Some commentators upon the Kurán, in the explanation of the account of Adam—(Peace be to him!)—have stated, that when our first father, having received the order to “go down,” was about to descend from the gardens pleasant to the soul and delightful to the eye, to the wretched world below, the all-embracing grace of God made some of the mountains of the Isle of Ceylon to be the place of his descent.* This land is distinguished from all parts of the globe by its extreme temper­ateness, and by the purity of its water and air. If he had fallen at once from the best to the worst, the change would have caused the annihilation of his health and the destruction of his limbs. Indeed, the charms of the country and the softness of the air, together with the variety of its wealth, precious metals, stones, and other abundant productions, are beyond description. The leaves, the bark, and the exudations of the trees, the grass, and the woods of that country are cloves, spikenard, aloe-wood, sandal, camphor, and the fragrant wood of Mandal. White amber is the dregs of its sea, and its indigo and red Bakham wood are cosmetics and rouge for the face; the thorns and wormwoods of its fields are regulators of the source of life, and are useful electuaries in the art of healing for the throes of adverse fortune; its icy water is a ball of múmiya for the frac­tures of the world; and the benefits of its commerce display the peculiarities of alchemy; the hedges of its fields refresh the heart like the influence of the stars; and the margins and edges of its regions are bed-fellows of loveliness; its myrobalans impart the blackness of youthful hair; and its peppercorns put the mole of the face of beauty on the fire of envy; its rubies and cor-nelians are like the lips and cheeks of charming girls; its light-shedding recesses are all mines of coined gold; and its treasuries and depositories are like oceans full of polished gems; its trees are in continual freshness and verdure; and the zephyrs of its air are pure and odoriferous; the various birds of its boughs are sweet-singing parrots; and the pheasants of its gardens are all like graceful peacocks,—

“If it is asserted that Paradise is in India,
Be not surprised because Paradise itself is not comparable to it.”

If any one suppose that these selected epithets exceed all bounds, and think the author indulges in exaggeration and hy­perbole, let him, after a deep reflection on this matter, ask his own heart whether, since the days of Adam till the present, from East to West or from North to South, there has ever been a country, to which people export gold, silver, commodities, and curi­osities, and from which, in exchange, they bring away only thorns, dregs, dust, pebbles, and various aromatic roots, and from which money has never been sent to any place for the purchase of goods. If, by the will of God, he still deems my narrative to be over­charged with hyperbole, still he must admit these praises to be deservedly and justly applied. With all its diverse qualities and properties, it is reported that the extent of that territory is equal to the breadth of heaven.

Before proceeding further in this matter, I am anxious to give an account of the seven climates, and of the shape of the habit­able part of the earth, the measure of the surface of which having been ascertained by geometrical demonstration and the figures of Euclid, has been recorded in the books of that philo­sopher. Although it has no great connection with this book, yet my desire is that my readers may be acquainted with the extent of these regions and the countries of that inhabited quarter of the world. The whole surface of the planisphere of the earth is divided into four equal parts by the intersection of two great circles, one proceeding east and one west, and the other the meridian, which crosses it at right angles. Two of the quarters lie to the north, one eastern, the other western; and two to the south, one eastern, and one western. Of these four quarters the north-eastern quarter is habitable, and contains the climates; and even within this quarter the high northern latitude, on account of extreme cold, is not habitable by animals, and the southern hemi-planisphere is also not habitable on account of excessive heat. The area of the whole globe (sea and land) is 132,416,400 míls, and the area of the habitable part is 8,143,300 parasangs, which is equal to 24,429,900 míls.*

* It is related by sufficient informants, experienced travellers, who have long fixed their staff in the country of Hind and raised the standards of enquiry and research, that the length, breadth, and the number of its most celebrated provinces are as follows:— Málibár, from the borders of Khor* to the country of Kúlam, is about 300 parasangs; that Búla,* from the beginning of Kambáyat to the borders of Málibár, is more than 400 parasangs; that Sawálik contains 125,000 cities and villages; and Málwá 1,893,000 towns and villages. And it may be about thirty years previous to my laying the foundation of this book that the king of Málwá died, and dissension arose between his son and minister. After long hostilities and much slaughter, each of them acquired possession of a part of that country. In conse­quence of these disturbances, every year incursions are made into it from most parts of Hind, much property and wealth, and captives, and fine linen (kirbás) are carried off, and as yet no change (for the better) has taken place.

Gújarát, which is commonly called Kambáyat, contains 70,000 villages and towns, all populous, and the people abound in wealth and luxuries. In the course of the four seasons of the year seventy different species of beautiful flowers grow within that province. “The purity of its air is so great that if the picture of an animal is drawn with the pen, it is life-like. And it is another matter of wonder that many plants and herbs are found wild and uncultivated there. You may always see the ground full of tulips even in the winter season. The air is healthy and the earth picturesque, neither too warm nor too cool, but in perpetual spring.” The winter cultivation is brought about only through the moistness of dew, called bárasí. When that harvest is over they begin summer cultivation, which is dependent upon the influence of the rain. The vineyards in this country bring forth blue grapes twice a year; and the strength of the soil is so great that the cotton plants spread their branches like willows and plane trees, and yield produce for several years successively.

Had the author full leisure to express fully the circumstances of that country, and to ascertain them from trustworthy men and historians, and to devote a long period of his life to explain them, still he would not be able to record even a portion of the marvels and excellences of that country.

* * * * *

Ma'bar extends in length from Kúlam to Níláwar (Nellore), nearly three hundred parasangs along the sea-coast, and in the language of that country the king is called Dewar, which signifies the Lord of Empire. The curiosities of Chín and Máchín, and the beautiful products of Hind and Sind, laden on large ships (which they call junks), sailing like mountains with the wings of the winds on the surface of the water, are always arriving there. The wealth of the Isles of the Persian Gulf in particular, and in part the beauty and adornment of other countries, from 'Irák and Khurásán as far as Rúm and Europe, are derived from Ma'bar, which is so situated as to be the key of Hind.*

A few years since the Dewar was Sundar Pandí,* who had three brothers, each of whom established himself in independence in some different country. The eminent prince, the margrave (marzbán) of Hind, Takíu-d dín 'Abdu-r Rahmán, son of Mu-hammadu-t Tíbí, whose virtues and accomplishments have for a long time been the theme of praise and admiration among the chief inhabitants of that beautiful country, was the Dewar's deputy, minister, and adviser, and was a man of sound judgment. Fitan, Malí Fitan and Kábil* were made over to his possession, for he is still worthy (kábil) of having the Khutba read in his name, and, notwithstanding these high dignities, is not worthy of seditions (fitna).