Ptolemy's anthropophagi may perhaps be referred to the
smaller islands. But the Arab Relations of the 9th century speak of
man-eaters in Al-Ramni, undoubtedly Sumatra. Then comes our traveller,
followed by Odoric, and in the early part of the 15th century by Conti, who
names the Batech cannibals. Barbosa describes them without naming them;
Galvano (p. 108) speaks of them by name; as does De Barros. (Dec. III. liv.
viii. cap. I.)
The practice of worshipping the first thing seen in the morning is related
of a variety of nations. Pigafetta tells it of the people of Gilolo, and
Varthema in his account of Java (which I fear is fiction) ascribes it to
some people of that island. Richard Eden tells it of the Laplanders.
(Notes on Russia, Hak. Soc. II. 224.)
NOTE 4. - Basma, as Valentyn indicated, seems to be the PASEI of the
Malays, which the Arabs probably called Basam or the like, for the
Portuguese wrote it PACEM. [Mr. J.T. Thomson writes (Proc.R.G.S. XX.
p. 221) that of its actual position there can be no doubt, it being the
Passier of modern charts. - H.C.] Pasei is mentioned in the Malay
Chronicle as founded by Malik-al-Salih, the first Mussulman sovereign of
Samudra, the next of Marco's kingdoms.
