445.

Kazwini speaks in almost the same words of Jawa. He often copies Yakut, but perhaps he really means his own time (for he uses different words) when he says: “Up to this time the merchants came no further into China than to this country (Jawa) on account of the distance and difference of religion”—ii. 18.

1298.—“When you leave this Island of Pentam and sail about 100 miles, you reach the Island of Java the Less. For all its name ’tis none so small but that it has a compass of 2000 miles or more.…” &c.—Marco Polo, bk. iii. ch. 9.

c. 1300.—“… In the mountains of Jáva scented woods grow.… The mountains of Jáva are very high. It is the custom of the people to puncture their hands and entire body with needles, and then rub in some black substance.”—Rashid-uddin, in Elliot, i. 71.

1328.—“There is also another exceeding great island, which is called Jaua, which is in circuit more than seven [thousand?] miles as I have heard, and where are many world’s wonders. Among which, besides the finest aromatic spices, this is one, to wit, that there be found pygmy men.… There are also trees producing cloves, which when they are in flower emit an odour so pungent that they kill every man who cometh among them, unless he shut his mouth and nostrils.…In a certain part of that island they delight to eat white and fat men when they can get them.…”—Friar Jordanus, 30–31.

c. 1330.—“Parmi les isles de la Mer de l’Inde il faut citer celle de Djâwah, grande isle célèbre par l’abondance de ses drogues…au sud de l’isle de Djâwah on remarque la ville de Fansour, d’où le camphre Fansoûri tire son nom.”—Géog. d’Aboulfeda, II. pt. ii. 127. [See CAMPHOR].

c. 1346.—“After a passage of 25 days we arrived at the Island of Jawa, which gives its name to the luban jawiy (see BENJAMIN).…We thus made our entrance into the capital, that is to say the city of Sumatra; a fine large town with a wall of wood and towers also of wood.”—Ibn Batuta, iv. 228–230.

1553.—“And so these, as well as those of the interior of the Island (Sumatra), are all dark, with lank hair, of good nature and countenance, and not resembling the Javanese, although such near neighbours, indeed it is very notable that at so small a distance from each other their nature should vary so much, all the more because all the people of this Island call themselves by the common name of Jawis (Jaüijs), because they hold it for certain that the Javanese (os Jãos) were formerly lords of this great Island.…”—Barros, III. v. 1.

1555.—“Beyond the Island of Iaua they sailed along by another called Bali; and then came also vnto other called Aujaue, Cambaba, Solor.… The course by these Islands is about 500 leagues. The ancient cosmographers call all these Islands by the name Iauos; but late experience hath found the names to be very diuers as you see.”—Antonio Galvano, old E.T. in Hakl. iv. 423.

1856.—

“It is a saying in Goozerat,—
‘Who goes to Java
Never returns.
If by chance he return,
Then for two generations to live upon,
Money enough he brings back.’”

Râs Mâlâ, ii. 82; [ed. 1878, p. 418].

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