1&82.} IBN BATUTA IN THE MALDIVES AND CEYLON. 29 



tion was that I had reproached the Kazi for taking the tenth 

 part of inheritances, when he made partition among the heirs. I 

 said to him, " You ought to have only a fee, which you should 

 agree for with the heirs." This judge did nothing rightly. 

 After I was invested with the dignity of Kazi, I used all my 

 efforts to have the precepts of the law observed. Disputes are 

 not settled in that country as in ours. The first bad custom 

 which I reformed concerned the sojourn of divorced women at 

 the houses of those who had repudiated them ; for these women 

 did not cease to remain at the houses of their former husbands, 

 until they got married to others. I prevented this being done 

 under any pretext. About five and twenty men were brought to 

 me who had conducted themselves in this sort. I had them 

 beaten with whips,* and had them marched through the bazars. 

 As for the women, I compelled them to leave the homes of these 

 men. Next I exerted myself to get prayers celebrated : I order- 

 ed some men to run down the streets and bazars immediately 

 after the Friday's prayers. If any were discovered, who had not 

 prayed, I had him beaten and marched through the town. I com- 

 pelled the Imams and Mouezzins in possession of fixed appoint- 

 ments to apply themselves assiduously in their duties. I wrote 

 in the same sense to ( the magistrates of) all the other islands. 

 Lastly I essayed to make the women dress themselves, but in 

 this I did not succeed. 



Of the arrival of the Vizier 'Abb Allah, son of 

 Mohammed Alhabhramy whom Sultan Chihab 

 ebbin had banished to souwlhb : account 

 of what passed between us. 

 I had espoused the step-daughter of this personage, and I 

 loved this wife very dearly. When the Grand Vizier recalled 

 him to the Island of Mahal, I sent him presents, went to meet 



* M. durra. Pyrard litis glean " leathern thongs used for corporal punish- 

 ment."—/?. 



