CHAPTER XXL
CHAPTER XXL
Return to the coast of Coromandel — Arrival at the palace of Ghiath Oddln — Short account of the
governors of those parts — War ivilh the Hindus — The Hindu Icing taken and slain — Fattan
Different animals kept in the same cage — Matarah — Ghiath Oddtn dies — Succeeded by his bro-
thers son, Ndsir Oddln — Fattan — Kavdam — Hinaur — Taken prisoner hythe Hindus — Kalikut
Arrival at the Maidive islands — Bengal — Sadkawan — Mountains of Kdmru — The Sheikh
Tebrlzi — Miracles ascribed to him — Jabnak — Blue River — Satarkdxudn — Barahnakar Pro-
duce— Character cf the people — Customs.
After this, we sailed with the vessel, which had waited for us, to the
Maabar districts. But when we had made half the voyage, the wind
rose upon us, and we were near drowning. We then cut down our mast,
and every moment expected death. Providence, however, was favourable
to us ; for there came boats from the infidel inhabitants of the Maabar,
which brought us to land. I then told them, that I was the messenger of
their King, and tliat he was my relation ; upon which they landed us, and
treated us very honourably. They wrote to the King on this, as I also did,
telling him what had happened. After three days came an Emir from the
Sultan, with a number of cavalry ; for me they brought a palanquin and
ten horses, to carry me. We then set out for the presence of the King,
’’Ghiath Oddin El Damgani, who at this time enjoyed the supreme power
in the Maabar districts. These parts formerly belonged to the Emperor of
Hindustan, the Sultan Mohammed. They were then seized by the Sherif,
' Jaird Oddin Hasan Shah, who held them for five years. After this he
appointed ^ Alai Oddin, one of his Emirs, as his successor; but he was
killed in a warlike excursion by an accidental arrow. After this, his
brother’s son, Kotb Oddin, came to the supreme rule ; but he was killed, in
consequence of his bad conduct. After this, one of the Emirs of the Sherif
.lalal Oddin came into power, that is, this Ghiath Oddin, who married a
daughter of Jalal Oddin ; the mother of which daughter was sister to my
wife when I was Judge in Dehli.
When I had got near his house, he sent one of his chamberlains to meet
me ; and, when I entered, he received me graciously, and gave me a seat.
He was at this time in his camp ; so he erected three tents for me opposite
. *
HINDUSTAN.
193
those of his Judge, “Sadar El Zaman. He also sent me a carpet, provisions,
and presents.
This was a very warlike prince ; and as he happened to be .in the neigh-
bourhood of an infidel, whose army amounted to one hundred and twenty
thousand men, an attempt was made to take these Maabar districts out of
the hands of the Mohammedans. This infidel prince accordingly made an
attack on the town of Kian, which belongs to the Maabar, and in which
there were six thousand soldiers, put them to the rout, and besieged it.
This was reported to the Sultan, and that the town was nearly lost. He
then marched out with his forces, which amounted to seven thousand, every
man of whom took off his turban, and hung it upon the neck of his horse,
which is, in India, an intimation that they are bent upon death. They
then made a charge upon the infidel king, while his men were taking their
mid-day repose and besieging ^Kian, and put them to the rout. The
greater part of them was killed ; nor did one, except the cavalry, or those
who concealed themselves in the woods, escape. The Sultan was taken
prisoner, his wealth seized, himself afterwards killed, and I saw his body
hanging against a wall in the town.
I then left the King’s station, until he should return from his expedi-
tion, and came to the city of ’^Fattan, which is large and beautiful, and
situated upon the sea-shore. Its harbour is truly wonderful. In this city
there are grapes and good “pomegranates. I saw in this place the ^Sheikh
Salih Mohammed of Nisabur, one of the fanatical Fakeers who suffer
their hair to flow down loosely upon their shoulders. This man had seven
foxes with him, all of which ate and sat with the Fakeers. There were
also with him thirty other Fakeers, one of whom had a gazelle with a lion
in the same place, which was unmolested by the lion. I then proceeded
for the purpose of presenting myself to the Sultan at the city of “Maturah,
which is large, and not unlike Dehli. In this I found a great mortality,
which had destroyed the greatest part of the inhabitants. The King,
Ghiath Oddin returned at this time to his palace sick, and soon after died.
He appointed his brother’s son, *^Nasir Oddin, to be his successor. In this
' c;
3 C
194
HINDUSTAN.
place, too, I caught a fever which nearly destroyed me ; but, as Providence
restored me to health, I requested permission of the King Nasir Oddln to
proceed on my journey, which was granted. I then returned to the city
of "Fattan (Pattan), and thence by sea to-^ Kawlam, one of the cities of
Malabar, where I remained three months, on account of the sickness which
had happened to me. From this place I set out to visit the Sultan ° Jamal
Oddln of Hinaur, who had received a promise from me to return. The
infidel Hindoos, however, came out against us in twelve war vessels, be-
tween (the last place mentioned and) Fakanun ; and, giving us severe
battle, at length overcame us, and took our ship. They then stripped us
of all. From me they took all the jewels and rubies given me by the King
of ^ Battala, as well as the additional presents of the pious Sheikhs, leaving
me only one pair of trowsers : and thus were we landed nearly naked. 1
then returned to '‘Kfilikut, and entered one of the mosques. When some
of the lawyers and merchants, who had known me in Dehli, heard of my
situation, they clothed and received me honourably. I then thought of
returning to the Emperor of Hindustan : but I was afraid of his severity,
and that he might ask me, why I had separated from the present. I then
went on board another ship, and this pleased me, and returned to the
^ Maidive Islands, on account of the little boy I had left there. When I
had seen him, however, I left him in kindness to his mother. The Vizier
then furnished me with provisions, and I sailed for Bengal, which is an
extensive and plentiful country. I never saw a country in which provi-
sions were so cheap. I there saw one of the religious of the west, who
told me, that he had bought provisions for himself and his family for a
whole year with eight dirhems. The first town I entered here was ”Sad-
kawan,^ which is large and situated on the sea-shore.
. ‘ '■ . •" . ^ •
* The name of this place is variously written ; in some cases we have Sutirkawan,
in others according to our MSS. In the we have and
It was, no doubt, the name of a place then in Bengal ; but whether it is still in existence or not
the geographers do not inform us. We are told, in the author just mentioned, that Mohammed
Shah made an expedition, in A.H. 741, A.D. 1340, to this place, and took Fakhr Oddin, the king
HINDUSTAN.
195
The king of Bengal was at this time " Fakhr Oddin : he was an eminent
man, kind to strangers and persons of the Sufi persuasion : but I did
not present myself to him, nor did I see him, because he was opposed to
the Emperor, and was then in open rebellion against him. From^Sad-
kiiwan I travelled for the mountains of ^ Kamru, which are at the distance
of one month from this place. These are extensive mountains, and they
join the ’'mountains of Thibet, where there are musk gazelles. The inhabi-
tants of these mountains are, like the Turks, famous for their attention to
* magic. My object in visiting these mountains was, to meet one of the
saints, namely, the Sheikh ‘Jalal Oddin of Tebriz. This Sheikh was one
of the greatest saints, and one of those singular individuals who had the
power of working great and notable miracles. He had also lived to a
remarkably great age. He told me, that he had seen “El Mostaasim the
Calif in Bagdad : and his companions told me afterwards that he died at
the age of one hundred and fifty years ; that he fasted through a space of
about forty years, never breaking his fast till he had fasted throughout ten
successive days. He had a cow, on the milk of which he usually break-
fasted ; and his practice was to sit up all night. It was by his means
that the people of these mountains became Mohammedans ; and on this
account it was, that he resided among them. One of his companions told
me, that on the day before his death he invited them all to come to him ;
he then said to them : To-morrow I depart from you, Deo volente, and my
vicegerent with you is God besides whom there is no other God. When
the evening of the following day had arrived, and he had performed the
last prostration of the evening prayer, he was taken by God. On the side
of the cave in which he had resided was found a grave ready dug, and by
it a winding sheet and burial spices. The people then washed and buried
him in them, and said their prayers over him. When I was on my jour-
mentioned by our traveller, prisoner, carried him to LaknoutI, and there put him to death.
The words are : (jbaLj
. jd ^J, • There must be a trifling error in one or
both of these dates.
2 C 2
196
HINDUSTAN.
ney to see this Sheikh, four of his companions met me at the distance of
two days, and told me, that the Sheikh had said to the Fakeers who were
with them, A western religious traveller is coming to you : go out and
meet him. It was, said they, by the order of the Sheikh that we came
to you ; notwithstanding the fact, that he had no knowledge whatever of
my circumstances, except what he had by divine revelation. I went with
them accordingly to his cell without the cave, near which there was no
building whatever. The people of this country are partly Mohammedans,
and partly infidels ; both of whom visit the Sheikh and bring valuable
presents. On these the Fakeers, and other persons who arrive here,
subsist. As for the Sheikh himself, he confines himself to the milk of his
cow, as already mentioned. When I presented myself to him, he arose
and embraced me. He then asked me of my country and travels, of which I
informed him. He then said to the Fakeers: Treat him honourably. They
accordingly carried me to the cell, and kept me as their guest for three
days. On the day I presented myself to the Sheikh he had on a reli-
gious ^garment, made of fine goat’s hair. I was astonished at it, and said
to myself, I wish the Sheikh would give it me. When I went in to bid him
farewell, he arose and went to the side of the cave, took off the goat’s
hair garment, as well as the fillet of his head and his sleeves, and put
them on me.
The Fakeers then told me, that it was not his practice to put on this
garment : and that he had put it on only on the occasion of my coming,
for he had said to them : This garment will be wished for by a Mogrebine ;
but an infidel king shall take it from him, and shall give it to our brother
^Borhan Oddln of Sagirj, whose it is, and for whose use it has been made.
When I was told this by the Fakeers, I said : As I have a blessing from
the Sheikh, and as he has clothed me with his own clothes, I will never
enter with them into the presence of any king either infidel or Moslem.
After this I left the Sheikh. It happened, however, after a considera-
ble time, that I entered the country of China, and went as far as the city
of "Khansa. Upon a certain occasion, when my companions had all left
me on account of the press of the multitude, and I had this garment on, and
. j ^
• ■>
HINDUSTAN.
197
was on the road, I met the Vizier with a large body. He happened
to cast his eyes upon me, and called me to him. He then took me by the
hand, and asked me why I had come to this country ; nor did he leave me
until we came to the King’s palace. I wished to go, but he would not
allow me to do so, but took me in to the King, who interrogated me about the
Mohammedan sovereigns; to all which I gave answers. He then cast his
eyes upon the garment, and began to praise it, and said to the Vizier :
Take it off him. To this I could offer no resistance, so he took it; but
ordered me ten dresses of honour, and a horse with its furniture, and
money for my necessities. This changed my mind. I then called to mind
the words of the Sheikh, that an infidel king should take it ; and my won-
der was increased.
After a year had elapsed, I entered the palace of the King of China at
"Khan Bfilik,^ my object was to visit the cell of the Sheikh Borhan Oddin
of Sagirj. I did so, and found him reading, and the very goat’s-hair gar-
ment I have been mentioning was on him. I was surprised at this, and
was turning the garment over in my hand, when he said. Why do you turn
the garment over, do you know it ? I said, I do ; it is the garment which
the King of Khansa took from me. He answered : This garment was made
for me by my brother Jalal Oddin, for my own use, who also wrote to me
to say that the garment would come to me by such a person. He then
produced the letter, which I read, and could not help wondering at the
exactness of the Sheikh. I then told him of the origin of the story. He
answered. My brother Jalal Oddin was superior to all this : he had a perfect
control over human nature ; j* but now he has been taken to God’s mercy.
He then said, I have been told, that he performed the morning prayer every
day in Mecca; that he went on the pilgrimage annually, because he was
never to be seen on the two days of ^ Arafat and the feast, no one knowing
whither he had gone.
When, however, I had bid farewell to the Sheikh Jalal Oddin, I travelled
to the city of "Jabnak, which is very large and beautiful ; it is divided by
* Cambalu, or Pekin, as will be shewn hereafter.
198
HINDUSTAN.
the river ’which descends from the mountains of Kamru, called the '^Blue
River. By this one may travel to Bengal and the countries of ‘'Laknouti.
Upon it are gardens, mills, and villages, which it refreshes and gladdens
like the Nile of Egypt. The inhabitants of these parts are infidels, tribu-
tary to the Mohammedans. By this river I travelled for fifteen days, pro-
ceeding from road to road, till I came to the city of-^Sutirkawan.* Here I
found a junk which was proceeding to Java (Sumatra), between which
and this place there is a distance of forty days. I proceeded, therefore,
and after a voyage of fifty days, came to the countries of the ^‘Barahnakar,f
a people who have mouths like those of dogs. This is a vile race. They
have no religion, neither that of the Hindoos nor any other. They live in
houses made of reeds upon the sea-shore. Their trees are those of the 'ba-
nana, the ^fawfel and the ^betel-nut. Their men are of the same form with
ourselves, except that their mouths are like those of dogs ; J but the women
have mouths like other folks. The men go naked, without the least cover-
ing whatever : one only among them (I saw) who had put his virilia into a
painted hollow reed, which was hung to his belly. The women cover them-
selves with the leaves of trees. One who had had much intercourse with them,
told me that they copulate like beasts, without the least concealment.
The men will have thirty or more wives ; but adultery is not committed.
Should any one, however, be convicted of this crime, his punishment is, to
be hanged till he is dead, unless he brings either a friend or slave who is
willing to be hanged for him : he may then go free. The sentence for the
woman is, that the King shall command all his servants to trample upon
* See the note at p. 194.
t Nearest in sound to this, as far as I can see, appears to be the Carnacobar of our maps ;
but then we must by rather a violent metathesis make the k and b change places, and other-
wise vary the orthography, The description, however, seems to answer sufficiently near to
suit the inhabitants of the Nicobar islands, of which this is one: if, indeed, our Barahnakdris
not the Barnagul or Barnagar of Hamilton, chap, xxxiv. ; but this seems scarcely possible.
J Among some of the inhabitants of the Eastern Archipelago, I believe, they have a custom
of making their lips project outwards, by means of a stick so fixed in their teeth as always to
keep its place. Not long ago a family thus disfigured was exhibited in London.
INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO.
199
her one after another, till she dies : she is then thrown into the sea. The
women resist the men to a degree beyond their nature. But the men, from
their baseness of character, and fear about the women, will not allow any
one of the merchants to proceed on the sea in the front of their houses.
They will merely consult and trade with them, carrying them fresh water
on the backs of elephants. When we put into their port, their King came
to us riding upon an elephant, upon which there was something like a
saddle-cloth made of skin. The King himself was dressed in goat-skin,
the hairy part of which he had turned outwards ; upon his head was a
turban of coloured silk, and in his hand a short silver spear. With him
was a number of his relations riding upon elephants, and using a language
which no one could understand, unless he had been some time among
them. We sent him the usual present : for every ship putting into any
port of India is expected to send a present to the magistrate of the place.
Now these people buy and receive as presents, she elephants, over which
they put their saddle-cloth, but do not completely ™ clothe them. But any
ship not giving them their present, they will so work upon with their magic,
that the sea will rise upon it, and it will perish ; or they will return upon
and injure it.