20 Mr Gardiner , The Natives of the Maldives. 
facture their own cloth and mats, and build their own boats. 
Magic and witchcraft are believed in and practised. In former 
times they were always semi-independent of Male, perhaps the 
stronghold of a rival or deposed sultan, the sultan’s last point of 
retreat when harried by European or Indian pirate fleets, them- 
selves too poor to make an invasion profitable, even if feasible. 
Probably at first a stronghold against Islam, Addu is now noted 
for its piety and learning. It usually supplies the Kazi , or chief 
judge for the whole group, and quite 10 per cent, of its population 
reads Arabic more or less fluently. 
Thus it will be seen that there has been comparatively little 
admixture of races in historical times in the Maldives. Early 
accounts of south India and Ceylon tell of a great island kingdom 
to the south-west, which can be the Maldives alone. Unfortunately 
they say nothing of its condition nor religion, but it would appear 
to have had an unfavourable reputation for hospitality. 
Probably the Maldives were converted to Islam at the begin- 
ning of the thirteenth century. In 1343 they were visited by 
Ibn Batuta, the great Arab traveller, who for some time occupied 
the office of Kazi , chief judge and head of the religion. From 
his account it is evident that the group must have been organised 
in practically the same manner as it is to-day, and was in nearly 
the same condition. From what religion they were converted we 
know not, but there are indications that Christianity at one time 
got some slight hold at least in the northern atolls. This is not 
however a question of any importance, but what was the religion 
before this? Mounds in Landu and Milhadu in Miladummadulu, 
in Haddumati, Suvadiva, South Mulaku and Addu Atolls suggest 
by their form a comparison with the dagobas of Anuradhapura. 
Ghang in Haddumati was evidently a great religious centre, 
having ruins of fourteen of these, some with smooth sides of 
squared stone. One in Landu appears to have had a kind of pit 
or well in the centre, formed by squared blocks of Porites and 
covered by two large flat masses. Within this in 1848 were 
found a number of gold or brass ornamented discs. These were 
unfortunately all melted or destroyed, the greater number being 
thrown into the sea, as they were deemed to be the cause of an 
epidemic, which broke out in the island. At South Mulaku a few 
oval six-sided beads either of an extremely hard clouded glass or 
of crystal were found. An indication of Buddhism might indeed 
be gleaned from the above, but I found no other evidence in its 
support. The presence of an immense Bo tree ( hoi gas) at Male 
and another in South Mulaku is of no importance ; no traditions 
cling to them. The tanks resemble those of Anuradhapura, but 
there is no particular Buddhist type. Sweet smelling flowers 
near mosques, such as the lrangipanni (semper -heddha) and jessa- 
