CHAPTER XIX.

CHAPTER XIX.

Description of the Maidive Islands — Natural productions — People — Customs — Trade — Currency

Origin of Mohammedanism here — A Queen governing the principal island — They wite generally on

palm leaves, viith an iron style — Povier of the Judge: his revenue — Isle of Kalnus — Voyage to

the principal isle — Introduced to the husband and vizier of the Queen — Food of the islanders —

Takes the office of Judge — Marries three 'wives— Suspected by the Vizier— Divorces his wives, and

visits the other islands — Muluk Island— Its fertility — Distance from the coast cf Coromandel.

These islands constitute one of the wonders of the world ; for their

number is about two thousand, nearly a hundred of which are so close to

each other as to form a sort of ring; each of which, nevertheless, is sur-

rounded by the sea. When vessels approach any one of them, they are

obliged to show who they have on board ; if not, a passage is not permitted

between them ; for such is their proximity to each other, that the people of

one are recognized by those of another.

The greatest trees on these islands are those of the cocoa-nut, the fruit

of which they eat with fish. Of this sort of trees the palm will produce

fruit twelve times in the year, each month supplying a fresh crop : so that

you will see upon the trees, the fruit of some large, of others small, of

others dry, and of others green. And this is the case always. From these

they make palm-wine, and oil olive ; and from their honey, sweetmeats,

which they eat with the dried fruits. This is a strong incentive to venery.

I had some slave girls and four wives during my residence here,* The

people are religious, chaste, and peaceable. They eat what is lawful, and

their prayers are answered. Their bodies are weak. They make no war;

and their weapons are prayers. They are by no means terrified at the

robbers and thieves of India, nor do they punish them ; from the experienee

* The passage, which will not bear translating, is this : ,h

. (ilih f This tree is, no doubt, the kettule of

Knox, who says, “ It groweth straight, but not so tall or big as the cocoa-nut tree. It yielcleth

a sort of liquor, which they call tellegie : it is rarely sweet and pleasing to the palate, and is

wholesome to the body, but no stronger than water : they take it down from the tree twice, and

from some good trees thrice in a day. An ordinary tree will yield some three, some four gallons

in a day — the which liquor they boil, and make a kind of broMm sugar, called jaggory ; but if

they use their skill, they can make it as white as the second-best sugar, and fit for any use, &c.

— Knox’s Ceylon, p. 30, edit. 1817.

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177

that every one who steals, will be exposed to some sudden and grievous

calamity. When any of the war-vessels of the infidel Hindoos pass by

these islands, they take whatsoever they find, without being resisted by

any one. But if one of these infidels should take for himself (surrepti-

tiously) but a single lemon, his chief* will not only severely punish him,

but will impress most seriously upon his mind, the fear of some horrible

consequence to follow. Excepting this one case only, they are the most

gentle people possible towards those who visit them : the reason probably

is, the delicacy of their persons, and their ignorance of the art of war.

In each of these islands are several mosques, which, with the rest of

their buildings, are constructed of wood. They are a cleanly people, each

individual washing himself twice daily, on account of the great heat of the

sun. They very much use perfumes, such as the galia,| and scented oils.

Every woman must, as soon as her husband has arisen and said his prayers,

bring him the box of colyrium for his eyes, with the perfumes, and with

these he anoints and perfumes himself. Both the rich and poor walk bare-

foot. The whole country is shaded with trees, so that a person walking

along, is just as if he were walking in a garden. The water of their wells

is not more than two cubits from the surface of the earth.

Whenever a traveller enters these islands, he may marry for a very small

dowry one of the handsomest women for any specific period, upon this

condition, that he shall divorce her when he leaves the place ; because the

women never leave their respective districts. But, if he does not wish to

marry, the woman in whose house he lodges will cook for him, and other-

wise attend on him, for a very small consideration. The greatest part of

their trade consists in a sort of hemp, that is, thread made of the fibres of

the cocoa-nut. It is made by macerating the nut in water, then by beating

* The Maidive chief governor is probably here meant.

f According to Golius, “ odoramenti genus : hinc galia dictum, et vulgo galia moscata.” Gi.

The Medical Dictionary of Ibn Hosain ascribes to it the properties of reducing hard swellings,

and, M'hen mixed with oil, particularly that of the ban seed, is effectual in removing the ear-

ache : he states that its scent is delightful, and that when mixed with any drink, has the property

of intoxicating ; that it is good for the epilepsy, and to cure barrenness. The words are .

ji3 ••• ‘rfJ 3 J‘^3

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it with large mallets till it is quite soft ; they then spin it out, and after-

wards twist it into ropes,* With this thread the ships of India and Yemen

are sewn together, of which, when they happen to strike against a rock,

the thread will yield a little, but will not soon break, contrary to what

happens when put together with iron nails. This is the best sort of hemp.-f-

Each population catches the fish of its own island only, which they salt,

and send to India and China. The currency used instead of coin, is the

"Wada.J This is sea shell-fish, which they take upon the shore, and then

bury in the earth till the flesh is entirely wasted away, the hard part

still remaining. This is the Wada which is so abundant in India: it is

carried from these islands to the province of Bengal ; and there also passes

instead of coin.

* Knox, speaking of the kettule tree of Ceylon, says, “ it bears a leaf like to that of a betel-

nut tree, which is fastened to a skin as the betel-nut leaves were ; only this skin is hard and

stubborn, like a piece of board. The skin is full of strings as strong as wire ; they use them to

make ropes withal.”- — Ceylon, p. 30.

f We have the following account respecting these islands in the two Mohammedan travellers

of the ninth century (Pinkerton, vol. vii. p. 182). “ Between this sea and that of Delarowi are

many islands, to the number, as they say, of nineteen hundred, which divide those two seas

from each other, and are governed by a queen.” To this last particular the editor objects in a

note ; yet it is curious enough, that a queen held the supreme power when our traveller resided

there. It is also remarkable, that our traveller makes the islands two thousand in number ;

but he mentions nothing about the ambergris, said to be found there in the ninth century;

while both agree in stating, that a sort of palm-tree bearing cocoa-nuts is found, and that the

fibres of these are used as hemp. We are told, in a note by the editor, that these islands are,

by the best writers, made to amount to about twelve thousand ; and it is then said, that Male dive

means in the Malabar tongue a thousand islands. That Dvoeep, means an island in the

Sanscrit there can be no doubt ; but it is very doubtful whether the other etymology is true,

Ibn Batuta derives their name from the principal island, Mold, as a proper name; and if this

be true, the meaning of their name will be the Mohl islands. That the Lakadives are so

called from their number is highly probable, Lahkha or Laksha meaning a hundred thou-

sand in Sanscrit, and Dvoeep an island, as before : and the name implying an indefinitely large

number of isles generally.

J According to Golius, the Concha Veneris, but according to the author of the Kamoos

. Ui-i) ^ white shell which is

taken out of the sea, the fissure of which is white like that of the date-stone. It is hung (about

the neck) to avert the evil eye.

MALDIVE ISLANDS.

179

The women of the islands of India cover their faces, and also their bodies,

from the navel downwards : this they all do, even to the wives of their

kings. When I held the office of judge among them, I was quite unable

to get them covered entirely. In these islands the women never eat with

the men, but in their own society only. I endeavoured, while I was judge,

to get my wives to eat with me, but I could never prevail. Their conver-

sation is very pleasing ; and they, themselves, are exceedingly beautiful.

The cause of these islands becoming Mohammedan was, as it is gene-

rally received among them, and as some learned and respectable persons

among them informed me, as follows. When they were in a state of infi-

delity, there appeared to them every month a spectre from among the genii.

This came from the sea. Its appearance was that of a ship filled with can-

dles. When they saw him, it was their custom to take and dress up a

young woman who was a virgin, and place her in the “ idol-temple which

stood on the sea-shore, and had windows looking towards him. Here they

left her for the night. When they came in the morning, they found her

vitiated and dead. This they continued doing month after month, casting-

lots among themselves, and each, to whom the lot fell, giving up and dress-

ing out his daughter for the spectre. After this there came to them a west-

ern Arab, named ^Abu’l Barakat the Berber. This was a holy man, and'

one who had committed the Koran to memory. He happened to lodge in

the house of an old woman in the ‘'island of Mohl.*' One day, when he

entered the house, he saw her with a company of her female inmates weep-

ing and lamenting, and asked them what was the matter. A person who

acted as interpreter between him and them said, that the lot had fallen upon

this old woman, who was now adorning her daughter for the spectre : for

this it was she was crying : this too was her only child. The Mogrebine,

who was a beardless man, said to her : I will go to the spectre to-night

instead of thy daughter. If he takes me, then I shall redeem her ; but

if I come off safe, then that will be to the praise of God. They carried

him accordingly to the idol-house that night, as if he had been the daugh-

ter of the old woman, the magistrate knowing nothing whatever of the

* The principal island of the group.

2 A 2

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matter. The Mogrebine entered, and sitting down in the window, began

to read the Koran. By and bye the spectre came, with eyes flaming like

fire ; but when he had got near enough to hear the Koran, he plunged into

the sea. In this manner the Mogrebine remained till morning, reading his

Koran, when the old woman came with her household, and the great per-

sonages of the district, in order to fetch out the young woman and burn

her, as it was their custom. But when they saw the old man reading the

Koran, just as they had left him, they were greatly astonished. The old

woman then told them what she had done, and why she had desired him to

do this. They then carried the Mogrebine to their King, whose name was

‘‘ Shanwan, and told him the whole of the affair ; and he was much asto-

nished at the Arab. Upon this the Mogrebine presented the doctrine of

Islamism to the King, and pressed him to receive it ; who replied : Stay

with us another month, and then, if you will do as you now have done,

and escape from the spectre with safety, I will become a Mohammedan.

So God opened the heart of the King for the reception of Islamism before

the completion of the month, — of himself, of his household, his children,

and his nobles. When, however, the second month came, they went with

the Mogrebine to the idol-house, according to former custom, the King

himself being also present ; and when the following morning had arrived,

they found the Mogrebine sitting and reading his Koran ; having had the

same rencontre with the spectre that he had on the former occasion.

They then broke the images, rased the idol-house to the ground, and all

became Mohammedans, The sect into which they entered was that of the

Mogrebine ; namely, that of Ibn MfUik. Till this very day they make

much of the Mogrebines, on account of this man. I was residing for some

time in these islands, without having any knowledge of this circumstance ;

upon a certain night, however, when I saw them exulting and praising

God, as they were proceeding towards the sea, with Korans on their heads,

I asked them what they were about; when they told me of the spectre.

They then said : Look towards the sea, and you will see him. I looked,

and behold, he resembled a ship filled with candles and torches. This, said

they, is the spectre ; which, when we do as you have seen us doing, goes

away and does us no injury.

\ d

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181

When I first came to the island of Mohl, a woman was sovereign, because

the King mentioned above had left no male issue ; the inhabitants therefore

gave to his eldest daughter, Khodlja, the supreme rule. Her husband,

* Jamal Oddin, the preacher, then became her prime minister.

It is a custom with them to write out copies of the Koran and other books

on paper only. Letters, orders, and legal decisions, they inscribe on palm

leaves of the cocoa-nut tree, with a crooked sharp-pointed instrument some-

what like a knife. The army of this Princess consists of foreigners, to the

number of about one thousand men. Their laws mostly originate with the

judge, who, for the authority with which his orders are obeyed, is more like

a king. He enjoys, by right of his office, the revenue of three islands : a

custom which originated with their king ^ Shanwaza, whose proper name

was ^ Ahmed, and this still remains in force.

When I first arrived at these islands, the ship in which I was, put into

port in the island 'Kalnus, which is a beautiful place, containing several

mosques. Upon this occasion some of the learned and pious inhabitants

took me to their houses, and entertained me with great hospitality. The

commander of the ship in which I had been, then went with me to the

island in which the Queen resided ; and after which, the other islands of

these parts are named. I sailed with him in order to see her; and after

passing by many of the islands, came to it. Our practice was, to sail in a

large boat during the morning ; about the middle of the day we said our

prayers, and then dined in the boat. And thus, after ten days, we came

to the island -^ Zablah El Mohl, i. e. the Maidive island. In this I landed, and

a report was made to the Queen’s vizier, Jamal Oddin, who was also her

husband. Upon this he sent for me. I went to him, and was very honourably

received and entertained. He also appointed a house for my residence, sent

me a present of victuals, fruits, clothing, and an ^alms-gift of the^Wada

(or shells), which are the currency of these parts, and used instead of coin.

The food of the greater part of the inhabitants of these parts is rice,

which they cook and lay up in saucers, and small potted plates, with

spiced flesh, fowl, and fish. Upon this, in oilier to assist digestion, they

. ^ , IjU- ^

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drink El Kurban! ; that is, the honey of the cocoa-nut made into spiced

wine ; this easily digests, excites the appetite, and communicates strength

to the frame.

After this the Vizier desired me to take the office of Judge, and to remain

among them. He gave me a house, and a large garden, in which were

built many other houses. He also sent me a carpet, vessels, a dress of

honour, and made me ride upon a horse ; although it is a custom with them,

that none except the Vizier should thus ride. The rest of the nobles and

others either ride in a "'palanquin, a machine formerly described, or walk

on foot. He also sent female slaves for my service ; and I married three

wives. The Vizier also frequently came himself and conferred his favours

upon me : for which may God reward him.

When, however, I had married my wives, and my relations became,

through them, numerous and powerful in the island, the Vizier began to

be afraid of me, lest I should get the upper hand of him, when no such

thought had entered my mind. This resulted purely from their weakness,

the fewness of their troops, and their inexperience in the art of war, as

already noticed. He hated me mortally in his own mind, began to inquire

into my affairs, and to watch my proceedings. This was all known to me,

and it became my intention to leave the place : but this was also a matter

of dread with him, because I might then possibly bring an.army upon him

from the Maabar districts of Hindustan, the king of those parts, ” Giath

Oddin, having married a sister to one of my wives when I resided in Dehli,

and with whom I was on terms of friendship.

I then divorced all my wives except one, who had a young child, and I

left that island for those which stretch out before it. These form numerous

"groups, each group containing many islands. In some of these I saw

women who had only one breast, which much astonished me. Of these

islands, one is named Muluk. In this, large ships destined for the districts

of Maabar put into harbour. It is an island exceedingly rich in vegetation

and soil, so that when you cut a branch from any of its trees, and plant it

either on the road or on a wall, it will grow, throw out leaves, and become

a tree. In this island I saw a pomegranate tree, the fruit of which ceased

p

MALDIVE ISLANDS.

183

not to shoot during the whole year. Between the Maidive islands and the

Maabar districts there is a distance of three days, with a moderate wind.