Chapter LACKERAGE to LANCHARA of L by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

better known as Banjaras (see BRINJARRY). As an Anglo-Indian word this is now obsolete. It was perhaps a corruption of Lubhana, the name of one of the great clans or divisions of the Banjaras. [Another suggestion made is that the name is derived from their business of carrying salt (Skt. lavana); see Crooke, Tribes of N.W.P. i. 158.] 1756.—“The army was constantly supplied … by bands of people called Lamballis, peculiar to the Deccan, who are constantly moving up and down the country, with their flocks, and contract to furnish the armies in the field.”—Orme, ii. 102.

1785.—“What you say of the scarcity of grain in your army, notwithstanding your having a cutwâl (see COTWAL), and so many Lumbânehs with you, has astonished us.”—Letters of Tippoo, 49.

LANCHARA, s. A kind of small vessel often mentioned in the Portuguese histories of the 16th and 17th centuries. The derivation is probably Malay lanchar, ‘quick, nimble.’ [Mr. Skeat writes: “The real Malay form is Lanchar-an, which is regularly formed from Malay lanchar, ‘swift,’ and lanchara I believe to be a Port. form of lanchar-an, as lanchara could not possibly, in Malay, be formed from lanchar, as has hitherto been implied or suggested.”]

c. 1535.—“In questo paese di Cambaia (read Camboja) vi sono molti fiumi, nelli quali vi sono li nauili detti Lancharas, cõ li quali vanno nauigando la costa di Siam. …”—Sommario de’ Regni, &c., in Ramusio, i. f. 336.

c. 1539.—“This King (of the Batas) understanding that I had brought him a letter and a Present from the Captain of Malaca, caused me to be entertained by the Xabundar (see SHABUNDER). … This General, accompanied with five Lanchares and twelve Ballons, came to me to the Port where I rode at anchor.”—Pinto, E.T. p. 81.