Chapter ORISSA to OROMBARROS of O by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

the water, and stands on an Island.”—Athan. Nikitin, ibid. p. 8.

1503.—“Habitant autem ex eorum (Francorum) gente homines fere viginti in urbe Cananoro: ad quos profecti, postquam ex Hormizda urbe ad eam Indorum civitatem Cananorum venimus, significavimus illis nos esse, Christianos, nostramque conditionem et gradum indicavimus; et ab illis magno cum gaudio suscepti sumus.…Eorundem autem Francorum regio Portugallus vocatur, una ex Francorum regionibus; eorumque Rex Emanuel appellatur; Emmanuelem oramus ut illum custodiat.”—Letter from Nestorian Bishops on Mission to India, in Assemani, iii. 591.

1505.—“In la bocha di questo mare (di Persia) è vn altra insula chiamata Agramuzo doue sono perle infinite: (e) caualli che per tutte quelle parti sono in gran precio.”—Letter of K. Emanuel, p. 14.

1572.—

“Mas vê a illa Gerum, como discobre
O que fazem do tempo os intervallos;
Que da cidade Armuza, que alli esteve
Ella o nome despois, e gloria teve.”

Camões, x. 103.

By Burton:

“But see yon Gerum’s isle the tale unfold of mighty things which Time can make or mar;
for of Armuza- town you shore upon the name and glory this her rival won.”

1575.—“Touchant le mot Ormuz, il est moderne, et luy a esté imposé par les Portugais, le nom venant de l’accident de ce qu’ils cherchoient que c’estoit que l’Or; tellement qu’estant arrivez là, et voyans le trafic de tous biens, auquel le pais abonde, ils dirent Vssi esta Or mucho, c’est à dire, Il y a force d’Or; et pource ils donneret le nom d’Ormucho à la dite isle.”—A. Thevet, Cosmographie Univ., liv. x. i. 329.

1623.—“Non volli lasciar di andare con gl’ Inglesi in Hormuz a veder la forteza, la città, e ciò che vi era in fine di notabile in quell’ isola.”—P. della Valle, ii. 463. Also see ii. 61.

1667.—

“High on a throne of royal state, which far
Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,
Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold.”

Paradise Lost, ii. 1–4.

OROMBARROS, s. This odd word seems to have been used as griffin (q.v.) now is. It is evidently the Malay orang-baharu, or orang bharu, ‘a new man, a novice.’ This is interesting as showing an unquestionable instance of an expression imported from the Malay factories to Continental India. [Mr. Skeat remarks that the form of the word shows that it came from the Malay under Portuguese influence.]

1711.—At Madras…“refreshments for the Men, which they are presently supply’ed with from Country Boats and Cattamarans, who make a good Peny at the first coming of Orombarros, as they call those who have not been there before.”—Lockyer, 28.

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