Múltán* and Úch are subject to Dehli, and the son of the Súltán of Dehli is the governor. There is a road from hence by land as well as by the shore of the sea to Guzerát, which is a large country, within which are Kambáya, Somnát, Kankan, Tána, and several other cities and towns. It is said that Guzerát comprises 80,000 flourishing cities, villages, and hamlets. The inhabitants are rich and happy, and during the four seasons no less than seventy different sorts of roses blow in this country. The crops which grow in the cold season derive their vigour from the dew. When that dries, the hot season commences, and that is succeeded by the rainy season, which makes the earth moist and verdant. Grapes are produced twice during the year, and the strength of the soil is such, that cotton plants grow like willows and plane-trees, and yield produce ten years running. The people are idolaters, and have a king of their own. Somnát, which is the name of the idol of that place, is a temple and place of worship for the people of all parts of Hind, and Hindu idolaters come to it from great distances. Many of the more deluded devotees, in performance of their vows, pass the last stage crawling along the ground upon their sides, some approach walking upon their ancles and never touch the ground with the soles of their feet,* others go before the idol upon their heads. The men of Kambáya bring tribute from the chiefs of the island of Kís. Sugar from Malwa, bádru (balm),* and baladí are exported in ships from the coasts of Guzerát to all countries and cities. Beyond Guzerát are Kankan and Tána; beyond them the country of Malíbár, which from the boundary of Karoha* to Kúlam,* is 300 parasangs in length. The whole country produces the pán, in consequence of which Indians find it easy to live there, for they are ready to spend their whole wealth upon that leaf. There is much coined gold and silver there, which is not exported to any other place. Part of the territory is inland, and part on the sea shore. They speak a mixed language, like the men of Khabálik,* in the direction of Rúm, whom they resemble in many respects. The people are all Samanís (Buddhists), and worship idols. Of the cities on the shore the first is Sindábúr, then Faknúr, then the country of Manjarúr,* then the country of Hílí,* then the country of Sadarsá,* then Janglí, then Kúlam. The men of all these countries are Samanís. After these comes the country of Sawálak, which comprises 125,000 cities and villages. After that comes Málwála,* which means 1,893,000 in number. About forty years ago the king of Málwála died, and between his son and the minister a contest arose, and after several battles they ended with dividing the territory between them. The consequence is that their enemies obtained a footing, and are always making their incursions from different parts of Hind, and carrying off goods and viands, sugar, wine, cotton cloths, captives, and great booty.* But through the great wealth of that country, no serious injury is done.
M'abar,* from Kúlam to the country of Siláwar,* extends 300 parasangs along the shore. Its length is the same. It possesses many cities and villages, of which little is known. The king is called Dewar which means in the M'abar language, the “lord of wealth.” Large ships, called in the language of China, “Junks,” bring various sorts of choice merchandize and clothes from Chín and Máchín, and the countries of Hind and Sind. The merchants export from M'abar silken stuffs, aromatic roots; large pearls are brought up from the sea. The productions of this country are carried to 'Irák, Khurásán, Syria, Rum, and Europe. The country produces rubies, and aromatic grasses, and in the sea are plenty of pearls. M'abar is, as it were, the key of Hind. Within the few last years Sundar Bandi was Dewar, who, with his three brothers, obtained power in different directions, and Malik Takíu-d din bin 'Abdu-r rahmán bin Muhammadu-t Tíbí, brother of Shaikh Jamálu-d dín, was his minister and adviser, to whom he assigned the government of Fatan, Malí Fatan, and Báwal;* and because there are no horses in M'abar, or rather those which are there are weak, it was agreed that every year Jamálu-d dín Ibráhím should send to the Dewar 1400 strong Arab horses obtained from the island of Kís, and 10,000 horses from all the islands of Fárs, such as Katíf, Lahsa, Bahrein, Hurmúz, Kilahát, etc. Each horse is reckoned worth 220 dínárs of red gold current.
In the year 692 A.H. (1293 A.D.) the Dewar died, and his wealth and possessions fell into the hands of his adversaries and opponents, and Shaikh Jamálu-d-dín who succeeded him, obtained, it is said, an accession of 7,000 bullock loads of jewels, gold, etc., and Takíu-d dín, according to previous agreement, became his lieutenant. * * *
The people of the country are very black by reason of their being near the equator. There is a large temple called Lútar.*
There are two courses, or roads, from this place: one leads by sea to Chín and Máchín, passing by the island of Sílán.* It is four parasangs long, and four wide. It is parallel to the equator.
Sarandíp is at the foot of the Júdí* mountain, and is called in the language of Hind Samkáda-díp (Sinhaladíp), i.e. the sleeping-place of the lion, because its appearance is like a lion in repose,* and as that etymology is not known to the common people, they call it Sarandíp. The whole of the country is exactly under the Line. Rubies and other precious stones are found there. In the forests there are wolves and elephants, and even the Rukh is said to be there. The men are all Buddhists, and bow to, and worship images.
The Island of Lámúrí,* which lies beyond it, is very large. It has a separate king.
Beyond it lies the country of Súmútra [Sumatra],* and beyond that Darband Nias,* which is a dependency of Jáva. In the mountains of Jáva scented woods grow. In those islands are several cities, of which the chief are Arú, Barlak, Dalmían, Jáva, and Barkúdoz. * The mountains of Jáva are very high. It is the custom of the people to puncture their hands and entire body with needles, and then rub in some black substance to colour it.
Opposite Lámúrí is the island of Lákwáram,* which produces plenty of red amber. Men and women go naked, except that the latter cover the pudenda with cocoanut leaves. They are all subject to the Ká-án [Emperor of China.]
Passing on from this you come to a continent called Jampa, also subject to the Ká-án. The people are red and white.
Beyond that is Haitam,* subject also to the Ká-án.
Beyond that is Máhá Chín,* then the harbour of Zaitún,* on the shore of China sea,* and an officer of the Ká-án, entitled Shak,* resides there. Beyond that is Khansáí, in which the marketplace * is six parasangs broad, from which ít may be judged how large the place is. It is subject to the deputies of the Ká-án, who are Moghals, Musulmáns, Khitáyans, and Ghuris. Khansáí* is the capital.
Forty days journey from it lies Khánbálik,* the capital of the Phœnix of the west—Káán, King of the earth.*
With respect to the other road which leads from M'abar by way of Khitáí, it commences at the city of Kábal, then proceeds to the city of Kúnjú and Sunjú, then to Kín, then to Mali Fatan,* then to Kardaráyá, then to Hawáríún,* then to Daklí,* then to Bijalár,* which, from of old, is subject to Dehli, and at this time one of the cousins of the Sultán of Dehli has conquered it, and established himself, having revolted against the Sultán. His army consists of Turks. Beyond that is the country of Ratbán, then Arman,* then Zar-dandán,* so called because the people cover their teeth with gold. They puncture their hands, and colour them with indigo. They eradicate their beards, so that they have not a sign of hair on their faces. They are all subject to the Ká-án. This country is bounded on one side by the sea, afterwards comes the country of Ráhán, the people of which eat carrion and the flesh of men,—they likewise are subject to the Ká-án.* Thence you arrive at the borders of Tibet, where they eat raw meat and worship images, and have no shame respecting their wives. The air is so impure that if they eat their dinner after noon they would all die. They boil tea and eat winnowed barley.
There is another country called Deogir, adjoining M'abar inland, the king of which is at constant enmity with the Dewar of M'abar. Its capital is Dúrú Samundúr [Dwára Samudra.]
Another large country is called Kandahár, which the Moghals call Karájáng. These people spring from Khitai and Hind. In the time* of Kúbilá Ká-án,* it was subdued by the Moghals. One of its borders adjoins Tibet, another adjoins Khitá, and another adjoins Hind.
Philosophers have said that there are three countries celebrated for certain peculiarities; Hind is celebrated for its armies, Kandahár for its elephants, and the Turks for their horses.