Chapter JAROOL to JAVA of J by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

JAROOL to JAVA

JAROOL, s. The Lagerstroemia reginae, Roxb. H.-Beng. jarul, jaral. A tree very extensively diffused in the forests of Eastern and Western India and Pegu. It furnishes excellent boat-timber, and is a splendid flowering tree. “An exceeding glorious tree of the Concan jungles, in the month of May robed as in imperial purple, with its terminal panicles of large showy purple flowers. I for the first time introduced it largely into Bombay gardens, and called it Flos reginae”—Sir G. Birdwood, MS.

1850.—“Their forests are frequented by timber-cutters, who fell jarool, a magnificent tree with red wood, which, though soft, is durable under water, and therefore in universal use for boat building.”—Hooker, Him. Journals, ed. 1855, ii. 318.

1855.—“Much of the way from Rangoon also, by the creeks, to the great river, was through actual dense forest, in which the jarool, covered with purple blossoms, made a noble figure.”—Blackwood’s Mag., May 1856, 538.

JASK, JASQUES, CAPE-, n.p. Ar. Ras Jashak, a point on the eastern side of the Gulf of Oman, near the entrance to the Persian Gulf, and 6 miles south of a port of the same name. The latter was frequented by the vessels of the English Company whilst the Portuguese held Ormus. After the Portuguese were driven out of Ormus (1622) the English trade was moved to Gombroon (q.v.). The peninsula of which Cape Jask is the point, is now the terminus of the submarine cable from Bushire; and a company of native infantry is quartered there. Jasak ap pears in Yakut as “a large island between the land of Oman and the Island of Kish.” No island corresponds to this description, and probably the reference is an incorrect one to Jask (see Dict. de la Perse, p. 149). By a curious misapprehension, Cape Jasques seems to have been Englished as Cape James (see Dunn’s Or. Navigator, 1780, p. 94).

1553.—“Crossing from this Cape Moçandan to that opposite to it called Jasque, which with it forms the mouth of the strait, we enter on the second section (of the coast) according to our division.…”—Barros, I. ix. i.

1572.—

“Mas deixemos o estreito, e o conhecido
Cabo de Jasque, dito já Carpella,
Com todo o seu terreno mal querido
Da natura, e dos dons usados della.…”

Camões, x. 105.

By Burton:

“But now the Narrows and their noted head
Cape Jask, Carpella called by those of yore,
quit we, the dry terrene scant favourèd by Nature niggard of her normal store.…”

1614.—“Per Postscript. If it please God this Persian business fall out to y^r contentt, and y^t you thinke fitt to adventure thither, I thinke itt not amisse to sett you downe as y^e Pilotts have informed mee of Jasques, w^ch is a towne standinge neere y^e edge of a straightte Sea Coast where a ship may ride in 8 fathome water a Sacar shotte from y^e shoar and in 6 fathome you maye bee nearer. Jasque is 6 Gemes (see JAM, b) from Ormus southwards and six Gemes is 60 cosses makes 30 leagues. Jasques lieth from Muschet east. From Jasques to Sinda is 200 cosses or 100 leagues. At Jasques comonly they have northe winde w^ch blowethe trade out of y^e Persian Gulfe. Mischet is on y^e Arabian Coast, and is a little portte of Portugalls.”—MS. Letter from Nich. Downton, dd. November 22, 1614, in India Office; [Printed in Foster, Letters, ii. 177, and compare ii. 145].

1617.—“There came news at this time that there was an English ship lying inside the Cape of Rosalgate (see ROSALGAT) with the intention of making a fort at Jasques in Persia, as a point from which to plunder our cargoes.…”—Bocarro, 672.

[1623.—“The point or peak of Giasck.”—P. della Valle, Hak. Soc. i. 4.

[1630.—“Iasques.” (See under JUNK.)]

1727.—“I’ll travel along the Sea-coast, towards Industan, or the Great Mogul’s Empire. All the Shore from Jasques to Sindy, is inhabited by uncivilized People, who admit of no Commerce with Strangers. …”—A. Hamilton, i. 115; [ed. 1744].