IBN BATUTAH IN SOUTHERN INDIA, 
43 
son of his sister to the exclusion of his own children — a 
custom which, he adds, " I never saw practised save by the 
' Massiifah' {^r^), wearers of the lisdm {f^^), or veil cover- 
ing the lower part of the face." 
The sultans of Malabar were enabled by a very simple 
expedient to bring trade to a standstill in their territories. 
A slave was commanded to suspend the leafy branch of a 
tree over the shops, and so long as the branch was left there 
neither buying nor selling was permitted to take place. 
Of Abtisahur Oj^Ay^), the first town visited on the Malabar 
coast, only a passing mention is made ; from thence two 
days' sail was Fakanur (j)-^^), a larger settlement and ruled 
by Sultan Basadau (j*^^), who owned thirty war vessels 
commanded by a certain Lula {'^)^), who appears to have 
been little better than a pirate. As soon as the Emperor of 
Delhi's vessels anchored, the sultan sent his son on board and 
entertained the embassy with all due respect and considera- 
tion. It was one of the customs observed on that coast that 
all vessels nearing a port were obliged to anchor and send a 
gift to its ruler. Any failure in the observance of this rule 
sent the indignant inhabitants off in pursuit of the default- 
ing vessel, which was then compelled to return by force and 
was detained on their shores during their good pleasure. 
Leaving Fakanur, a three days' sail brought the mission 
to Mangalore, even then a large and flourishing town 
governed by Ramadan. A kazi here visited the vessels and 
invited Ibn Batutah and his companions to land, which, 
however, they declined to do (doubtless for very sufficient 
reasons) untU such time as the sultan sent his son on board 
as hostage. Subsequently this request was acceded to, and 
during three days' sojourn all were treated with great 
hospitality. 
Hill, the next port touched at, appears to have been a 
place of some consequence, affording good anchorage and 
