1882.] 



IBN BATUTA IN THE MALDIVES AND CEYLON. 



41 



said I, and then added, " The vessel in which I have come will 

 go in safety to Ma? bar and on my return, you will send me in 

 your ships.' " By all means" said he. 



When I reported this to the Captain of the ship, he said, " I 

 will not go till you have returned, even though I should have to 

 wait a year for you." I made known this answer to the Sultan, 

 and he said, " The Captain shall be my guest until your return." 

 He gave me a palanquin, which his slaves bore upon their backs, 

 and sent with me four of those djoguis who are accustomed to 

 undertake the pilgrimage annually to the Foot; he added to the 

 party three Brahmins, ten others of his friends, and fifteen men 

 to carry the provisions. As for water, it is found in abundance 

 on the route. 



On the day of our departure, we encamped near a river, 

 which we crossed in a ferry-boat formed of bamboos. Thence we 

 took our way to Menar Mendely, a fine town, situated at the ex- 

 tremity of the Sultan's territory, the people of which treated us 

 to an excellent repast. This consisted of young buffaloes, taken 

 in chase in the neighbouring forest and brought in alive, rice, 

 melted butter, fish, chickens and milk. We did not see in this 

 town a single Musalman, except a native of Khorassan, who 

 had remained on account of sickness, and who now accompanied 

 us. We left for Bender Selaouat* a little town, and after quitting 

 it we traversed some rough country, much of it under water. 

 There were numbers of elephants there, which do no manner of 

 harm to pilgrims, nor to strangers, and that is by the holy influence 

 of Shaikh Abou 7 Abd Allah, son of Khafif, the first who opened 

 this way to visiting the Foot. Up to that time the infidels 

 prevented the Musalmans from accomplishing the pilgrimage, 



* Bender Seldoudt, i.e., Chilaw. — The fact that it was called Bender, implies, I 

 think, that it contained a custom-house or store-house (V. s. p. 10), and was a 

 frontier town of the King who ruled south of " Aareya Chakrawarti." This is 

 confirmed by the description of Menar Mendely as the frontier town of " Aareya 

 Chakrawarti,'^ 



F 



