تحفة النظار في غرايب الامصار وعجايب الاسفار 13.96.1

13.96.1

His name is Ayrī Shakarwatī — with a over the hamza, the y unvowelled, i under the r, then y, a dotted sh with a, then k likewise, the r unvowelled, w with a, the dotted t with i, and y. He is a sultan powerful at sea. Once, when I was in al-Maʿbar, I saw a hundred of his ships, small and large, which had arrived there. In the harbour were eight ships of the sultan destined to sail to Yemen, and the sultan ordered preparations and gathered men to protect his vessels. When they despaired of seizing the opportunity against them, they said: 'We have only come to protect ships of ours that are also going to Yemen!' When I entered the presence of this infidel sultan he rose to me, seated me beside him and spoke to me most graciously, and said: 'Your companions may land in safety and be my guests until they sail, for between me and the sultan of al-Maʿbar there is friendship.' Then he ordered that I be lodged, and I stayed with him three days in great honour that increased every day. He understood the Persian language, and was delighted by what I told him about kings and countries.