History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c14.13.3

c14.13.3

After forty days he was again called by the Sultan who expressed his intention to send him on an embassy to China. Ibn Batūṭah obeyed the command and started on his journey on the 17th Safar, 743 A.H. (July 22, 1342 A.D.) with a large number of costly presents of all kinds for the emperor of China. By a circuitous route in describing which he has made much confusion he reached the port of Qandhar and took ship for China. On the way the party met with a serious mishap. The ship in which Ibn Batūṭah and his companions were sailing was sunk and all were killed including Amir Zahīr-al-Dīn and the slave Kāfūr. After the accident the Moor went to Hanaur where he was coldly received by Sultan Jamāl-al-Dīn. He left the place after two months and went back to Calicut where he took ship for the Maldive islands. From the Maldives he proceeded to Ceylon and thence to Ma‘bar where he was well received by his relative Ghiyās-al-Dīn Damghānī. He stayed at Madura for some time and enjoyed the hospitality of the Sultan. After long wanderings in Bengal he started on his voyage to China via Java, Sumatra, and the islands of the Indian Archipelago. Colonel Yule doubts whether Ibn Batūṭah ever went to China, but it appears from the detailed account of that country given by him and corroborated by other historians that he did visit China, though he could not fulfil the mission with which Muhammad had entrusted him.