1847.] 



Laccadive Islands. 



At this time they seem to have belonged to the Ali Eajahs or Mo- 

 hammedan chiefs of Cannanore, who are said to have assmned this 

 title signifying in Malayalum Prince of the Sea" from the posses- 

 sion of these Islands. The author of the Tohfat al Mujahidin in 

 describing the contests between the Portuguese and the Native chiefs 

 of Malabar, makes the following mention of a plundering expedition 

 undertaken by the Franks against the Laccadives on the occasion of 

 a war between them and the Ali Rajah about the year 155S, a trans- 

 action bearing some resemblance to the invasion of Jemal-ud-Din relat- 

 ed by Ibn Batuta. "During this warfare against the infidel Franks, 

 Alee-Azraja, a Mohammedan leader of great consideration (upon w^hom 

 may God shower down His best blessings !) greatly distinguished himself, 

 having exerted himself with superior zeal and bravery, and lavished his 

 wealth without sparing, in the cause ; although he was not seconded in 

 these liis efforts by the Ray of Koltree, or by the great body of the po- 

 pulation of his dominions. In consequence of the zeal shown by him, 

 however, these cursed Franks (whom may God abandon to destruction !) 

 set sail in a fleet of galliots to attack the Islands of Malabar, which be- 

 longed to Azraja, and which acknowledged his authority ; and arriving 

 amongst them, they made a descent upon the Island of Ameni, slew a 

 vast number of its inhabitants, and made captives of more than four hun- 

 dred souls, men and women. They plundered also every thing of value 

 that it contained, and burnt the greater part of the mosques and houses 

 that were upon this Island. And before their descent upon Ameni they 

 had visited Shatelakum, where they had put to death the chief part of 

 its inhabitants, and taken many prisoners. Now the natives of these 

 Islands are the whole of them an inoffensive race, being possessed neither 

 of arms, nor any means of defence whatever. Notwithstanding this, a 

 large portion of them suffered death, being victims to the barbarity of the 

 Franks. And amongst these was a man of great virtue and piety, one 

 who was far gone in years, and also a woman, who was his equal in good- 

 ness and piety ; for although these were j^ossessed of no means of self-de- 

 fence, yet the Franks seized them, and put them to death in the most 

 cruel manner, casting earth and stones upon them, and striking them with 

 blows that caused ghastly wounds, persevering until death released their 

 victims from their barbarity. May God, whose mercy is unbounded, have 

 compassion on their souls ! To return, however, these Islands are many in 

 number ; but the principal ones, and those which contain cities, are only 

 five ; and these are Ameni, and Kordeeb, and Anderoo, and Kaluftee, 

 and Mulkee ; and of the smaller ones, the most inhabited arc Accanee, 

 Kunjamunjula, and Shatelakum."* 



This account bears evident signs of exaggeration, but the atrocities 



* p. 150. 



