1882.] IBN BATUTA IN THE MALDIVES AND CEYLON. 25 



Every person who goes to that island must inevitably catch the 

 fever.* I made a strong resolve to get out of the country : I 

 sold a portion of my trinkets for cowries, and chartered a ship to 

 ta£e me to Bengal. When I went to take my leave of the 

 Vizier, the Kazi coming out met me, and addressed me in these 

 terms, " The Vizier," said he, "bids me tell you this 'If you wish 

 to go away, give us back what we have given you and then go.'" I 

 replied, " With a part of my trinkets I have bought cowries ; do 

 with them what you will." In a little while the Kazi returned 

 to me and said, " The Vizier says ' We have given you gold, not 

 cowries,' " I replied, " Very well: I will sell them and will pay you 

 gold. 5 ' Accordingly I sent to request the merchants to buy the 

 shells from me. But the Vizier gave them orders not to deal with 

 me ; for his design, in so conducting himself, was to prevent me 

 going away from him. 



Then he deputed one of his intimates, who had this conver- 

 sation with me, " The Vizier bids me request you to remain with 

 us and you shall have everything you desire." So I said to 

 myself, " I am under their authority: if I do not stay with a good 

 grace, I shall have to stay by constraint : a voluntary sojourn 

 is preferable to that." I therefore made reply to the envoy, " Very 

 well: I shall remain with him." The messenger returned to his 

 master, who was delighted with my reply, and sent for me. When 

 I entered his presence, he got up and embraced me, saying, " We 

 wish you to remain with us, and you wish to go !" I made my 

 excuses, which were accepted, and said, " If you wish me to stay, 

 I will impose upon you certain conditions." The Vizier replied, 

 61 We accept them : please to name them." I answered, " I am 

 unable to walk on foot." For it is a custom of the country that 

 * " On la connoist par toute 1' Inde sous le nora de fievre des Maldives. 

 Us Fappellent Male ons [hun or huma~\. C'est de cette maladie que la 

 pluspart de mes compagnons estoient morts, coinme tous estrangers ne manquent 

 pas d'en estre bientost atteints," (Pyrard, p. 95 ; again p. 201). The Indian 

 Navy Surveyors (1834-6) suffered much from this pest of the group. — B, 



U 



