Cosmography and Geography in Early Indian Literature c8.s1.25

c8.s1.25

57. This whole voyage as above described, from Cana and Eudaemon Arabia (Eden), they used to make in small vessels, sailing close around the shores of the gulfs; and Hippalus was the pilot, who by observing the location of the ports and the conditions of the sea, first discovered how to lay his course straight across the ocean. For at the same time when with us the Etesian winds are blowing, on the shores of India the wind sets in from the ocean, and this southwest wind is called Hippalus, from the name of him who first discovered the passage across. From that time to the present day ships start, some direct from Cana, and some from the Cape of Spices; and those bound for Damirica throw the ship's head considerably off the wind; while those bound for Barygaza and Scythia keep along shore not more than three days and for the rest of the time hold the same course straight out to sea from that region, with a favourable wind, quite away from the land, and so sail outside past the aforesaid gulfs.