December 7, 1345 Yemen

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. 

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.