 Section 7 of the Travels of Ibn Battuta by Ibn Battuta. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Rita Boutros. The Travels of Ibn Battuta by Ibn Battuta. Translation by Samuel Lee. Chapter 16 Ibn Battuta arrives at the Queen Mother's Palace, his daughter's death and funeral, the Emperor's return to Delhi, appoints Ibn Battuta Judge of Delhi, character of the Emperor, quarrels with the inhabitants of Delhi and commands them to quit the city for Dhalatabad, Amir of Fargana put to death, the Qazai Jalal Odan and others put to death, cruelties of the Emperor, Arabic Panagyric composed by our traveler for him, in danger of losing his life, gives up his office and joins the religious. Let us now return to the description of our arrival in Delhi. When we arrived at this place, the vizier having previously met us, we came to the door of the Sultan's harem, to the place in which his mother, El-Makdouma Jahan resides. The vizier as also the Qazai of the place being still with us. These paid their respects at the entrance and we all followed their example. We also, each of us, sent his present to her, which was proportionate to his circumstances. The Queen's secretaries then registered these presents and informed her of them. The presents were accepted and we were ordered to be seated. Her vians were then brought in. We received the greatest respect and attention in their odd way. After this, dresses of honor were put upon us and we were ordered to withdraw to such places as had been prepared for each of us. We made our obeisance and retired accordingly. This service is presented by ones bowing the head, placing one of the hands on the earth and then retiring. When I had got to the house prepared for me, I found it furnished with every carpet, vessel, couch, and fuel one could desire. The victuals which they brought us consisted of flour, rice, and flesh, all of which were brought from the mother of the emperor. Every morning we paid our respects to the vizier, who on one occasion gave me 2,000 dinars and said, This is to enable you to get your clothes washed. He also gave me a large robe of honor and to my attendants who amounted to about 40, he gave 2,000 dinars. After this, the emperor's allowance was brought to us, which amounted to the weight of 1,000 deli rittles of flour, where every rittle is equal to 5 and 20 rittles of Egypt. We also had 1,000 rittles of flesh and of fermented liquors, oil, oil olive, and the betel nut, many rittles, and also many of the betel leaf. During this time and in the absence of the emperor, a daughter of mine happened to die, which the vizier communicated to him. The emperor's distance from deli was that of 10 stages, nevertheless the vizier had an answer from him on the morning of the day on which the funeral was to take place. His orders were that what was usually done on the death of any of the children of the nobility should be done now. On the third day, therefore, the vizier came with the judges and nobles who spread a carpet and made the necessary preparations, consisting of incense, rose water, readers of the Koran, and Panagyrus. When I proceeded with the funeral, I expected none of this, but upon seeing their company, I was much gratified. The vizier on this occasion occupied the station of the emperor, defraying every expense and distributing victuals to the poor and others, and giving money to the readers according to the order which he had received from the emperor. After this, the emperor's mother sent for the mother of the child and gave her dresses and ornaments exceeding 1,000 dinars in value. She also gave her 1,000 dinars in money and dismissed her on the second day. During the absence of the emperor, the vizier showed me the greatest kindness on the part of himself as well as on that of his master. Soon after, the news of the emperor's approach was received, stating that he was within seven miles of Delhi and ordering the vizier to come and meet him. He went out accordingly, accompanied by those who had arrived for the purpose of being presented, each taking his present with him. In this manner we proceeded till we arrived at the gate of the palace in which he then was. At this place the secretaries took account of the several presents and also brought them before the emperor. The presents were then taken away and the travelers were presented each according to the order in which he had been arranged. When my turn came I went in and presented my service in the usual manner and was very graciously received, the emperor taking my hand and promising me every kindness. To each of the travelers he gave a dress of honor embroidered with gold which had been worn by himself and one of these he also gave to me. After this we met without the palace and vians were handed about for some time. On this occasion the travelers ate the vizier with the great amirs standing over them as servants. We then retired. After this the emperor sent to each of us one of the horses of his own stud, adorned and comparisoned with a saddle of silver. He then placed us in his front with the vizier and rode on till he arrived at his palace in Delhi. On the third day after our arrival each of the travelers presented himself at the gate of the palace. When the emperor sent to inquire whether there were any among us who wished to take office either as a writer, a judge or a magistrate saying that he would give such appointments. Each of us of course gave an answer suitable to his wishes. For my own part I answered I have no desire either for rule or ridership. But the office both of judge and of magistrate, myself and my fathers have filled. These replies were carried to the emperor who commanded each person to be brought before him. And he then gave him such appointment as would suit him bestowing on him at the same time a dress of honour and a horse furnished with an ornamented saddle. He also gave him money appointing likewise the amount of his salary which was to be drawn from the treasury. He also appointed a portion of the produce of the villages which each was to receive annually according to his rank. When I was called I went in and did homage. The vizier said the Lord of the world appoints you to the office of judge in Delhi. He also gives you a dress of honour with a saddled horse as also twelve thousand dinars for your present support. He has moreover appointed you a yearly salary of twelve thousand dinars and a portion of lands in the villages which will produce annually an equal sum. I then did homage according to their custom and withdrew. We shall now proceed to give some account of the emperor Mohammed's son of Giyath Odantoglik then of our entering and leaving Hindustan. This emperor was one of the most bountiful and splendidly munificent men where he took but in other cases one of the most impetuous and inexorable. And very seldom indeed did it happen that Pardin followed his anger. On one occasion he took offense at the inhabitants of Delhi on account of the numbers of its inhabitants who had revolted and the liberal support which these had received from the rest and to such a pitch did the quarrel rise that the inhabitants wrote a letter consisting of several pages in which they very much abused him. They then sealed it up and directed it to the real head and lord of the world adding, let no other person read it. They then threw it over the gate of the palace. Those who saw it could do no other than send it to him and he read it accordingly. The consequence was he ordered all the inhabitants to quit the place and upon some delay being evinced he made a proclamation stating that what person so ever being an inhabitant of that city should be found in any of its houses or streets should receive condy punishment. Upon this they all went out. But his servants finding a blind man in one of the houses and a bed-ridden one in another the emperor commanded the bed-ridden man to be projected from a ballista and the blind one to be dragged by his feet to Dalatabad which is at the distance of ten days and he was so dragged but his limbs dropping off by the way only one of his legs was brought to the place intended and was then thrown into it for the order had been that they should go to this place. When I entered Delhi it was almost a desert. Its buildings were very few and in other respects it was quite empty its houses having been forsaken by its inhabitants. The king however had given orders that anyone who wished to leave his own city may come and reside there. The consequence was the greatest city in the world had the fewest inhabitants. Upon a certain occasion too the principal of the preachers who was then keeper of the jewelry happened to be outwitted by some of the infidel Hindus who came by night and stole some jewels for this he beat the man to death with his own hand. Upon another occasion one of the emirs of Fargana came to pay him a temporary visit. The emperor received him very kindly and bestowed on him some rich presents. After this the emir had a wish to return but was afraid the emperor would not allow him to do so. He began therefore to think of flight. A whisperer gave intimation of his design and the emir was put to death. The whole of his wealth was then given to the informers for this is their custom that when anyone gives private intimation of the designs of another and his information turns out to be true the person so informed of is put to death and his property is given to the informer. There was at that time in the city of Kumbaya on the shores of India a shake of considerable power and note named the Sheikh Ali Hadari to whom the merchants and seafaring men made many votive offerings. This shake was in the habit of making many predictions for them but when the Kezai Jalal Odan Afghani rebelled against the emperor it was told him that the Sheikh Hadari had sent for this Kezai Jalal Odan and given him the cap off his own head. Upon this the emperor set out for the purpose of making war upon the Kezai Jalal Odan whom he put to flight. He then returned to his palace leaving behind him and emir who should make inquiry respecting others who had joined the Kezai. The inquiry accordingly went on and those who had done so were put to death. The Sheikh was then brought forward and when it was proved that he had given his cap to the Kezai he was also slain. The Sheikh Had, son of the Sheikh Baha Odan Zakariya was also put to death on account of some spite which he would rake upon him. This was one of the greatest shakes. His crime was that his uncle's son had rebelled against the emperor when he was acting as governor in one of the provinces of India. So war was made upon him and being overcome his flesh was roasted with some rice and thrown to the elephants to be devoured but they refused to touch it. Upon a certain day when I myself was present some men were brought out who had been accused of having attempted the life of the vizier. They were ordered accordingly to be thrown to the elephants which had been taught to cut their victims to pieces. Their hooves were cased with sharp iron instruments and the extremities of these were like knives. On such occasions the elephant driver rode upon them and when a man was thrown to them they would wrap the trunk about him and toss him up, then take him with the teeth and throw him between their four feet upon the breast and do just as the driver should bid them and according to the orders of the emperor if the order was to cut him to pieces the elephant would do so with his irons and then throw the pieces among the assembled multitude but if the order was to leave him he would be left lying before the emperor until the skin should be taken off and stuffed with hay and the flesh given to the dogs. On one occasion one of the amirs this, the Ain el-Mulk who had the charge of the elephants and beasts of burden, revolted and took away the greater part of these beasts and went over the Ganges at the time the emperor was on his march against the Mabar districts against the Emir Jalal Odan. Upon this occasion the people of the country proclaimed the runway emperor but an insurrection arising the matter soon came to an end. Another of his amirs namely Halajun also revolted and salied out of Delhi with a large army the viceroy in the district of Telangana also rebelled and made an effort to obtain the kingdom and very nearly succeeded on account of the great number who were then in rebellion and the weakness of the army of the emperor for a pestilence had carried off the greater part. From his extreme good fortune however he got the victory, collected his scattered troops and subdued the rebellious emirs killing some, torturing others and pardoning the rest. He then returned to his residence repaired his affairs strengthened his empire and took vengeance on his enemies but let me now return to the account of my own affairs with him. When he had appointed me to the office of judge of Delhi had made the necessary arrangements and given me the presence already mentioned the horses prepared for me and for the other emirs who were about his person were sent to each of us who severally kissed the hoof of the horse of him who brought them and then let our own to the gate of the palace we then entered and each put on a dress of honor after which we came out, mounted and returned to our houses. The emperor said to me on this occasion do not suppose that our office of judge of Delhi will cost you a little trouble on the contrary it will require the greatest attention. I understood what he said but did not return him a good answer he understood the Arabic and was not pleased with my reply I am said I of the sect of Ibn Malik but the people of Delhi follow Hanafi besides I am ignorant of their language he replied I have appointed two learned men your deputies who will advise with you it will be your business to sign the legal instruments then added if what I have appointed prove not an income sufficient to meet your numerous expenses I have likewise given you a sell the bequests appropriated to which you may expend taking this in addition to what is already appointed I thanked him for this and returned to my house a few days after this he made me a present of 12,000 dinars in a short time however I found myself involved in great debts amounting to about 55,000 dinars according to the computation of India which with them amounts to 5,500 tankas but which according to the computation of the west will amount to 13,000 dinars the reason of this debt was the great expenses incurred in waiting on the emperor during his journeys to repress the revolt of the Ain el-Mulk about this time I composed a panagyric in praise of the emperor which I wrote in Arabic and read to him he translated it for himself and was wonderfully pleased with it for the Indians are fond of Arabic poetry and are very desirous of it being memorialized in it I then informed him of the debt I had incurred which he ordered to be discharged from his own treasury and said take care and future not to exceed the extent of your income may God reward him some time after the emperor's return from the Mehbar districts and his ordering my residence in Delhi his mind happened to change respecting a shake in whom he had placed great confidence and even visited and who then resided in a cave without the city he took him accordingly and imprisoned him and then interrogated his children as to who had resorted to him they named the persons who had done so and myself among the rest for it happened that I had visited him in the cave I was consequently ordered to attend at the gate of the palace and a council to sit within I attended in this way for four days and few were those who did so who escaped death I betook myself however to continued fasting and tasted nothing but water on the first day I repeated the sentence God is our support and the most excellent patron three and thirty thousand times and after the fourth day by God's goodness was I delivered but the shake and all those who had visited him except myself were put to death upon this I gave up the office of judge and bidding farewell to the world attached myself to the holy and pious shake the saint and phoenix of his age Kamal Odan Abdul Ula Al-Ghazai who had wrought many open miracles all I had I gave to the fakirs and putting on the tunic of one of them I attached myself to this shake for five months until I had kept a fast of five continued days I then breakfasted on a little rice Chapter 17 sent on an embassy to China embassy from China to the emperor gold mines on the mountain of Kora sets out on the embassy arrives at Biana cool war with the Hindus taken prisoner brought back to Delhi returns to Yuhbura Merwah Gwalior Barun account of the Jogis which burnt juggling of the Jogis arrives at Kashmara Nizhabad Nizharabad Mahratas Segar Kambaya Goa Behram Kuka Dankul Sindhabur Hinar King of Hinar not subject to the emperor of Delhi Malabar Customs I went to him in my tunic and he received me more graciously than ever he said it is my wish to send you as ambassador to the emperor of China for I know you love traveling in various countries I consented and he sent dresses of honor horses, money, etc with everything necessary for the journey the emperor of China had at this time sent presents to the Sultan consisting of a hundred Mamluks 50 slave girls 500 dresses of El Khamanja 500 mounds of mosque 5 dresses wrought with jewels 5 quivers wrought with gold and 5 swords set with jewels his request with the emperor was that he should be permitted to rebuild an idol temple in the country about the mountain of Kora which infidel Hindus resided on the top of which and on the heights was a plane of three months journey and to which there was no approach here too resided many infidel Hindu kings the extremities of these parts extend to the confines of Tibet where the musk gazelles are found there are also mines of gold on these mountains and poisonous grass growing they fall upon it and run in torrents to the neighboring rivers no one dares in consequence drink of the water during the time of their rising and should anyone do so he dies immediately this idol temple they usually called the Burkana it stood at the foot of the mountain and was destroyed by the muslims when they became masters of these parts nor were the inhabitants of the mountain in a condition to make the Mohammedans upon the plane but the plane was necessary to them for the purposes of agriculture they had therefore requested the emperor of China to send presents to the king of India and to ask this favor for them besides to this temple the people of China also made pilgrimages it was situated in a place called Samhal the reply of the emperor was that this could not be permitted nor were Mohammedans nor could there exist any church whatsoever in countries subject to them except only where tribute was paid but if they chose to do this their request would be complied with for the place in which this idol temple was situated had been conquered and had in consequence become a district of the Mohammedans the emperor also sent presents much more valuable than those he had received which were these following namely 100 horses of the best breed saddled and bridled 100 Mamluks 100 Hindu singing slave girls 100 Bairami dresses the value of each of which was 100 dinars 100 silken dresses 500 saffron colored dresses 100 pieces of the best cotton cloth 1000 dresses of the various clothing of India with numerous instruments of gold and silver swords and quivers set with jewels and 10 robes of honor wrought with gold one of the sultan's own dresses with various other articles the emperor appointed the emir Zahir Odan Elzanjani one of the Ulema with El Fatiqafur with whom the present was entrusted to accompany me these were favorite officers with the emperor he also sent with us a thousand cavalry who were to conduct us to the place at which we were to take shipping the servants of the emperor of China who amounted to about 100 and with whom there was a great emir also returned with us so we left the presence of the emperor on the 17th day of the month Saffar in the year 743 AD 1342 and after a few days arrived at the city of Bihanna which is large we next arrived at Kul which is a beautiful city the greatest part of the trees of which are vines when we had arrived here we were informed that the infidel Hindus had besieged the city El Jalal which is 7 days from Kul the intention of these infidels was to destroy the inhabitants and this they nearly effected they made such a vigorous attack upon them however that not one of them was left alive but many of our companions suffered martyrdom in the onset and among them was El Fati Kaffur the person to whom the presence had been confided we immediately transmitted an account of this affair to the emperor and waited for his answer during this interval whenever any of the infidel Hindus made an attack on the places of El Ali either all or a part of us gave assistance to the Muslims upon a certain day however I turned into a garden just without the city of Kul when the heat of the sun was excessive and while we were in the garden someone cried out that the Hindus were making an attack upon one of the villages I accordingly rode off with some of my companions to their assistance but the Muslims were so scattered in pursuing them that myself and only five others were left some of their people saw this and the consequence was a considerable number of cavalry made an attack upon us when we perceived their strength we retreated while they pursued us and in this we persevered I observed three of them coming after me when I was left quite alone it happened at the same time my horse had stuck fast between two stones so that I was obliged to dismount and set him at liberty I was now in a way that led into a valley between two hills and here I lost sight of the infidels I was so circumstanced however that I knew neither the country nor the roads I then set my horse at liberty to go where he would while I was in a valley between two trees behold a party of cavalry about 40 in number rushed upon me and took me prisoner before I was well aware of their being there I was much afraid they would shoot me with their arrows I alighted from my horse therefore and gave myself up as their prisoner they then stripped me of all I had bound me and took me with them for two days intending to kill me God delivered me from them for they left me and I took my course I knew not wither I was much afraid they would take it into their heads to kill me I therefore hid myself in a forest thickly interwoven with trees and thorns so much so that a person wishing to hide himself could not be discovered whenever I ventured upon the roads I found they always led either to one of the villages of the infidels or to some ruined village I was always therefore under the necessity of returning and thus I passed seven whole days during which I experienced the greatest horrors my food was the fruit and leaves of the mountain trees at the end of the seventh day however I got sight of a black man who had with him a walking staff shot with iron and a small water vessel he saluted me and I returned the salute he then said what is your name I then asked him his name he replied the wounded heart he then gave me some pulse which he had with him and some water to drink he asked me whether I would accompany him I did so but I soon found myself unable to move and I sunk on the earth he then carried me on his shoulders and as he walked on with me I fell asleep I awoke however about the time of dawn and found myself at the emperor's palace gate a courier had already brought the news of what had happened and of my loss to the emperor who now asked me of all the particulars and these I told him he then gave me ten thousand dinars and furnished me for my return he also appointed one of his emirs to present the gift so we returned to the city of Kul from this we proceeded to the city of Yobura and then descended to the shores of a lake called the water of life after this we proceeded to Kinoj which is but a small town here I met the aged Sheik Saleh of Fargana he was at this time sick he told me that he was then 150 years old I was informed that he would constantly fast and that for many successive days we next arrived at the city of Merwah which is a large place inhabited for the most part by infidels who pay tribute to the emperor we next arrived at the city of Kaliur which is large and which has a fortress on the top of a high mountain in this the emperor imprisons those of whom he entertains any fear we next arrived at the city of Barun which is small and inhabited by Muslims it is situated in the midst of the infidel districts in these parts are many wild beasts which enter the town and tear the inhabitants I was told however that such as enter the streets of the town are not wild beasts really but only some of the magicians called yogis who can assume the shape of wild beasts as such to the mind these are people who can work miracles of which one is that any one of them can keep an entire fast for several months many of them will dig houses for themselves underground over which anyone may build leaving them only a place for the air to pass through in this the Jogi will reside for months without eating or drinking anything I heard that one of them remained thus for a whole year I saw too in the city of Janjarur one of the Muslims who had been taught by them and who had set up for himself a lofty cell like an obelisk upon the top of this he stood for 5 and 20 days during which time he neither ate nor drank in this situation I left him nor do I know how long he continued there after I had left the place they mix certain seeds one of which is destined for a certain number of days or months and that they stand in need of no other support during all this time they also foretell events the emperor of Hindustan very much respects them and occasionally sits in their company some of them will eat nothing but herbs and it is clear from their circumstances that they accustom themselves to abstinence and feel no desire either for the world or its show some of them will kill a man with a look but this is most frequently done by the women the woman who can do so is termed a goftar it happened when I was judge of Delhi and the emperor was upon one of his journeys that a famine took place on this occasion the emperor ordered that the poor should be divided among the nobles for support until the famine should cease my portion as affixed by the vizier amounted to 500 these I sustained in a house which I built for the purpose on a certain day during this time a number of them came to me bringing a woman with them who as they said was a goftar and had killed a child which happened to be near her I sent her however to the vizier who ordered four large water vessels to be filled with water and tied to her she was then thrown into the great river the jamna she did not sink in the water but remained unhurt so that they knew that she was a goftar the vizier then ordered her to be burnt which was done and the people distributed her ashes among themselves believing that if anyone would fumigate himself with them he would be secure from the fascinations of a goftar for that year but if she had sunk they would have taken her out of the water for then they would have known that she was not a goftar I was once in the presence of the emperor of Hindustan when two of these jokies wrapped up in cloaks with their heads covered for they take out all their hairs both of their heads and armpits with powder came in the emperor caressed them and said pointing to me this is a stranger tell him what he has never yet seen they said we will one of them then assumed the form of a cube and arose from the earth and in this cubic shape he occupied a place in the air over our heads I was so much astonished and terrified at this that I fainted and fell to the earth the emperor then ordered me some medicine which he had with him and upon taking this I recovered and sat up this cubic figure still remaining in the air just as it had been his companion then took a sandal belonging to one of those who had come out with him and struck it upon the ground as if he had been angry the sandal then ascended until it became opposite in situation with the cube it then struck it upon the neck and the cube descended gradually to the earth and at last rested in the place which it had left the emperor then told me that the man who took the form of a cube was a disciple to the owner of the sandal and continued he had I not entertained fears for the safety of thy intellect I should have ordered them to show the greater things than these from this however I took a palpitation at the heart until the emperor ordered me a medicine which restored me we then proceeded from the city of Barun to the stage of Cajuara a lake about a mile in length and round this are temples in which there are idols at this place resides a tribe of Jogis with long and clotted hair their color inclines to yellow which arises from their fasting many of the Muslims of these parts attend on them and learn magic from them we next came to the city of Jandheri which is large after this to that of Tahr between which and Delhi is a distance of 24 days and from which leaves of the battle not are carried to Delhi from this place we went to the city of Ajbal then to Dholatabad which is a place of great splendor and not inferior to Delhi the lieutenancy of Dholatabad extends through a distance of three months its Citadel is called Eldawagir it is one of the greatest and strongest forts in India it is situated on the top of a rock which stands in the plane the extremities are depressed so that a rock appears elevated like a milestone and upon this the fort is built in it is a ladder made of hides and this is taken up by night and let down by day in this fortress the emperor imprisoned such persons as have been guilty of serious crimes the emir of Dholatabad had a shooter to the emperor he is the great emir of Katlukan in this city are vines and pomegranates which bear fruit twice in the year it is moreover one of the greatest districts as to revenue its yearly taxes and fines amount to 17 karors a karor is 100 lakh and a lakh 100,000 Indian dinars this was collected by a man appointed to do so before the government of Katlukan but as he had been killed on account of the treasure which was with him and this taken out of his effects after his death the government fell to Katlukan the most beautiful marketplace here is called the Tarababad in the shops of which sit the singing women ready dressed out with their slave girls in attendance over these is an emir the most popular business it is to regulate their income we next came to the city of Nazarabad it is small and inhabited by the Mahratas a people well skilled in the arts medicine and astrology their nobles are Brahmins the food of the Mahratas consists of rice green vegetables and oil of sesame they do not allow either the punishing or sacrificing of animals they carefully wash all their food just as one washes after other impurities and never intermarry with their relations unless separated by the intervals of 7 generations at least they also abstain from the use of urine our next place of arrival was the city of Sagar which is large and is situated on a river of the same name near it are mills which are worked for their orchards i.e. to supply water the inhabitants of this place are religious and peaceable we next arrived at the city of Kambaya which is situated at a mouth of the sea which resembles a valley and into which the ships ride here also the flux and reflux of the tide is felt the greatest part of its inhabitants are foreign merchants we next came to Goa to the infidel king Jalan king of Kandahar who is also subject to the emperor of Hindustan and to whom he sends an annual present we next came to a large city situated at a mouth of the sea and from this we took shipping and came to the island of Behram which is without inhabitants we next arrived at the city of Kuka the king of which is an infidel named Dankul and subject to the emperor of Hindustan after some days we came to the island of Sindhapur in the interior of which are 6 and 30 villages by this we passed however and dropped anchor at a small island near it in which is a temple and a tank of water on this island we landed and here I saw a jogi leaning against the wall of the temple and placed between two idols he had some marks about him of a religious warfare I addressed him but he gave me no answer we looked to but could see no food near him when we looked at him he gave a loud shout and a coconut fell upon him from a tree that was there this knot he threw to us to me he threw 10 dinars after I had offered him a few of which he would not accept I supposed him to be a Muslim for when I addressed him he looked towards heaven and then towards the temple at Mecca intimating that he acknowledged God and believed in Muhammad as his prophet we next came to the city of Hinaar which is situated at an estuary of the sea and which receives large vessels the inhabitants of this place are Muslims of the sect of Shafiyah a peaceable and religious people they carry on however a warfare for the faith by sea and for this they are noted the women of this city and indeed of all the Indian districts situated on the seashores never dressing clothes that have been stitched but the contrary one of them for example will tie one part of a piece of cloth round her waist while the remaining part will be placed upon her head and breast they are chased and handsome the greater part of the inhabitants both male and females have committed the Quran to memory the inhabitants of Malabar generally pay tribute to the king of Hinaar fearing as they do his bravery by sea his army too consists of about 6,000 men they are nevertheless a brave and warlike race the present king is Jamal Odan Muhammad ibn Hassan he is one of the best of princes but is himself subject to an infidel king whose name is Horeb we next came into the country of Malabar which is the country of black pepper its length is a journey of 2 months along the shore from Sindabur to Kaulam the whole of the way by land lies under the shade of trees and at the distance of every half mile there is a house made of wood in which there are chambers fitted up for the reception of comers and goers whether they be Muslims or infidels to each of these there is a well out of which they drink and over each is an infidel appointed to give drink to the infidels he supplies this in vessels to the Muslims he pours it in their hands they do not allow the Muslims to touch their vessels or to enter into their apartments but if anyone should happen to eat out of one of their vessels they break it to pieces but in most of their districts the Muslim merchants have houses and are greatly respected so that Muslims who are strangers whether they are merchants or poor may lodge among them but at any town in which no Muslim resides upon anyone's arriving they cook and pour out drink for him upon the leaf of the banana and whatever he happens to give is given to the dogs and in all this space of 2 months journey there is not a span free from cultivation for everybody has here a garden and his house is placed in the middle of it and round the whole of this there is a fence of wood up to which the ground of each inhabitant comes no one travels in these parts upon beasts of burden nor is there any horse found except with the king who is therefore the only person who rides when however any merchant has to sell or buy goods they are carried upon the backs of men who are always ready to do so for hire every one of these men has a long staff which is shot with iron at its extremity and at the top has a hook when therefore he is tired with his burden he sets up his staff in the earth like a pillar and places the burden upon it and when he has rested he again takes up his burden without the assistance of another with one merchant you will see one or two hundred of these carriers the merchant himself walking but when the nobles pass from place to place they ride in a doula made of wood something like a box and which is carried upon the shoulders of slaves and hirelings they put a thief to death for stealing a single nut or even a grain of seed of any fruit hence thieves are unknown among them and should anything fall from a tree none except its proper owner would attempt to touch it in the country of Malabar are twelve kings the greatest of whom has fifty thousand troops at his command the least five thousand or thereabouts that which separates the district of one king from that of another is a wooden gate upon which is written the gate of safety of such and one for when any criminal escapes from the district of one king and gets safely into that of another he is quite safe so that no one has the least desire to take him so long as he remains there each of their kings succeeds to rule as being sister's son not the son to the last their country is that from which black pepper is brought and this is the far greater of their produce and culture the pepper tree resembles that of the dark grape they plant it near that of the coconut and make framework for it just as they do for the grape tree it has however no tendrils and the tree itself resembles a bunch of grapes the leaves are like the ears of a horse but some of them resemble the leaves of a bramble when the autumn arrives it is ripe they then cut it and spread it just as they do grapes and thus it is dried by the sun as to what some have said that they boil it in order to dry it it is without foundation I also saw in their country and on the seashores aloes like the seed aloe sold by measure just as meal and millet is miraculous tree fatan fandarena calakut chinese junk embassy goes on board and is wrecked proceeds to kaolam after his property arrives at kajakare returns to calakut joins an expedition against sindabur the place carried by assault arrives at hinauer fakenar manjarur hilly jara fatan bada fatan fandarena shalyat returns to sindabur and sets out for the maldive islands the first town we entered in the country of malabar was that of abisardar which is small and is situated on a large estuary of the sea we next came to the city of kakanwar which is large and also upon an estuary of the sea it abounds in the sugar cane the sultan is an infidel he sent his son as a pledge to our vessel and we landed accordingly and were honorably received he also sent presents to the ship as marks of respect to the emperor of india it is accustomed with them that every vessel which passes by one of their ports shall enter it and give a present to its sultan in this case they let it pass but otherwise they make war upon it with their vessels they then board it out of contempt and impose a double fine upon the cargo just in proportion to the advantage they usually gain from merchants entering their country we next arrived at the city of majarun which is situated upon a large estuary of the sea called the estuary of the wolf and which is the greatest estuary in the country of malabar this place are some of the greatest merchants of persia and yemen ginger and black pepper are here in great abundance the king of this place is the greatest of the kings of malabar and in it are about 4,000 mohammadin merchants the king made us land and sent us a present we next came to the town of hilly which is large and situated upon an estuary of the sea as far as this place come the ships of china but they do not go beyond it nor do they enter any harbor except that of this place of calikut and of kaolam the city of hilly is much revered both by the mohammadins and infidels on account of a mosque the source of light and of blessings which is found in it to this seafaring persons make and pray their vows once its treasury is derived which is placed under the control of the principal maslam the mosque maintains a preacher and has within it several students as well as readers of the quran and persons who teach writing we next arrived at the city of jerkanan the king of which is one of the greatest on these coasts we next came to datkanan which is a large city abounding with gardens and situated upon a mouth of the sea in this are found the betel leaf and nut the coconut and calikasia without the city is a large pond for retaining water about which are gardens the king is an infidel his grandfather who had become mohammadin built its mosque and made the pond the cause of the grandfathers receiving islamism was a tree over which he had built the mosque this tree is a very great wonder its leaves are green unlike those of the fig except only that they are soft the tree is called darakt shahadat the tree of testimony darakt meaning tree i was told in these parts that this tree does not generally drop its leaves but at the season of autumn and every year one of them changes its color first to yellow then to red upon this is written with the pen of power there is no god but god mohammad is the prophet of god and that this leaf alone falls very many mohammadins who were worthy of belief told me this and said that they had witnessed its fall and had read the writing and further that every year at the time of the fall credible persons among the mohammadins as well as others of the infidels sat beneath the tree and when this took place that the one half was taken by the mohammadins as a blessing and for the purpose of curing their diseases and the other by the king of the infidel city and laid up in his treasury as a blessing and that this is constantly received among them now the grandfather of the present king could read the arabic he witnessed therefore the fall of the leaf read the inscription and understanding its import became a mohammadin accordingly at the time of his death he appointed his son who was a violent infidel to succeed him this man adhered to his own religion cut down the tree, tore up its roots and effaced every vestige of it after two years the tree grew and regained its original state and in this it now is this king died suddenly and none of his infidel descendants since his time has done anything to the tree we next came to the city of Faten the greater part of the inhabitants of which are brahmins who are held in great estimation among the Hindus in this place there was not one mohammadin without it was a mosque to which the mohammadin's strangers resort it is said to have been built by certain merchants and afterwards to have been destroyed by one of the brahmins who had removed the roof of it to his own house on the following night however this house was entirely burnt and in it the Brahmin, his followers and all his children they then restored the mosque and in future abstained from injuring it whence it became the resort of the mohammadin's strangers after this we came to the city of Fandaraina a beautiful and large place abounding with gardens and markets in this the mohammadin's have three districts each of which is a mosque with a judge and preacher we next came to Calakut one of the great ports of the district of Malabar and in which merchants from all parts are found the king of this place is an infidel who shaves his chin just as the Hedari Fakirs of Rum do when we approached this place the people came out to meet us and with a large concourse brought us into the port the greatest part of the mohammadin merchants of this place are so wealthy that one of them can purchase the whole freightage of such vessels as put in here and fit out others like them here we waited three months for the season to set sail for China for there is only one season in the year in which the sea of China is navigable nor then is the voyage undertaken except in vessels of the three descriptions following the greatest is called a junk the middling sized a zah the least a kakam the sails of these vessels are made of cane reeds woven together like a mat which when they put into port they leave standing in the wind in some of these vessels there will be employed a thousand men 600 of these sailors and 400 soldiers each of the larger ships is followed by three others a middle sized a third and a fourth sized these vessels are nowhere made except in the city of el zaitun in China or in sign kailan which is sign el sign they row in these ships with large ores which may be compared to great mass over some of which 5 and 20 men will be stationed who work standing the commander of each vessel is a great emir in the large ships too they sow garden herbs and ginger which they cultivate in cisterns made for that purpose and placed on the sides of them in these also are houses constructed of wood in which the higher officers reside with their wives but these they do not hire out to the merchants every vessel therefore is like an independent city of such ships as these Chinese individuals will sometimes have large numbers and generally the Chinese are the richest people in the world now when the season for setting out had arrived the emperor of Hindustan appointed one of the junks of the 13 that were in the port for our voyage el malik zambul therefore who had been commissioned to present the gift and Zaheer Odan went on board and to the former was the present carried I also sent my baggage, servants and slave girls on board but was told by one of them before I could leave the shore that the cabin which had been assigned to me was so small that it would not take the baggage and slave girls I went therefore to the commander who said there is no remedy for this if you wish to have a larger you had better get into one of the kakams third-sized vessels there you will find larger cabins and such as you want I accordingly ordered my property to be put into the kakam this was in the afternoon of Thursday and I myself remained on shore for the purpose of attending divine service on the Friday during the night however the sea arose when some of the junks struck upon the shore and the greatest part of those on board were drowned and the rest were saved by swimming some of the junks too sailed off and what became of them I know not the vessel in which the present was stowed kept on the sea till morning when it struck on the shore and all on board perished and the wealth was lost I had indeed seen from the shore the emperor's servants with El Malik Sambul and Zahir Odan prostrating themselves almost distracted for the terror of the sea was such as not to be got rid of I myself had remained on shore having with me my prostration carpet and tendinars which had been given me by some holy men these I kept as a blessing for the kakam had sailed off with my property and followers the missionaries of the king of China were on board another junk which struck upon the shore also some of them were saved and brought to land and afterwards clothed by the Chinese merchants I was told that the kakam in which my property was must have put into Kaulam I proceeded therefore to that place by the river it is situated at the distance of ten days from Kalikut about five days I came to Kanjakara which stands on the top of a hill is inhabited by Jews and governed by an emir who pays tribute to the king of Kaulam all the trees we saw upon the banks of this river as well as upon the seashores were those of the cinnamon and bakam which constitute the fuel of the inhabitants and with this we cooked our food upon the tenth day we arrived at Kaulam which is the last city on the Malabar coast in this place is a large number of Mohammedan merchants but the king is an infidel in this place I remained a considerable time but heard nothing of the kakam and my property I was afraid to return to the emperor who would have said how came you to leave the present and stay upon the shore for I knew what sort of a man he was in cases of this kind I also advised with some of the Mohammedans who dissuaded me from returning and said he will condemn you because you left the present you had better therefore return by the river to Kalikut I then betook myself to Jamal Odan king of Hinaur by sea who when I came near met me and received me honorably and then appointed me a house with a suitable maintenance he was about to attend on divine service in the mosque and commanded me to accompany him I then became attached to the mosque and read daily a katma or two at this time the king was preparing an expedition against the island of Sindabur for this purpose he had prepared two and fifty vessels which when ready he ordered me to attend with him for the expedition upon this occasion I opened the Quran in search of an omen and in the first words of the first leaf which I laid my hand upon was frequent mention of the name of God and the promise that he would certainly assist those who assisted him I was greatly delighted with this and when the king came to the evening prayer I told him of it and requested to be allowed to accompany him he was much surprised at the omen and prepared to set out in person after this he went on board one of the vessels taking me with him and then we sailed when we got to the island of Sindabur we found the people prepared to resist us and a hard battle was accordingly fought we carried the place however by divine permission by assault after this the king gave me a slave girl with clothing and other necessaries and I resided with him some months I then requested permission to make a journey to Kaulam to inquire after the Kaqam with my goods he gave me permission after obtaining a promise that I would return to him I then left him for Hintar and then proceeded to Fakanar and thence to Manjarur thence to Hili Jarafatan, Badafatan, Fandarena and Calicut mention of which has already been made I next came to the city of Shaliat where the Shaliats are made and hence they derive their name this is a fine city I remained at it some time and there heard that the Kaqam had returned to China and that my slave girl had died in it and I was very much distressed on her account the Infidels too had seized upon my property and my followers had been dispersed among the Chinese and others I then returned to Sindabur to the king Jamal Odan at the time when an Infidel king was besieging the town with his troops I left the place therefore and made for the Baldeev Islands at which after ten days I arrived End of section 7 Section 8 of the travels of Ibn Battuta This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Lewis Fletcher The Travels of Ibn Battuta Translated by Samuel Lee Chapter 19 Description of the Maldives Islands Natural Productions People Customs Trade Currency Origin of Mohammedanism here A queen governing the principal island Knight generally on palm leaves with an iron style Power of the judge, his revenue Isle of Kal Nus Voyage to the principal isle Introduced to the husband and vizier of the queen Food of the islanders Takes the office of judge Marries three wives Suspected by the vizier Divorces his wives and visits the other islands Muluk Island Its fertility Distance from the coast of Coromandel These islands constitute one of the wonders of the world For their number is about 2,000 Nearly a hundred of which are so close to each other As to form a sort of ring Each of which nevertheless is surrounded by the sea When vessels approach any one of them They are obliged to show who they have on board If not, a passage is not permitted between them For such is their proximity to each other That the people of one are recognized by those of another The greatest trees on the island are those of the coconut The fruit of which they eat with fish Of this sort of trees The palm will produce fruit 12 times in the year Each month supplying a fresh crop So that you will see upon the trees The fruit of some large, of others small Of others dry, and of others green And this is the case always From these they make palm wine and oil olive And from their honey, sweet meats Which they eat with the dried fruits This is a strong incentive to venery I had some slave girls and four wives During my residence here The people are religious, chaste and peaceable They eat what is lawful and their prayers are answered Their bodies are weak They make no war and their weapons are prayers They are by no means terrified At the robbers and thieves of India Nor do they punish them from the experience That everyone who steals will be exposed To some sudden and grievous calamity When any of the war vessels Of the infidel Hindus pass by these islands They take whatsoever they find Without being resisted by anyone But if one of these infidels Should take for himself surreptitiously But a single lemon His chief will not only severely punish him But will impress most seriously upon his mind The fear of some horrible consequence to follow Accepting this one case only They are the most gentle people possible Towards those who visit them The reason probably is The delicacy of their persons And their ignorance of the art of war In each of these islands are several mosques Which, with the rest of their buildings Are constructed of wood They are a cleanly people Each individual washing himself twice daily On account of the great heat of the sun They very much use perfumes Such as the galia and scented oils Every woman must as soon as her husband Has arisen and said his prayers Bring him the box of chalirium And his eyes with the perfumes And with these he anoints and perfumes himself Both the rich and poor walk barefoot The whole country is shaded with trees So that a person walking along Is just as if he were walking in a garden The water of their wells Is not more than two cubits From the surface of the earth Whenever a traveller enters these islands He may marry for a very small dowry One of the handsomest women For any specific period That he shall divorce her when he leaves the place Because the women never leave Their respective districts But if he does not wish to marry The woman in whose house he lodges Will cook for him and otherwise attend on him For a very small consideration The greatest part of their trade Consists in a sort of hemp That is, thread made of the fibres Of the coconut It is made by macerating the nut in water Then by beating it with large mallets Till it is quite soft Then spin it out and afterwards Twist it into ropes With this thread the ships of India And Yemen are sewn together Of which when they happen to strike against a rock The thread will yield a little But will not soon break Contrary to what happens when put together With iron nails This is the best sort of hemp Each population catches the fish Of its own island only Which they salt and send to India and China The currency used instead of coin This is sea shellfish Which they take upon the shore And then bury in the earth till the flesh Is entirely wasted away The hard part still remaining This is the water which is so abundant In India. It is carried from these islands To the province of Bengal And there also passes instead of coin The women of the islands of India Cover their faces and also their bodies From the naval downwards This they all do even to the wives Of their kings To judge among them I was quite unable To get them covered entirely In these islands the women never eat With the men but in their own society Only. I endeavored while I was judged to get my wives to eat With me but I could never prevail Their conversation is very pleasing And they themselves are exceedingly Beautiful. The cause Of these islands becoming Muhammadan Was as it is generally received among Them and as some learned and respectable Persons among them informed me Of the most follows When they were in a state of infidelity There appeared to them every month A spectre from among the genie This came from the sea Its appearance was that of a ship Filled with candles When they saw him it was their custom To take and dress up a young woman Who was a virgin and place her in the Idol temple which stood on the seashore And had windows looking towards him Here they left her for the night When they came in the morning This they continued doing month after month Casting lots among themselves And each to whom the lot fell Giving up and dressing out his daughter For the spectre After this there came to them A western Arab named Abul Barakat The Berber This was a holy man and one who Had committed the Quran to memory He happened to lodge in the house Of an old woman in the island of Maul One day when he entered The house he saw her with a company Of her female inmates weeping and lamenting And asked them what was the matter A person who acted as an interpreter Between him and them said That the lot had fallen on this old woman Who was now adorning her daughter For the spectre For this it was that she was crying This too was her only child The Moghrabin who was a beardless Man said to her I will go to the spectre tonight Instead of thy daughter If he takes me then I shall redeem her But if I come off safe Then that will be to the praise of God They carried him accordingly To the idol house that night As if he had been the daughter of the old woman The magistrate knowing nothing whatever of the matter The Moghrabin entered And sitting down in the window Began to read the Quran By and by the spectre came With eyes flaming like fire But when he got near enough to hear the Quran He plunged into the sea In this manner the Moghrabin Reading the Quran When the old woman came with her household And the great personages of the district In order to fetch out the young woman And burn her as it was their custom But when they saw the old man Reading the Quran just as they had left him They were greatly astonished The old woman then told them what she had done And why she had desired him to do this They then carried the Moghrabin To their king whose name was Shanwan And told him the whole of the affair And he was much astonished at the Arab Upon this the Moghrabin presented The doctrine of Islamism to the king And pressed him to receive it Who replied, stay with us another month And then if you will do as you now have done And escape from the spectre with safety I will become a Muhammadan So God opened the heart of the king For the reception of Islamism before The completion of the month Of himself, of his household His children and his nobles When however the second month came They went with the Moghrabin to the idol house According to the former custom The king himself also being present And when the following morning Had arrived, they found the Moghrabin Sitting and reading his Quran Having had the same ring conter with the spectre That he had on the former occasion They then broke the images Raised the idol house to the ground And all became Muhammadans The sect into which they entered Was that of the Moghrabin Namely that of Ibn Malik Till this very day they make much of the Moghrabin On account of this man I was residing for some time in these Islands without having any knowledge Of this circumstance Upon a certain night however When I saw them exalting and praising God As they were proceeding towards the sea With Quran's on their heads I asked them what they were about When they told me of the spectre They then said look towards the sea And you will see him I looked and behold The images This said they is the spectre Which when we do as you have seen us doing Goes away and does us no injury When I first came To the island of Moll A woman was sovereign Because the king mentioned above Had left no male issue The inhabitants therefore gave to his eldest daughter Khordizha the supreme rule Her husband Jamal Odin The preacher then became her prime minister It is accustomed With them to write out copies of the Quran And other books on paper only Letters, orders and legal decisions They inscribe on palm leaves of the coconut tree With a crooked sharp pointed instrument Somewhat like a knife The army of this princess Consists of foreigners to the number Of about 1,000 men Their laws mostly originate with the judge Who for the authority with which His orders are obeyed Is more like a king He enjoys by right of his office The revenue of three islands A custom which originated with their king Shanwaza whose proper name was Ahmed And this still remains in force When I first arrived at these islands The ship in which I was put into port In the island Kalnoos Which is a beautiful place containing several mosques Upon this occasion Some of the learned and pious inhabitants Took me to their houses And entertained me with great hospitality The commander of the ship in which I had been Then went with me to the island in which The queen resided and after which The other islands of these parts are named I sailed with him in order to see her And after passing by many of the islands Came to it Our practice was to sail in A large boat during the morning About the middle of the day we set our prayers And then dined in the boat And thus after ten days we came to the island Zabia el Moll i.e. the Maldives island In this I landed and a report Was made to the queen's vizier Jamal Odin Who was also her husband Upon this he sent for me I went to him And was very honorably received and entertained He also appointed a house for my residence Sent me a present of Victuals, fruits, clothing And an alms gift of the Wada or shells Which are the currency of these parts And used instead of coin The food of the greater part Of the inhabitants of these parts is rice Which they cook and lay up in Sources and small potted plates With spiced flesh, fowl and fish Upon this in order to assist Digestion they drink el carbani i.e. the honey of the coconut Made into spiced wine This easily digests Excites the appetite and communicates Strength to the frame After this the vizier Desired me to take the office of judge And to remain among them He gave me a house and a large garden In which were built many other houses He also sent me a carpet Vessels, a dress of honour And made me ride upon a horse Although it is custom with them that none Except the vizier should thus ride The rest of the nobles and others Either ride in a palanquin A machine formally described Or walk on foot He also sent female slaves for my service And I married three wives The vizier also frequently came himself And conferred his favours upon me For which may God reward him When, however, I had married my wives And my relations became through them Numerous and powerful in the island The vizier began to be afraid of me Lest I should get the upper hand of him When no such thought had entered my mind This resulted purely from their weakness The fewness of their troops And their inexperience in the art of war As already noticed He hated me mortally in his own mind Began to inquire into my affairs And to watch my proceedings This was all known to me And it became my intention to leave the place But this was also a matter of dread with him Because I might then possibly bring An army upon him from the Mabaa districts Of Hindustan The king of those parts, Gyath Odin Having married a sister to one of my wives When I resided in Delhi And with whom I was on terms of friendship I then divorced all my wives Except one who had a young child And I left that island for those Which stretch out before it These form numerous groups In many islands In some of these I saw women Who had only one breast Which much astonished me Of these islands one is named Muluk In this, large ships destined For the districts of Mabaa put into harbour It is an island exceedingly rich In vegetation and soil So that when you cut a branch From any of its trees and plant it Either on the road or on a wall It will grow, throw out leaves And become a tree And I saw a pomegranate tree The fruit of which ceased not to shoot During the whole year Between the Maldives islands and the Mabaa Districts there is a distance of three days With a moderate wind End of section 8 Recording by Louis Fletcher Section 9 of The Travels of Ibn Battuta Translated by Samuel Lee This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings Are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Louis Fletcher Chapter 20 Arrival in Ceylon Visits the king at Batala Natural Productions Pearls Obtains permission to visit Adams Peak Arrives at Manar Mandali Port of Salawat Kanha Kanha, the capital of Ceylon Described Mosque of the Sheikh Ofman The Emperor Kinu'u His white elephant Large rubies found all over Ceylon Description of the cave Easter Mahmud Buzuta Monkeys Estuary of Reeds Old Woman's House Cave of Baba Tahir Of Sibak The Fias Leech The Seven Caves Ridge of Alexander Description of Adams Peak Customs of Pilgrims Fish Port Village of Karkun Of Dildinu Ofat Kalanja City of Dino Great Idol Temple With Brahmins, Yogis And Daughters of the Nobility Kali Kalumbu Batala When we sailed, however, the wind changed upon us and we were near being lost but arrived at last at the island of Ceylon a place well known and in which is situated the mountain of Serendib. This appeared to us like a pillar of smoke when we were at a distance of nine days from it. When we got near the land we saw a harbour into which we endeavoured to put, but were threatened by the Reyes who was in a ship. The reason of this was the harbour was in a district belonging to an Infidel Prince who had no intercourse with the captains of Mahamadan vessels as other Infidel Princes had. He was likewise a very stupid being. He had also ships with which he occasionally transported his troops against the Mahamadans. Beside all this we were in danger of drowning unless we could enter the port. I said to the Reyes, therefore allow me to come on shore and I will provide my safety and that of those about thee with the King. To this he consented and myself with some of my followers only were brought on shore. The Infidels then came about us and said, what are you? I answered, I am a relation of the King of the Marba districts and am on a voyage to visit him. Whatever is in the ship is a present for the King of the Marba. They then went to their King and told him this. He was sent for me and I went to him. He is King of the City of Batala which is small and surrounded by two wooden fences. The whole of its shore abounds with cinnamon wood, bakam and the kalanji alo which however is not equal to the kamari or the kakuli in sent. The merchants of Malabar and the Marba districts transport it without any other price than a few articles of clothing which are given as presents to the King. He attributed to the circumstance that it is brought down by the mountain torrents and left in great heaps upon the shore. Between this city and the Marba districts there is a voyage of one day and night. The King of Ceylon, Ayari Shakaati by name has considerable forces by sea. When I was first admitted to his presence he rose and received me honorably and said, you are to be my guest for three days. Thank you for your friendship because your relation, the King of the Marba is my friend. After thanking him I remained with him and was treated with increasing respect. One day when I was admitted to his presence he had with him a great number of pearls which had been brought from the pearl fishery and these his companions were sorting. He asked me whether I had ever seen pearl diving in any country he said, do not be shy ask for what you wish. I answered, my only desire in coming to this island was to visit the blessed foot of our forefather Adam whom these people called Barba while they style Eve Marma. This replied he is easy enough we will send someone with you who shall conduct you thither. The ship said I which brought me here shall return to the Marba and when I return you shall send me there to the ships. He answered it shall be so. When I told this to the commander of the ship he refused to accede to it and said I will wait for you should you be absent a whole year. This I told to the King who said he may stay at my charge until you return. He then gave me a palanquin which his servants carried upon their shoulders. He also sent me four yogis who were in the habit of visiting the footmark every year. They were the King's companions with 15 men carrying provisions. As to water there is plenty of it to be found on the road. We then proceeded on our journey and on the first day crossed a river in a boat made of reeds and entered the city of Manar Mandali which is handsome and situated at the extremity of the territory of the Infidel King who had entertained and sent us out. We then proceeded to the port of Salawat which is a small town. The roads however over which we travelled were rough and abounding with water. In these there were many elephants but they never touched either pilgrims or strangers. In consequence of the blessing obtained by the sheikh Abu Abd Allah ibn Qafif the first to opened this road of pilgrimage to the foot. The Infidels would not formally allow the Muhammadans to make this pilgrimage but injured them nor would they either sell or give them anything to eat. But when it happened that the elephants killed all the companions of this sheikh one of them sparing and carrying him on his back from among the mountains to an inhabited district the Infidels ever after thought highly of the Muhammadans admitted them into their houses and fed them. To this very day they still speak of the sheikh in the most extravagant terms of respect and call him the greatest sheikh. After this we arrived at the city of Kankar which is the seat of the emperor of Ceylon. It is built in a valley between two hills upon an estuary called the estuary of rubies and in which rubies are found. Without the city is the mosque of the sheikh Othman of Shiraz which both the emperor and the people of the city visit and for which they have great respect. The emperor is an infidel and is known by the name Kina he has a white elephant upon which he rides on feast days having first placed on his head some very large rubies. It is the only white elephant I had ever seen. The ruby and carbuncle are found only in this country. These are not allowed to be exported on account of the great estimation in which they are held nor are they elsewhere dug up but the ruby is found all over Ceylon. It is considered as property and is sold by the inhabitants. When they dig for the ruby they find a white stone abounding with fissures. Within this the ruby is placed. They go up and give it to the polishes who polish it until only the ruby is separated from the stone. Of this there is the red, the yellow and the cerulean. They call it the Manikam. It is a custom among them that every ruby amounting in value to six of the gold dinars current in those parts shall go to the emperor who gives its value and takes it. What falls short of this goes to his attendants. All the women in the island of Ceylon have coloured rubies which they put upon their hands and legs as chains in the place of bracelets and ankle rings. I once saw upon the head of the white elephant seven rubies each of which was larger than a hen's egg. I also saw in the possession of the king Ayari Shakarti a saucer made of ruby as large as the palm of the hand in which he kept oils of aloes. I was much surprised at it when the king said to me we have them much larger than this. We then proceeded to Kankar and came to a cave known by the name of Ishtar Mahmud then to the estuary of Bazuta which in their language signifies monkeys, animals which are in great numbers in the mountains of these parts. The monkeys are black and have long tails. The beard of the males is like that of a man. I was told by the Sheikh Othman and his son two pious and credible persons that the monkeys have a leader whom they follow as if he were their king. About his head is tied a turban composed of the leaves of trees and he reclines upon a staff. At his right and left hand are four monkeys with rods in their hands all of which stand at his head whenever the leading monkey sits. His wives and children are daily brought in on these occasions who sit down before him. Then comes a number of monkeys which sit and form a sort of assembly about him. One of the four monkeys then addresses him and they disperse. After this each of them comes with a nut, a lemon or some of the mountain fruit which he throws down before the leader. He then eats together with his wives, children and the four principal monkeys. They then all disperse. One of the yogis also told me that he once saw the four monkeys standing in the presence of the leader and beating another monkey with rods. After this they plugged off all his hair. I was also told by respectable persons that if one of these monkeys happens to attack and be too strong for a young woman he will ravish her. We then proceeded to the estuary of Reeds where rubies are also found. The next place we arrived at is known by the House of the Old Woman which is the farthest inhabited part of the island of Ceylon. Our next stage was the cave of Baba Tahir who was one of the pious. The next the cave of Sibak and Infidel King who retired to this place for the purposes of devotion. Here we saw the fierce leech which they call the Zalaw. It remains in trees or in the grass near water. When anyone comes near to it it springs upon him and the part of the body attacked will bleed profusely. People generally provide themselves with a lemon for this occasion which they squeeze over him and then he drops off. The place upon which the leech has fastened they cut out with a wooden knife made for that purpose. It is told of a pilgrim who passed by this place that a leech fastened upon him so that the skin swelled and as he did not squeeze the lemon on him the blood flowed out and he died. We next came to a place called the Seven Caves and after this to the ridge of Alexander in which is a cave and a well of water. At this place is the entrance to the mountain. This mountain of Serendib is one of the highest in the world. We saw it from the sea at a distance of nine days. When we ascended it we saw the clouds passing between us and its foot. On it is a great number of trees, the leaves of which never fall. There are also flowers of various colours with the red rose about the size of the palm of the hand upon the leaves of which they think they can read the name of God and of his prophet. There are two roads on the mountain leading to the foot of Adam. The one is known by the way of Baba the other by the way of Marma, by which they mean Adam and Eve. The way called that of Marma is easy. To it the travellers come upon their first visiting the place, but everyone who has travelled only upon this is considered as if he had not made the pilgrimage at all. The way named Baba is rough and difficult of ascent. At the foot of the mountain where the entrance is there is a minaret named after Alexander and a fountain of water. The ancients have cut something like steps upon which one may ascend and have fixed in iron pins to which chains are appended and upon these those who ascend take hold. Of these chains there are ten in number, the last of which is termed the chain of witness because when one has arrived at this and looks down, the frightful notion ceases him that he shall fall. After the tenth chain is the cave of Kesar in which there is a large space and at the entrance a well of water which is also called after his name. Of those however no one takes any. Near this and on each side of the path is a cistern cut in the rock. In this cave of Kesar the pilgrims leave their provisions and whatever else they have and then ascend about two miles to the top of the mountain to the place of Adam's foot. The holy footmark is in a stone so that its place is depressed. The length of the impression is eleven spans. The Chinese came here at some former time and cut out from this stone the place of the great toe together with the stone about it and placed it in a temple in the city of Zaitun and pilgrimages are made to it from the most distant parts of China. In the rock too in which the impression of the foot is there are nine excavations which have been cut out. Into these the infidel pilgrims put gold, rubies and other jewels and hence you will see the Farkiers pilgrims to the well of Kesar racing to get first to the excavations in order to obtain what may be in them. We however found nothing but a little gold with some rubies which we gave to our guide. It is customary for the pilgrims to remain in the cave of Kesar for three days and during this time to visit the foot both morning and evening. This we did and when the three days were expired we returned by the path of Marmar and came down to the cave of Shisham who is Sheth the son of Adam. After this we arrived at the fish port and then at the village of Kharkun then at the village of Dildinu then at the village of Atkalandja where the tomb of Abu Abd Allah ibn Qafif is situated. All these villages and tilled lands are upon the mountain. At its foot and near the path is a cypress which is large and never drops the leaf. But as to its leaves there is no getting to them by any means and these people's are turned with some strange and false notions respecting them. I saw a number of yogis about the tree waiting for the falling of one for they suppose that any person eating one of them will grow young again however old he may be. Beneath this mountain is the great estuary at where the rubies are obtained its water appears wonderfully blue to the eye. From this place we proceeded and in two days arrived at the city of Dinau which is large and inhabited by merchants. In this is an idol with the same name placed in a large temple and in which there are about a thousand Brahmins and yogis and 500 young women, daughters of the nobility of India who sing and dance all night before the image. The offices of the city revenue attend upon the image. The idol is of gold and as large as a man. In the place of eyes it has two large rubies which as I was told shine in the night time like two lighted candles. From this place we travelled to Kali a large town then to Kolambu which is the finest and largest city in Serendip. After three days we arrived at the city of Batala from which we had been sent by its king with his servants to visit Adam's foot. This we entered and were received honourably by the king who finished us with provisions. End of Chapter 20 Recording by Louis Fletcher The travels of Ibn Battuta by Ibn Battuta Translated by Samuel Lee Chapter 21 Return to the coast of Coral Mandel Arrival at the palace of Giyathadine Short account of the governors of those parts War with the Hindus The Hindus The Hindus The Hindus The Hindus The Hindus The Hindus This war with the Hindus The Hindu king broken and slain fatan Different animals kept in the same cageYoung mother Giyathadine dies succeeded by his brother son Naseer Adine bataan Kalaam Henauer taken prisoner by the Hindus Kalicut said Ke'won, mountains of Kumru, the sheik to Breezy, miracles ascribed to him, Jabnak, Blue River, Settkar Ke'won, Berak Nakur, produce, character of the people, customs. After this we sailed with the vessel which had waited for us to the Ma'amur districts, but when we had made half the voyage the wind rose upon us and we were near drowning. We then cut down our mast and every moment expected death. Providence, however, was favorable to us, for there came boats from the infidel inhabitants of the Ma'abur, which brought us to land. I then told them that I was the messenger of their king, and that he was my relation, upon which they landed us and treated us very honorably. They wrote to the king on this as I also did, telling him what had happened. After three days came an emir from the Sultan with a number of cavalry. For me they brought a palanquin and ten horses to carry me. We then set out for the presence of the king, Giyath-Adeen-Eldamgani, who at this time enjoyed the supreme power in the Ma'abur districts. These parts formally belonged to the emperor of Hindustan, the Sultan Muhammad. They were then seized by the Sharif, Jalal-Adeen Hassan Shah, who held them for five years. After this he appointed Ali-Adeen one of his emirs as his successor, but he was killed in a warlike excursion by an accidental arrow. After this his brother's son, Qatbi-Adeen, came to the supreme rule, but he was killed in consequence of his bad conduct. After this one of the emirs of the Sharif, Jalal-Adeen, came into power. That is, this Giyath-Adeen, who married a daughter of Jalal-Adeen, the mother of which daughter was sister to my wife when I was judge in Delhi. When I had gotten near his house he sent one of his chamberlains to meet me, and when I entered he received me graciously and gave me a seat. He was at this time in his camp, so he erected three tents for me opposite those of his judge, Siddhar al-Zaman. He also sent me a carpet, provisions, and presents. This was a very warlike prince, and as he happened to be in the neighborhood of an infidel whose army amounted to one hundred and twenty thousand men, an attempt was made to take these Ma'abur districts out of the hands of the Muslims. This infidel prince accordingly made an attack on the Count of Qiyan, which belongs to the Ma'abur, and in which there were six thousand soldiers, put them to the route and besieged it. This was reported to the Sultan and that the town was nearly lost. He then marched out with his forces which amounted to seven thousand, every man of whom took off his turban and hung it upon the neck of his horse, which is in India an intimation that they are bent upon death. They then made a charge upon the infidel king while his men were taking their midday repose and besieging Qiyan and put them to the route. The greater part of them was killed, nor did one except the cavalry or those who concealed themselves in the woods escape. The Sultan was taken prisoner, his wealth seized, himself afterwards killed, and I saw his body hanging against a wall in the town. I then left the king's station until he should return from his expedition and came to the city of Fatan, which is large and beautiful and situated upon the seashore. Its harbor is truly wonderful. In this city there are grapes and good pomegranates. I saw in this place the sheikh Salih Muhammad of Nisabur, one of the fanatical fakeers who suffer their hair to flow down loosely upon their shoulders. This man had seven foxes with him, all of which ate and sat with the fakeers. They were also with him thirty other fakeers, one of whom had a gazelle with a lion in the same place, which was unmolested by the lion. I then proceeded for the purpose of presenting myself to the Sultan at the city of Mathuray, which is large and not unlike Delhi. In this I found a great mortality which had destroyed the greatest part of the inhabitants. The king, Giyath Adin, returned at this time to his palace sick and soon after died. He appointed his brother's son, Nasir Adin, to be his successor. In this place too I caught a fever which nearly destroyed me. But as providence restored me to health I requested permission of the king Nasir Adin to proceed on my journey, which was granted. I then returned to the city of Fatan, Fatan, and thence by sea to Kaulam, one of the cities of Malabar where I remained three months on account of the sickness which had happened to me. From this place I set out to visit the Sultan Jamal Adin of Hinaur, who had received a promise from me to return. The infidel Hindus, however, came out against us in twelve war-vessels between the last place mentioned and Faikhanun, and giving us severe battle at length over Caimus and took our ship. They then stripped us of all. From me they took all the jewels and rubies given me by the king of Batala, as well as the additional presence of the pious sheiks, leaving me only one pair of trousers, and thus were we landed nearly naked. I then returned to Calicut and entered one of the mosques. When some of the lawyers and merchants who had known me in Delhi heard of my situation, they clothed and received me honorably. I then thought of returning to the emperor of Hindustan but I was afraid of his severity, and that he might ask me why I had separated from the present. I then went on board another ship, and this pleased me and returned to the Maldives Islands on account of the little boy I had left there. When I had seen him, however, I left him in kindness to his mother. The vizier then furnished me with provisions and I sailed for Bengal, which is an extensive and plentiful country. I never saw a country in which provisions were so cheap. I there saw one of the religious of the West, who told me that he had bought provisions for himself and his family for a whole year, with eight dirhams. The first town I entered here was Sidkaywan, which is large and situated on the seashore. The king of Bengal at this time was Fakir Adin. He was an imminent man, kind to strangers and persons of the Sufi persuasion, but I did not present myself to him nor did I see him because he was opposed to the emperor, and was then an open rebellion against him. From Sidkaywan I traveled for the mountains of Kamru, which are at the distance of one month from this place. These are extensive mountains and they join the mountains of Tibet, where there are muskazels. The inhabitants of these mountains are, like the Turks, famous for their attention to magic. My object in visiting these mountains was to meet one of the saints, namely the Sheikh Jalal Adin of Tabriz. This sheik was one of the greatest saints and one of those singular individuals who had the power of working great and notable miracles. He had also lived to a remarkably great age. He told me that he had seen El Mosta Asim, the Khalif in Baghdad, and his companions told me afterwards that he died at the age of one hundred and fifty years, that he fasted through a space of about forty years, never breaking his fast till he had fasted throughout ten successive days. He had a cow on the milk of which he usually breakfasted, and his practice was to sit up all night. It was by his means that the people of these mountains became Mohammedans, and on this account it was that he recited among them. One of his companions told me that on the day before his death he invited them all to come to him. He then said to them, Tomorrow I depart from you, deo valente, and my vice-regent with you is God besides whom there is no other God. When the evening of the following day had arrived and he had performed the last prostration of the evening prayer, he was taken by God. On the side of the cave in which he had recited was found a grave-ready dug, and by it a winding sheet and burial-spices. The people then washed and buried him in them, and said their prayers over him. When I was on my journey to see this sheik, four of his companions met me at the distance of two days, and told me that the sheik had said to the fakirs who were with them, a western religious traveller is coming to you. Go out and meet him. It was said they by the order of the sheik that we came to you, notwithstanding the fact that he had no knowledge whatever of my circumstances except what he had said by Divine Revelation. I went with them accordingly to his cell without the cave, near which there was no building whatever. The people of this country are partly Mohammedans and partly Infidels, both of whom visit the sheik and bring valuable presents. On these the fakirs and other persons who arrive here subsist. As for the sheik himself, he confines himself to the milk of his cow, as already mentioned. When I presented myself to him, he arose and embraced me. He then asked me of my country and travels of which I informed him. He then said to the fakirs, treat him honourably. They accordingly carried me to the cell and kept me as their guest for three days. On the day I presented myself to the sheik he had on a religious garment made of fine goat's hair. I was astonished at it and said to myself I wish the sheik would give it to me. When I went in to bid him farewell he arose and went to the side of the cave, took off the goat's hair garment as well as the fillet of his head and his sleeves, and put them on me. The fakirs then told me that it was not his practice to put on this garment, and that he had put it on only on the occasion of my coming for he had said to them, this garment will be wished for by a magrubine. But an Infidel king shall take it from him and shall give it to our brother, boron a dean of segeirs, whose it is, and for whose use it has been made. When I was told this by the fakirs I said, as I have a blessing from the sheik, and as he has clothed me with his own clothes, I will never enter with them into the presence of any king, either Infidel or Muslim. After this I left the sheik. It happened, however, after a considerable time that I entered the country of China and went as far as the city of Kanze. Upon a certain occasion when my companions had all left me on account of the press of the multitude and I had this garment on, and was on the road, I met the vizier with a large body. He happened to cast his eyes upon me and called me to him. He then took me by the hand and asked me why I had come to this country, nor did he leave me until we came to the king's palace. I wished to go, but he would not allow me to do so, but took me into the king who interrogated me about the Mohammedan sovereigns, to all which I gave answers. He then cast his eyes upon the garment and began to praise it and said to the vizier, take it off him. To this I could offer no resistance, so he took it, but ordered me ten dresses of honor and a horse with its furniture and money for my necessities. This changed my mind. I then called to mind the words of the sheik that an Infidel king should take it, and my wonder was increased. After a year had elapsed I entered the palace of the king of China at Kanbalik. My object was to visit the cell of the sheik Bohan Adin of Sagirge. I did so and found him reading, and the very goat's hair garment I had been mentioning was on him. I was surprised at this and was turning the garment over in my hand when he said, Why do you turn the garment over? Do you know it? I said I do. It is the garment which the king of Kanzei took from me. He answered, This garment was made for me by my brother, Jalal Adin, for my own use, who also wrote to me to say that the garment would come to me by such a person. He then produced the letter which I read and could not help wondering at the exactness of the sheik. I then told him of the origin of the story. He answered my brother Jalal Adin was superior to all this. He had a perfect control over human nature, but now he has been taken to God's mercy. He then said, I have been told that he performed the morning prayer every day in Mecca, that he went on the pilgrimage annually because he was never to be seen on the two days of Arafat and the Feast, no one knowing whether he had gone. When, however, I had bid farewell to the sheik Jalal Adin, I traveled to the city of Jabnak, which is very large and beautiful. It is divided by the river which descends from the mountains of Camru, called the Blue River. By this one may travel to Bengal and the countries of Laknuti. Upon it are gardens, mills, and villages which it refreshes and gladdens like the Nile of Egypt. The inhabitants of these parts are infidels tributary to the Mahamadins. By this river I traveled for fifteen days proceeding from road to road till I came to the city of Suhtir-Kewan. Here I found a junk which was proceeding to Java, Sumatra, between which in this place there is a distance of forty days. I proceeded therefore and after a voyage of fifty days came to the countries of the Barak Nakhar. A people who have mouths like those of dogs. This is a vile race. They have no religion, neither that of the Hindus nor any other. They live in houses made of reeds upon the seashore. Their trees are those of the banana, the falful, and the beetle-nut. Their men are of the same form with ourselves except that their mouths are like those of dogs, but the women have mouths like other folks. The men go naked without the least covering whatever, only one among them I saw who had put his ferrilliah into a painted hollow reed which was hung to his belly. The women cover themselves with the leaves of trees. One who had had much intercourse with them told me that they copulate like beasts without the least concealment. The men will have thirty or more wives, but adultery is not committed. Should anyone, however, be convicted of this crime his punishment is to be hanged till he is dead. Unless he brings either a friend or slave who is willing to be hanged for him, he may then go free. The sentence for the woman is that the king shall command all his servants to trample upon her one after another till she dies. She is then thrown into the sea. The women resist the men to a degree beyond their nature, but the men from their baseness of character and fear about the women will not allow any one of the merchants to proceed on the sea in front of their houses. They will merely consult and trade with them carrying them fresh water on the backs of elephants. When we put into their ports their king came to us riding upon an elephant upon which there was something like a saddlecloth made of skin. The king himself was dressed in goat skin, the hairy part of which he had turned outwards. Upon his head was a turban of colored silk and in his hand a short silver spear. With him was a number of his relations riding upon elephants and using a language which no one could understand unless he had been some time among them. We sent him the usual present. For every ship putting into any port of India is expected to send a present to the magistrate of the place. Now these people buy and receive his presence she elephants over which they put their saddlecloths, but do not completely clothe them. But any ship not giving them their present they will so work upon with their magic that the sea will rise upon it and it will perish, or they will return upon and injure it.