تحفة النظار في غرايب الامصار وعجايب الاسفار 13.104.2

13.104.2

Their custom there is to serve curdled milk after the meal, as is done in our country. I met with him after that and put to him the matter of the islands of Dhībat al-Mahal and that he should send the army to them. He took it up resolutely and assigned ships for it, designated the gift for their sultana, robes of honour for the viziers and amīrs and gifts for them, and entrusted me with contracting the marriage of Maryam, the sultana's sister. He ordered three ships to be loaded with alms for the poor of the islands, and said to me: “Your return shall be in five days.” But the admiral, Khwāja Sarlak, said to him: “Sailing to the islands is not possible until three months from now.” So the sultan said to me: “If that is how it is, go to Fattan until we finish this expedition and return to our capital Mutra; the expedition will set out from there.” So I stayed with him, and in the meantime I sent for the slave-girls and companions.