26 JOURNAL R. A. S. CEYLON. [EXTRA NO* 



no one rides on horseback* except the Vizier. So it was that 



when I had a horse* given to me and was mounted, the crowd of 



men, as well as children, began to follow me with astonishment, 



whereof I complained to the Vizier. Accordingly a donkorah was 



beaten, and it was proclaimed among the people that no one should 



follow me. The donkorah is a kind of copper basin, which is 



struck with an iron rod [or hammer], and gives a noise heard afar.f 



After it is struck, the crier cries in public whatever he required. 



The Vizier said to me, " If you wish to ride in a palaquin, 



well and good : otherwise we have a stallion and a mare : choose 



which of these animals you prefer." I chose the mare which was 



brought to me at once. At the same time some garments were 



brought to me. I said to the Vizier, te What shall I do with the 



cowries which I have bought ?" He repli ed, " Send one of your 



companions to sell them for you in Bengal." " I will do so," 



said I, " on condition that you send some one to help him in the 



affair." " I will," he replied. So I despatched my comrade Abou 



Mohammed, son of Ferhdn, in whose company they sent one called 



the pilgrim 'Aly, But it happened that a storm arose: the crew 



jettisoned the whole cargo, including even the mast, the water, and 



all the other provisions for the voyage. They remained for sixteen 



days without sail, rudder, &c. ; and after the endurance of hunger, 



thirst, and toil, they arrived at the island of Ceylon. In a year's 



time my comrade Abou Mohammed came back to me. He had 



visited the Foot (of Adam ) and he afterwards saw it again with me. 



Account of the Festival in which I took part 

 with the Islanders. 



The month of Ramazan ended, the Vizier sent me some 



[proper] raiment, and we made our way to the place consecrated 



* In November, 1879, there were but two horses in the Islands, the property 

 of the Sultan at Male, " wretched wry-legged weeds, not fit to ride," and kept 

 merely for show. — B. 



f Donkorah Ibn Batuta's ignorance of theMaldive language may pos- 

 sibly have led him to confuse dummdrhi, the term for the 1 fiagiolet/ with koU 

 d gong.' The iron striker is called dadigadu.&B. 



