be followed even on the map: for east and west are confounded in this course. But reasoning from some of Ariosto’s descriptions, it would seem that he had attempted to graft the discoveries of Marco Polo upon the map of Ptolemy.
It is scarcely necessary to observe that the land of Thomas is the Malabar Coast, where St. Thomas, the companion of our Saviour, was supposed to have preached the Gospel, and where Vasco de Gama found a species of Christianity established.
Astolpho, furrowing that ocean hoar,
Marks, as he coasts, the wealthy land at ease.
Ganges amid the whitening waters roar,
Nigh skirting now the golden Chersonese;
Taprobana with Cori next, and sees
The frith which chafes against its double shore;
Makes distant Cochin, and with favouring wind
Issues beyond the boundaries of Ind.
Stanza xvii.
The golden Chersonese of Ptolemy has been conjectured to be the kingdom of Sumatra; I think, with reason, nor does the fact of its being an island necessarily militate against such a supposition; for the neck of laud, which connects it with terra firma, is very narrow; and navigators have in all ages mistaken peninsulas for islands, and islands for peninsulas. Thus, Van Diemen’s Land was supposed to be a part of the continent of New Holland, till the (comparatively speaking) late penetration of Bass’s Straits.
Taprobana is the island of Ceylon, and Cori is, I suppose, Cape Comorin. The sea, which
“frets between two shores,”
must be the strait between.
Cochin China is here placed at the western instead of the eastern extremity of India; for it must be recollected that Astolpho was directing his flight westward.
