[Footnote 263:  The real distance is 430 marine leagues, and the difference may be easily accounted for by the operation of an eastern current, not observed or not sufficiently allowed for.—­E.]

If I am not deceived, this island of Socotora was in ancient times named Dioscorides, and had a city of the same name, as appears in the sixth table of Asia by Ptolemy:  But by the situation which he has given it, he appears to have had bad information from navigators[264].  The Socotorians are Christians, their ancestors as they say having been converted by the holy apostle Thomas.  The island has many churches, in which there is no oracle[265] except the cross of Christ.  They pray in the Chaldean tongue; and are very ignorant, but as I was informed they are desirous of being instructed in the doctrines and ceremonies of the Romish church, which they confess to be alone good and worthy of being followed.  The men have names like us, as John, Peter, Andrew, &c. that of the women being generally Mary.  The manner of life of these people is singular, as they have no king, governor, prelate, or other person in authority, but live in a manner like wild beasts, without any rule, or order of justice or policy[266].

[Footnote 264:  Don Juan omits all mention of the island of Abdal Kuria, about nine leagues E.S.E. of Socotora, with two intersposed small islands, called Las Duas Hermanas or the Two Sisters.—­E.]

[Footnote 265:  Probably meaning no images or Christian idols.—­E.]

[Footnote 266:  Since then they have been subdued by the Arabs.—­Astl.]

In the whole island there is no city or great town, and most of the people dwell in caves, though some have small thatched cottages, separated from each other, more savage than pastoral.  Their food is flesh and wild dates, and their drink chiefly milk, as they taste water but seldom.  They are much devoted to the cross, and you will hardly meet a single individual without one hanging from the neck.  Their dispositions are good; their persons tall and straight, their faces comely but swarthy, the women being somewhat fairer, and of very honest behaviour.  They have no arms either of defence or offence, except very short swords of dead iron.  The men go entirely naked, except a clout of a certain cloth called Cambolis, a considerable quantity of which is manufactured in the island.  The country is very poor, and produces no other merchandise than verdigris[267] and sanguis draconis; but the verdigris is in great abundance, and is esteemed above all.  All the island is mountainous, and breeds abundance of all kinds of cattle like those of Europe.  There is no wheat or rice or other provisions of that kind, which I believe is not the fault of the ground, but owing to want of skill and industry in the people; as the land within the external mountains is fresh, and hath many vallies and plains, very convenient for culture.  They have no manner of navigation, neither do they catch any fish, though the sea around their coast has an infinite quantity.  They have very few fruit trees, among which the palm tree is chiefly esteemed, and produces a principal part of their food.  The land produces all kind of garden and medicinal plants, and the mountains are covered with the herb Basil and other odoriferous herbs.