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Ruel ii. 29 witli the “ Turcicum frumentum ” brought into Europe “ avorum nostrorum ætate, ’ the
seeds triangular and resembling beech-nuts; the account by John Bruyerinus in 1530 corresponds:
buckwheat ïs mentioned in a German bible printed in 1522 (Beckm. 426), and according to Conrade
Heresbach (writing before 1576) came from Northern Asia: is described also by Tragus, Dodoens,
Cæsalpinus, and Bauhin hist. ii. 994; continues under cultivation in Western Europe, and was seen by
Sestini in the environs of Constantinople (Sibth.). Farther East, is known to grow in Siberia around
Lake Baikal (Ledeb) ; was observed by Royle under cultivation in Northern Hmdustan, but devoid
of a Sanscrit name ; by Kaempfer, and Thunberg, cultivated and growing spontaneously throughout
Japan. By European colonists, was carried to Northeast America, where it continues abundantly cultivated
in our Northern and Middle Stales; and to Ceylon, having there according to Moon 32 no
native name.
“ The same year” (Acost., Clavig. ii , and Humb. atl. pict.), Axajacatl succeeded by Tizoc,
seventh Mexican emperor.
“ In this year” (Burm. hist., and Mason 27) the Talaing general Thameinparau at the head of
an army erecting an iron post on the Chinese frontier, to mark fhe boundary of the Peguan Empire.
On his way back lie was captured by the Burmese.
“ 1478 A. D.” (Blair), expulsion from Florence of Laurence de Medici; under an anathema from
pope Sixtus IV., “ which greatly distressed learning.” The Medicean Library had been collected
through the agency of John Lascaris.
«The same year” (Pouchet) publication of the “ Livre de Nature:” the first printed work on
Nataral History.
“ In this year” (Grey transl. C. Zeno 38), Hassan Beg succeeded by Yakoob, now king of Persia.
“ Sept. 4th, 1479” (Major pr. H. 129), the Canary Islands and Granada confirmed by treaty to
Spain; and the African coast “ from Cape Non” with the seas and islands as far as the Indies, to
Portugal.
“ 14S0 A. D.” (Grey transl. C. Zeno t o ) , Otranto in Southern Italy captured by the Turks and
a great part of Apulia ravaged : but being called away by war in Asia, a garrison only was left behind,
— which at the end of a year surrendered.
“ In this year” (Galvan.), Alfonso V. succeeded by John IL , “ thirteenth” king of Portugal
(Camoens iv. 61).
“ The same year” (Humb. atl. pict., Clavig. giving 1482), Tizoc succeeded by Ahuitzotl, eighth
Mexican emperor.*
“ 1481 A. D.” (Galvan., & Major), by John II. of Portugal, the castle of Mina built, and Diego
d’Azambuxa appointed to the command.
About this time, ¡Martin Behaim voyaging to West Africa to procure “ malagueta” — (f ule
cath. i. 89). A globe was constructed at Nuremberg “ in 1492” under his instructions (Stanley edit.
Magell. 58). • 1 1 J Amomum grandiflorum of Western Equatorial Africa. A Scitamineous plant : its seeds included
perhaps in the “ malagueta” procured by Martin Behaim, — being grey or lead-coloured, much less
polished than paradise-grains with a totally different flavour, resembling and equalling camphor
in warmth and pungency (Lindl.) : A. grandiflorum is known to grow in Sierra Leone (J. E. Smith
exot. ii. p. 111). „ Amomum melegueta of Western Equatorial Africa. Probably included m the “ malagueta
procured by Martin Behaim, — for according to Yule cath. i. 88, ils seeds continue to be exported
from certain parts of the West African coast.
* Cheiranthodendron pentadactylum of Southern Mexico. Called hand tree from its floweis
resembling the human hand ; and a stock planted by a “ king” of Toluca at his residence — long continued
the only one known, and is described by Cervantes (Humb. ii. 6). Recently, the tree has
been found indigenous in Southern Mexico.
Taxodium disiichunt of Carolina, the Lower Mississippi, and Texas. The deciduous or bald
cypress is a lofty tree, filling swamps, and knovvn from early times : stocks planted in a garden m
Mexico before the Spanish invasion are mentioned by Humboldt (f . A. Mx.) ; and according to
Kunth, the tree grows in the temperate portion of Mexico at the elevation of “ 870 to 1190.” Eastward,
“ cypress” were seen, by Amadas and Barlow in 1584 on Roanoke Island ; and stocks eighty
feet vVithout a branch, by Strachey on James river : T. distichum is known to grow along the Atlafflic
as far as 39° at the capes of the Delaware (F. A. Mx.); was observed by myself from about 38^ to
33° ; by Catesby i. pl. n, and Elliot, in South Carolina; by Chapman, in “ deep swamps, noricla,
and northward ; ” by Darby, in Louisiana and to 34° on Red river ; by Short, in Kentucky, 38° being
its Northern limit on the waters of the Mississippi according to Nuttall.
“ IA82 A D ” (voyag. Belg.), Van Ghistele visiting Egypt, found Alexandria one of the mret
commercial cities in the World: containing resident merchants of Ml
Sniniards Catalans Genoese, Italians, Venetians, Turks, Persians, Tartars, Arabs, and Abyssinires.
After mo/ediiroas’far as Thebes, he returned; the Egyptian government at this tune prohibiting
Europeans front »oing to Abyssinia, or sailing down the Red Sea to Hindustan. In the fo ow g
year, Van Ghistele” visited Tauris in Persia; also a great commercial city, situated on one ofthe routes
s / z t l ï ” of Ferisht., Elph.), a naval expedition sent by Mahmud of Guzerat ;
the pirates of Balsar defeated at sea, and their resort the islands of Jigat j ,
“ 14S3 A. D.” (Alst,), Mohammed II. succeeded by his son Bajazet II., tenth TurkiMr reltan.
“ The same year” (Talvi i ), the first printed Slavonic book; a missal in Glagolitic letters.
Ahniit seven vears later, the first printing in Cyrillic letters. • . r *.1 -\r ,
“ The same year ” (H. H. Wils. transl. Vishn. pur. pref. 24), date of one manuscript of the Vayu
''"V484 A- D. (= “ 1409 an. jav.,” Raffles xi.), Raden Patah or Panambahan Jimbun succeeded at
Demak by his son Pangeran Sabrang Lor, second sultan of Java. , . r,
“ In this year” (Alst. p. 308), Wallacliia laid waste by the Turks under Bajazet IL
“ Au». 29th ” (Alst., and Nicol.), Sixtus IV. succeeded by cardinal John Baptrt Cibo now Innocentius
v h l . fifty-ninth pope. Charles V III. ruling France ; and Richard III England
“ In this year” (Galvan.), Diogo Caon or James Cam sailing along the African coa£ as far as
the moffithffif foe Congo, wheie he erected a pillar of stone ; thence to a river near “ the Trop,eke
orcffirrrtrne ” setting up other pillars. Returning to the Congo, the king of that cormtry “ sret an
ambaLadour ’and men of credit into Portugall.” From this embassy (according to Gas^r Crer^
‘voy. Da Gama i. i, and Barros), information of countries Eastward as far as India was obtained by
^“'"ffiiffionsiderin» foe dimensions of foe known World, made “ fifteen hours” by Mreinus, leaving
a deficit OT “ about” eight hours ” to complete its spherical shape, Columbus conceived that there mret
be land Westward : and having already sailed with foe Portuguese along the African coast to the
Equator communicated his plan to John II. of Portugal. Who insltod of acre+.ng, secre ly sent
one OT his own vessels West : the vessel returned without accomplishing any thing, and Columbus
hearing ofthe affair, left Portugal “ about the end” OT this year (F. Columb. 4 to 12 and 41) for
The s a m e year” (Alst.), end of the chronicle of Wernerus. , n r , a
“ 1485 Auo-. 22d, Monday” (Blair, and Nicol. p. 32S), in England, Richard III. defeated and
slain in battle OT Bosworth ; ending the civil war between the “ Houses of York and Lancaster. He
Ëffiffiiffiyereffiffiffiffiilffiublication at Mayence ofthe Third edition OT the Ortus Sanitatis, retor
the supervision of flieronymus of Braunsweig. - Whose work De arte distillandt was published “ in
'^°°HePatica triloba of Northern climates. Called in Britain n o b l e liverwort T \ o f ) , y Germany
“ edel leberkraut ” (Trag.) or “ gulden klee ” (Braunsw.), in France “ hepatique (Nugent) : described
b v Brannswei»,-Bruiffels, Lyte i, 4°, and observed by Tragus i. pl. I77 m the woods of Germany as
well as in gardens ; termed “ ranunculus tridentatus vernus flore simplici cæruleo by Tournefort mst.
/ ô - known to grow wild in various parts of Europe (Pers.) ; and observed by Sfothorp, bu the
focaiity not give?; by Savi, on the Appenines. Westward, is a frequent vernal flower m North
ffineriea • observeè b? myself from 43° along foe Atlantic ; by Schweinitz to 36° m Upper £rol.na •
ffi T n # in the uppei district of Carolina and Georgia; by Chapman, m “ Fbrida and northward;”
b7 Short in Kentucky; by Beck, on the Mississippi near St, Louis; by Pursh, from Creolina to
Canada, /owing according to Hooker as far as 52° ; and observed by Drummond at 55 on foe Rocky
mountains.
* Momordica dioica OT Burmah. A climbing Cucurbitaceous vine called in Telinga “ agokara”
(I F Wats ) or “ agakara,” in Malabar “ erimapasel,” in Tamil “ jraloopaghel (Drur.), in Bmmah
“ sabvet” (Mason); probably known in Hindustan as early as this date : —observed by Rhe£e
viii, pl 12 in Malabar; by Graham, “ cultivated iu the environs of Bombay,” the “ f™'.£'z® / "
pigeon’s egg, knobbed;” by Roxburgh, Ainslie, hort. beng. 70, Piddington 103, and Wight, as far
as Ben»al, Ü e young fruit and tuberous roots of the female plant eaten by the natives, the roots al o,
which tire mucilagitous, employed medicinally (Rheede, and Drur.). Eastward, wre observed by
Mason v. 471 to 747 indigenous in Burmah, its “ small iiiuncated truit 'occasionally eaten by the
natives.”
ròiL