تحفة النظار في غرايب الامصار وعجايب الاسفار 13.83.13

13.83.13

and turbans, which are of cotton. They also carry from them copper vessels, for these are plentiful among them, and they carry cowries, and they carry qanbar, with a on the q, n without a vowel, and a on the b, and r, which is coconut fibre. They tan it in pits on the shore, then beat it with mallets, then the women spin it, and from it are made ropes for sewing ships together. It is carried to China, Hind and Yemen, and it is better than hemp. With these ropes the ships of Hind and Yemen are sewn, because that sea is full of rocks, and if a ship is nailed with iron nails it strikes the rocks and breaks apart, whereas if it is sewn with ropes it gives with the moisture and does not break.