It seems that I am back to
Yemen. This time I am in the town of Dhofar (Document S). Just like Maqdasha,
the town is based on the merchant class and trade. The people had their own
customs, but I have found that they are very similar to the people in Northwest
Africa (Document S). Dhofar is very rich in agriculture. I find that many
cities that are doing well have rich soil also. Dhofar has many trees that grow
their including the ones that bananas grow on. One special one, however, is the
Betel-tree, which is only found in Dhofar and India (Document S). These trees
do not grow any time of fruit, but the leaves are very valuable on them. The
leaves could be more expensive that gold and silver (Document S). Not only that
tree, but the town has another beneficial tree. The name of this tree is the
coco-palm tree and it contains nutritional components. It grows huge nuts, with
hairlike fiber on it, resembling a man’s head (Document S). When it is cut
open, it has a liquid, healthy pulp with is sweet. This pulp can be scraped
out, though. My stay at Dhofar really gave me a whole new topic of knowledge on
foreign agriculture.
Ibn Battuta's Blog
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
July 23, 1341 Maqdasha
After 15 day of sailing, I managed to
reach my destination. This was the town of Maqdasha (Document R). Most of the
citizens there were merchants and had a surplus of camels. There were so many
camels, they would slaughter them just for food to eat (Document R). I learned
that these people carry out a ritual when a ship arrives at the port. Many
young men would go out to the ships in small rowing boats with food and greet
the merchant with food as if he was royal. The host then sells his goods for
him and buys for him, and if anyone buys anything from him at too low a price,
or sells to him in the absence of his host, the sale is regarded by them as
invalid (Document R). I feel that this
is odd, but it is their own tradition and I think they probably think some of
my traditions are odd. We stayed there [in Mogadishu] three days, food being
brought to us three times a day, and on the fourth, a Friday, the qadi and one of
the wazirs brought me a set of garments (Document R). Then I was allowed to visit their mosque.
What a beautiful sight! I was greeted by the Shaykh and was asked to put a pair
of sandals on to walk with him to the palace (Document R). This was a great
welcoming considering everyone else had no shoes. His head was covered with 4 canopies of silk,
each with golden birds mounted on them. After the palace ceremonies ended,
everyone retired to their area and saluted (Document R).
August 16, 1332 Tunis
I traveled over land from Algiers to Tunis
(Document B). On the way, we stopped for a few days, waiting for everyone to
rejoin us. Then we went on through mountains and finally reached Bijaya. By
this time one of the Tunisian merchants died, and left us three thousand dinars
of gold, which was a great deal of money. At Bijaya, I became ill with a fever,
and one of my friends recommended me to stay there for a few nights until I
fully recovered from the fever. I disagreed with him and refused staying. When
we reached Qusantinah, we set down outside of the town, but the rainstorm
forced us to move to houses there (Document B).
Soon the governor came and saw our dirty, wet, soiled clothes; he
demanded that they were washed at his own house. Also, he gave me a new
headcloth made of Syrian cloth, which allowed me to forget about my old, dirty
one. This was the first gift I received
on my journey. We next reached Bona, and after staying there a few days, left.
While leaving, we raced out as fast as possible because of the great dangers
there on the road (Document B). I caught another fever on the way, so I
strapped myself to my horse in case I wasn’t strong enough to hold on. My
biggest fear was that I could not descend until we arrived at Tunis.
June 16,1326 Nile
I wanted to stop and note down some
things about the Nile River. The Egyptian Nile surpasses all rivers of the
earth in sweetness of taste, length of course, and utility (Document F). No
other river has as many cities and villages around it, because so many people
use it as a major source of their life; water. I believe the Nile was a gift
from heaven, giving so many a source of water in the Sahara Desert. This river
is keeping so many alive with its great food and water supply. I traveled into
Upper Egypt with the intentions in crossing the Hijaz (Document F). I stayed at
the monastery Dayr-at-Tin on the first night. The monastery was built to hold sacred relics. I stayed here for a very
short period of time, making my way
through more areas. Here we crossed the Nile and, hiring camels, journeyed with
a party of Arabs through a desert, totally devoid of settlements but quite safe
for traveling (Document F). In one area
we stopped for the night because the area was infested with hyenas, so we had
to keep driving them away by screaming and making loud obnoxious noises. One of
the better stops was at Aydhab. At Aydhab, we were supplied with a great amount
of fish and milk. The people there were very helpful and friendly with us, and
hopefully they will be repaid in the future.
June 13,1325 Tangier
I left Tangier, where I was born, at the
age of 22 on Thursday, June 14, 1325 (Document A). My goal was to go on the journey to the Holy
House and the Tomb of the Prophet. I went on the journey with no one. This meant
there was no one to motivate and help me conquer my journey. The only regrets I had on this trip were that
I could not see my parents. I would have
to part from them, making all of us sorrow about this trip. After reaching the
city of Tilimsan, who’s leader was Abu Tashifin, I was noted that the two
ambassadors of the Sultan of Tunis had left the city on the same day that I
arrived. One of the brethren having advised me to accompany them. I consulted
the will of God in this matter, and after a stay of three days in the city to
procure all that I needed, I rode after them with all speed (Document A). I
overtook them at the town of Miliana, where we stayed ten days, as both of the
ambassadors became ill with the heat blazing down. One of them died after 3
nights by a steam by Miliana. That is when I separated from my group. I had now
joined a company of merchants from Tunis to continue my journey.
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