20 Mr Gardiner, The Natives of the Maldives. 



facture their own cloth and mats, and build their own boats. 

 Magic and witchcraft are believed in and practised. In former 

 times they were always semi-independent of Male, perhaps the 

 stronghold of a rival or deposed sultan, the sultan's last point of 

 retreat when harried by European or Indian pirate fleets, them- 

 selves too poor to make an invasion profitable, even if feasible. 

 Probably at first a stronghold against Islam, Addu is now noted 

 for its piety and learning. It usually supplies the Kazi, or chief 

 judge for the whole group, and quite 10 per cent, of its population 

 reads Arabic more or less fluently. 



Thus it will be seen that there has been comparatively little 

 admixture of races in historical times in the Maldives. Early 

 accounts of south India and Ceylon tell of a great island kingdom 

 to the south-west, which can be the Maldives alone. Unfortunately 

 they say nothing of its condition nor religion, but it would appear 

 to have had an unfavourable reputation for hospitality. 



Probably the Maldives were converted to Islam at the begin- 

 ning of the thirteenth century. In 1343 they were visited by 

 Ibn Batuta, the great Arab traveller, who for some time occupied 

 the office of Kazi, chief judge and head of the religion. From 

 his account it is evident that the group must have been organised 

 in practically the same manner as it is to-day, and was in nearly 

 the same condition. From what religion they were converted we 

 know not, but there are indications that Christianity at one time 

 got some slight hold at least in the northern atolls. This is not 

 however a question of any importance, but what was the religion 

 before this ? Mounds in Landu and Milhadu in Miladummadulu, 

 in Haddumati, Suvadiva, South Mulaku and Addu Atolls suggest 

 by their form a comparison with the dagobas of Anuradhapura. 

 Ghang in Haddumati was evidently a great religious centre, 

 having ruins of fourteen of these, some with smooth sides of 

 squared stone. One in Landu appears to have had a kind of pit 

 or well in the centre, formed by squared blocks of Porites and 

 covered by two large flat masses. Within this in 1848 were 

 found a number of gold or brass ornamented discs. These were 

 unfortunately all melted or destroyed, the greater number being 

 thrown into the sea, as they were deemed to be the cause of an 

 epidemic, which broke out in the island. At South Mulaku a few 

 oval six-sided beads either of an extremely hard clouded glass or 

 of crystal were found. An indication of Buddhism might indeed 

 be gleaned from the above, but I found no other evidence in its 

 support. The presence of an immense Bo tree (boi gas) at Male 

 and another in South Mulaku is of no importance ; no traditions 

 cling to them. The tanks resemble those of Anuradhapura, but 

 there is no particular Buddhist type. Sweet smelling flowers 

 near mosques, such as the frangipanni (semper-beddha) and jessa- 



