48 
IBN BATUTAIt IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 
The island was attacked and conquered, but the sultan 
showed himself lenieut towards the inhabitants who had 
resisted his invasion, sparing their lives and permitting them 
to reside in the suburbs of the chief town. Ibn Batutah, to 
whom he presented a robe of honour on this occasion, remained 
some time longer with the sultan, but then obtained permission 
to leave, promising to return, and retraced his way to Calicut. 
At this port discouraging tidings awaited him. Two of his 
slaves who had been obliged to sail with the kakam con- 
trived to return to India and informed him of the death of 
one of his female slaves and of the capture of the remain- 
der by the king of Java. All his property, they added, had 
fallen into alien hands, and his comrades were dispersed 
over Java, China, and Bengal. On hearing this depressing 
teport, Ibn Battitah, faithful to his promise, returned to 
Sindabur, but troubles and disturbances breaking out, he 
again left the sultan, and, reaching Calicut once more, 
resolved to visit the Maldive Islands, of which many enticing 
descriptions had been given him and where amid novel sur- 
roundings he no doubt hoped to forget past misfortunes. 
He appears to have sojoui'ned for some time in the 
Maldives and found them an attractive residence. Honours 
were conferred on him^ and when finally he -snshed to return 
to India for various cogent reasons, he had some difficulty 
in obtaining permission to depart. Instead of returning 
at once to the west coast, Ibn Batutah visited Ceylon and 
gives long and detailed accounts of the many wonders of 
the island, its fauna and flora, the great size of the gems 
found there, and the wealth of its sultan. He also gives a 
graphic description of his visit to Adam's Peak. At length 
he embarked to retm-n to Malabar, but nearly lost his Ufe 
on the journey by shipwreck. A gale arose. The vessel in 
which he sailed was almost swamped and narrowly escaped 
being dashed to pieces on the rocks ; finally she stranded 
in shallow breakers, and Ibn Batutah was able to send his 
