Chapter JACKAL to JADE of J by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

35.

1553.—“From the Diul estuary to the Point of Jaquete 38 leagues; and from the same Jaquete, which is the site of one of the principal temples of that heathenism, with a noble town, to our city Diu of the Kingdom of Guzarat, 58 leagues.”—Barros, I. ix. 1.

1555.—“Whilst the tide was at its greatest height we arrived at the gulf of Chakad, where we descried signs of fine weather, such as sea-horses, great snakes, turtles, and sea-weeds.”—Sidi’ Ali, p. 77.

[1563.—“Passed the point of Jacquette, where is that famous temple of the Resbutos (see RAJPOOT).”—Barros, IV. iv. 4.]

1726.—In Valentyn’s map we find Jaquete marked as a town (at the west point of Kathiawar) and Enceada da Jaquete for the Gulf of Cutch.

1727.—“The next sea-port town to Baet, is Jigat. It stands on a Point of low Land, called Cape Jigat. The City makes a good Figure from the Sea, showing 4 or 5 high Steeples.”—A. Hamilton, i. 135; [ed. 1744].

1813.—“Jigat Point … on it is a pagoda; the place where it stands was formerly called Jigat More, but now by the Hindoos Dorecur (i.e. Dwarka, q.v.). At a distance the pagoda has very much the appearance of a ship under sail.… Great numbers of pilgrims from the interior visit Jigat pagoda.…”—Milburn, i. 150.

1841.—“Jigat Point called also Dwarka, from the large temple of Dwarka standing near the coast.”—Horsburgh, Directory, 5th ed., i. 480.

JADE, s. The well-known mineral, so much prized in China, and so wonderfully wrought in that and other Asiatic countries; the yashm of the Persians; nephrite of mineralogists.

The derivation of the word has been the subject of a good deal of controversy. We were at one time inclined to connect it with the yada-täsh, the yada stone used by the nomads of Central Asia in conjuring for rain. The stone so used was however, according to P. Hyakinth, quoted in a note with which we were favoured by the lamented Prof. Anton Schiefner, a bezoar (q.v.).

Major Raverty, in his translation of the Tabakat-i-Nasiri, in a passage referring to the regions of Tuk haristan and Bamian, has the following: “That tract of country has also been famed and celebrated, to the uttermost parts of the countries of the world, for its mines of gold, silver, rubies, and crystal, bejadah [jade], and other [precious] things” (p. 421). On bejadah his note runs: “The name of a gem, by some said to be a species of ruby, and by others a species of sapphire; but jade is no doubt meant.” This interpretation seems however chiefly, if not altogether, suggested by the name; whilst the epithets compounded of bejada, as given in dictionaries, suggest a red mineral, which jade rarely is. And Prof. Max Müller, in an interesting letter to the Times, dated Jan. 10, 1880, states that the name jade was not known in Europe till after the discovery of America, and that the jade brought from America was called by the Spaniards piedra de ijada, because it was supposed to cure pain in the groin (Sp. ijada); for like reasons to which it was called lapis nephriticus, whence nephrite (see Bailey, below). Skeat, s.v. says: “It is of unknown origin; but probably Oriental. Prof. Cowell finds yedá a material out of which ornaments are made, in the Divyávadána; but it does not seem to be Sanskrit.” Prof. Müller’s etymology seems incontrovertible; but the present work has afforded various examples of curious etymological coincidences of this kind. [Prof. Max Müller’s etymology is now accepted by the N.E.D. and by Prof. Skeat in the new edition of his Concise Dict. The latter adds that ijada is connected with the Latin ilia.]

[1595.—“A kinde of greene stones, which the Spaniards call Piedras hijadas, and we vse for spleene stones.”—Raleigh, Discov. Guiana, 24 (quoted in N.E.D.).]

1730.—“Jade, a greenish Stone, bordering on the colour of Olive, esteemed for its Hardness and Virtues by the Turks and Poles, who adorn their fine Sabres with it; and said to be a preservative against the nephritick Colick.”—Bailey’s Eng. Dict. s.v.