Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champa; Vol. II: Suvarnadvipa) v2.c13.397

v2.c13.397

“The reputation of the skins of Karmaraṅga appears to explain Ptolemy’s note on the population of the “Brigands”—“Lestai”—which he locates exactly in the surroundings of Karmaraṅga, on the southern shores of the great gulf, *i.e.*, the Gulf of Siam (VII, 2, 6 and 21): “It is said that the natives of the country of Brigands live like beasts, inhabit the caverns, and that they have skin almost like that of hippopotami impenetrable by arrows.” The region had some centres of population and even a port of commerce. “Samara(n)de, Pagrasa, Pithonobaste which is a market, Akadra, Zabai which is the city.” It can be supposed that Samara(n)de is an alteration of the name which has finally taken in Sanskrit the alternate forms Carmaraṅga and Karmaraṅga”.