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تحفة النظار في غرايب الامصار وعجايب الاسفار 17.1

The Travels of Ibn Batūta 17.1

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English

17.1.1

Sent on an Embassy to China — Embassy from China to the Emperor — Gold Mines on the mountain of Kora — Sets out on the Embassy — Arrives at Biana — Kul — War with the Hindoos — Taken prisoner — Brought back to Dehli — Returns to Yuh Bura — Menua — Gualior — Barun — Account of the Jogies — Witch burnt — Juggling of the Jogies — Arrives at Kajmara — Chanden — Description of Gualior — Davdatabad — Nazar Abad — Mahrattas — Sugar — Kambaya — Goa — Bairam — Kuka — Dankul — Sindabur — Hinaur — King of Hinaur not subject to the Emperor of Dehli — Malabar, customs — Kings of Malabar — Laws of Succession — Account of the growth of Pepper. After this, the Emperor sending for me, I went to him in my tunic, and he received me more graciously than ever. He said, It is my wish to send you as ambassador to the Emperor of China, for I know you love travelling in various countries. I consented; and he sent dresses of honour, horses, money, &c., with every thing necessary for the journey. The Emperor of China had, at this time, sent presents to the Sultan, consisting of a hundred Mamluks, fifty slave girls, five hundred dresses of El Kamanjah, five hundred maunds of musk, five dresses wrought with jewels, five quivers wrought with gold, and five swords set with jewels.

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His request with the Emperor was, that he should be permitted to rebuild an idol-temple in the country about the mountain of Kora, on which infidel Hindoos resided, on the top of which and on the heights was a plain of three months’ journey, and to which there was no approach. Here, too, resided many infidel Hindoo kings. The extremities of these parts extend to the confines of Thibet, where the musk gazelles are found. There are also mines of gold on these mountains, and poisonous grass growing, such, that when the rains fall upon it, and run in torrents to the neighbouring rivers, no one dares in consequence drink of the water during the time of their rising: and should any one do so, he dies immediately. This idol-temple they usually called the Bur Khana. It stood at the foot of the mountain, and was destroyed by the Mussulmans, when they became masters of these parts. Nor were the inhabitants of the mountain in a condition to fight the Mohammedans upon the plain. But the plain was necessary to them for the purposes of agriculture; they had, therefore, requested the Emperor of China to send presents to the King of India, and to ask this favour for them. Besides, to this temple the people of China also made pilgrimages. It was situated in a place called Samhal. The reply of the Emperor was, that this could not be permitted among a people who were Mohammedans; nor could there exist any church whatsoever, in countries subject to them, except only where tribute was paid;

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but if they chose to do this, their request would be complied with: for the place in which this idol-temple was situated had been conquered, and had, in consequence, become a district of the Mohammedans. The Emperor also sent presents much more valuable than those he had received, which were these following, namely: one hundred horses of the best breed saddled and bridled; one hundred Mamluks; one hundred Hindoo singing slave-girls; one hundred Bairami dresses, the value of each of which was a hundred dinars; one hundred silken dresses; five hundred saffron coloured dresses; one hundred pieces of the best cotton cloth; one thousand dresses of the various clothing of India; with numerous instruments of gold and silver, swords and quivers set with jewels, and ten robes of honour wrought with gold, of the Sultan’s own dresses, with various other articles. The Emperor appointed the Emir Zahir Oddin El Zanjani one of the Ulema, with El Fatl Kafur, with whom the present was entrusted, to accompany me. These were favourite officers with the Emperor. He also sent with us a thousand cavalry, who were to conduct us to the place at which we were to take shipping. The servants of the Emperor of China, who amounted to about one hundred, and with whom there was a great Emir, also returned with us. So we left the presence of the Emperor on the 17th day of the month Safar, in the year seven hundred and forty-three (A.D.

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1342), and, after a few days, arrived at the city of Biana, which is large. We next arrived at Kul, which is a beautiful city, the greatest part of the trees of which are vines. When we had arrived here, we were informed that the infidel Hindoos had besieged the city El Jalali, which is seven days from Kul. The intention of these infidels was, to destroy the inhabitants; and this they nearly effected. We made such a vigorous attack upon them, however, that not one of them was left alive. But many of our companions suffered martyrdom in the onset, and among them was El Fati Kafur, the person to whom the presents had been confided. We immediately transmitted an account of this affair to the Emperor, and waited for his answer. During this interval, whenever any of the infidel Hindoos made an attack on the places in the neighbourhood of El Jalali, either all or a part of us, gave assistance to the Moslems. Upon a certain day, however, I turned into a garden just without the city of Kul, when the heat of the sun was excessive: and while we were in the garden, some one cried out, that the Hindoos were making an attack upon one of the villages: I accordingly rode off with some of my companions to their assistance. When the infidels saw this they fled; but the Moslems were so scattered in pursuing them, that myself and only five others were left. Some of their people saw this, and the consequence was, a considerable number of cavalry made an attack upon us.

17.1.5

When we perceived their strength we retreated, while they pursued us, and in this we persevered. I observed three of them coming after me, when I was left quite alone. It happened at the same time that the fore-feet of my horse had stuck fast between two stones, so that I was obliged to dismount and set him at liberty. I was now in a way that led into a valley between two hills, and here I lost sight of the infidels. I was so circumstanced, however, that I knew neither the country, nor the roads. I then set my horse at liberty to go where he would. While I was in a valley closely interwoven with trees, behold! a party of cavalry, about forty in number, rushed upon me and took me prisoner, before I was well aware of their being there. I was much afraid they would shoot me with their arrows. I alighted from my horse, therefore, and gave myself up as their prisoner. They then stripped me of all I had, bound me, and took me with them for two days, intending to kill me. Of their language I was quite ignorant: but God delivered me from them; for they left me, and I took my course I knew not whither. I was much afraid they would take it into their heads to kill me; I therefore hid myself in a forest thickly interwoven with trees and thorns, so much so, that a person wishing to hide himself could not be discovered. Whenever I ventured upon the roads, I found they always led, either to one of the villages of the infidels, or to some ruined village.

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I was always, therefore, under the necessity of returning; and thus I passed seven whole days, during which I experienced the greatest horrors. My food was the fruit and leaves of the mountain trees. At the end of the seventh day, however, I got sight of a black man, who had with him a walking-staff shod with iron, and a small water vessel. He saluted me, and I returned the salute. He then said. What is your name? I answered, Mohammed. I then asked him his name: he replied, El Kalb El Karih (i. e. the wounded heart). He then gave me some pulse, which he had with him, and some water to drink. He asked me whether I would accompany him. I did so; but I soon found myself unable to move, and I sunk on the earth. He then carried me on his shoulders; and as he walked on with me, I fell asleep. I awoke, however, about the time of dawn, and found myself at the Emperor’s palace-gate. A courier had already brought the news of what had happened, and of my loss, to the Emperor, who now asked me of all the particulars, and these I told him. He then gave me ten thousand dinars, and furnished me for my return. He also appointed one of his Emirs El Malik Sumbul to present the gift. So we returned to the city of Kul. From this we proceeded to the city of Yuh Burah; and then descended to the shores of a lake called “the water of life.” After this we proceeded to Kinoj, which is but a small town. Here I met the aged Sheikh Salih of Farganah. He was at this time sick.

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He told me, that he was then one hundred and fifty years old. I was informed that he would constantly fast, and that for many successive days. We next arrived at the city of Merwa, which is a large place, inhabited for the most part by infidels, who pay tribute to the Emperor. We next arrived at the city of Kalyur, which is large, and which has a fortress on the top of a high mountain. In this the Emperor imprisons those of whom he entertains any fear. We next arrived at the city of Barun, which is small, and inhabited by Moslems : it is situated in the midst of the infidel districts. In these parts are many wild beasts, which enter the town and tear the inhabitants. I was told, however, that such as enter the streets of the town are not wild beasts really, but only some of the magicians called Jogees, who can assume the shape of wild beasts, and appear as such to the mind. These are a people who can work miracles, of which one is, that any one of them can keep an entire fast for several months.

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