Scheeps-togt van Pedro da Nhaya na Oost-Indien, met een vloot van 8 scheepen, in het jaar 1505 en vervolg...

1505

Inhabitants say it is a work of the Devil.

,, nor knowledge of writing to keep such things in memory; they only say that it is a work of the Devil, for compared to their power and knowledge, it seems a piece for which they are not yet capable. And when they saw those of the Portuguese, they admitted that these came into no comparison with theirs, because it was neat and perfect.
,, This desolate building lies at the latitude of 20 degrees southern latitude and 510 miles from Sofala, with no other houses, old or new, being found in all this intervening distance, because the people are all too wild and all dwellings are built of wood. The aforementioned piece of work seems to the Moors to be a thing of great antiquity, and to have been built there for the protection of these mines, from which, by reason of a war, no gold had been taken for many years.

Various thoughts about this fort.

Like that of Ptolemy.

Has some resemblance to the buildings of Prester John.

,, Noting the location of this fortress and it being built inland, besides that the Moors neither know the inscription nor have knowledge of the antiquity of the structure, one might guess this to be the land called Agysymba by Ptolemy, because he also places in the same a similar captain for the protection of a place, which seems to have much correspondence with this. It is at least probable—not to set guesses for certainty—that this stronghold was made by a ruler who had the mines in his power, which with time, because he must have been far outside his territory, has fallen into decay: for the buildings are very similar to those which are found in the land of Prester John, in a city called Axumo, where Queen Sheba held her residence and which the great geographer has named Axuma.