1882.] IBN BATTJTA IN THE MALDIVES AND CEYLON. 17 



espoused his mother and assumed authority over him. He is the 

 same personage who married the Sultana Khadidjah after the 

 death of her first husband, the Vizier Djemdl eddin, as we shall 

 describe hereafter. When Chihol) eddin attained full age he 

 ousted his step-father ^ Abd Allah and banished him to the islands 

 of Souwe'id. He was then left in sole possession, and chose as 

 Vizier one of his freedmen by name r 'Aly Galaky* whom he de- 

 posed at the end of three years andi banished to Souwsid. It is 

 related of the Sultan Chihdb eddim that he consorted nightly 

 with the wives of the public officers and with courtezans. On 

 that account he was deposed and deported to the province of He- 

 Udouteny ( above spelt Heledommety ) : afterwards some one was 

 sent and put him to death. 



There then remained of the royal family only the sisters of 

 the deceased, Kadidjah who was the eldest, Miryam and Fathimah. 

 The natives raised Kadidjah to the throne, who was married 

 to their preacher Djemdl eddin. The latter became Vizier and 

 master of the situation! and promoted his son Mohammed to 

 the office of Preacher in his own stead : but orders were promul- 

 gated only in the name of Khadidjah, These are traced on palm 

 leaves by means of an iron [style] bent down resembling a knife* 

 They write on paper only the Kurans and scientific treatises. The 

 Preacher makes mention of the Sultana on Fridays and on other 

 days [of public prayer] ; and here are the terms used, " God, suc- 

 cour Thy servant, whom Thou hast in Thy wisdom preferred before 

 other mortals, and whom Thou hast made the instrument of Thy 

 mercy towards all Musalmans, namely, the Sultana Khadidjah 

 daughter of Sultan Djeldl eddin, son of Sultan Saldh eddinP 



When a stranger comes among these people and repairs to 

 the hall of audience, which is called ddr, % custom requires that he 



* Aly Calahy : — i.e., Alt Kalege. The title Kalege-fdnu or Kaloge-fdnu 



(Pyrard, Callogue) accrues by purchase, not by birth. — B. 



f Mditre de Vautorite: — Major A. Ewing suggests "head of affairs" (A.r, 

 'Talbot? 'al ellamar). — B. 



% Ddr Ar. 1 house.' — 2& 







