South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c15.s5.2

c15.s5.2

But let us return to our point. I left the camp and went to the grand and beautiful town of Faṭṭan, on the seashore. It has an admirable harbour with a wooden pavilion raised on stout posts. Leading to this pavilion is a pathway made of planks covered over with a roof. When an enemy arrives, all the ships in port are fastened to this pavilion; foot soldiers and archers go up there and the assailant has no means of hurting any one. This town contains a beautiful mosque built of stone where you find many grapes and excellent pomegranates. There I met the pious Sheik Mohammad Annciçaboury, one of those fakirs with hair hanging over his shoulders, whose spirit is troubled. He was accompanied by a lion tamed by him; the animal eats with the fakirs and lies down beside them. The Sheik had with him about thirty fakirs, one of whom had a gazelle that lived in the same place as the lion and the latter did it no harm. I tarried in the town of Fattan.