Periplus of the Erythrean Sea: reference to, [11]
Persians: before A.D. 1500 know more than Europeans of the geography of Africa, [11]
Phœnicians: occupy stations in the southern part of the Iberian peninsula, [5]
Historical Sketches.
Pires, João, of Covilhão: in May 1487 leaves Santarem to search for Prester John, [26]; proceeds to Naples, Rhodes, Alexandria, Cairo, Tor, Suakin, and Aden, then crosses the Indian ocean to Cananor, Calicut, and Goa, passes over to Sofala, and back to Aden and Cairo, ib.; where he receives further orders from Portugal, and proceeds to Aden and Ormuz, thence back by way of Aden to Abyssinia, where he is detained till his death, [27]
Po, Fernando: in 1471 crosses the equator, [16]
Porto Santo: discovery of, [14]
Portugal: outline of the early history of, [4]; primitive inhabitants of, ib.; is occupied by the Basques, ib.; who are followed by the Celts, [5]; the country is conquered by the Romans, ib.; and becomes Romanised in civilisation, religion, and language, ib.; in the fifth century of our era is overrun by the Visigoths, who establish themselves as an aristocracy in the country, [6]; in the eighth century the Arabs conquer the whole peninsula except the territory occupied by the Basques, ib.; in A.D. 1095 the northern portion of Portugal becomes independent of the Arabs, [7]; and in 1143 is acknowledged by Pope Innocent II as an independent kingdom, ib.; it is called Portugal from o Porto, the port at the mouth of the Douro, ib.; it is gradually enlarged until 1263, when it attains its present dimensions, [8]; it is favourably situated for prosecuting discovery by sea, [4]; but in the early years of the fifteenth century it has not much shipping, ib.
Prester John, a mythical potentate: reference to, [18]
Ptolemy: incorrect map of South Africa of, 4 and [24]