Note 2 — Decrees Regarding Way-Station for Philippine Vessels

That is, “rich in gold,” and “rich in silver;” two mythical islands, often mentioned in documents of that time; thus named, according to Gemelli Careri, because some earth taken from them, accidentally heated on a ship, was found to contain grains of precious metal. There is an interesting mention of these islands on La Frechette’s “Chart of the Indian Ocean” (published by W. Faden, London, 1803). They are placed thereon in 32° and 34°, N. lat., and in 160° and 164° E. long., respectively, with the following legend: “Kin-sima, la Rica de Oro, or Gold Island. Gin-sima, [273n] la Rica de Plata, or Silver Island. These Two Islands, which are Known to the Japanese, are laid down according to the report of the former Spanish Navigators; they did imagine till the middle of the last century, that Gin-sima and Kin-sima were the Land of Ophir, since it could not be found in the Isles of Solomon.”