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0197 Cathay and the Way Thither : vol.2
Cathay and the Way Thither : vol.2 / Page 197 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000042
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INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.   437

to whom I am so largely indebted. Others, more particularly re-

lating to the Chinese expedition, will be noticed in detail further on.

After all that has been said, however, there can be no doubt of the genuine nature and -general veracity of Ibn Batuta's travels, as the many instances in which his notices throw light upon passages in other documents of this collection, and on Marco Polo's travels (see particularly M. Pauthier's notes), might suffice to show. Indeed, apart from cursory inaccuracies and occasional loose statements, the two passages already alluded to are the only two with regard to which I should be disposed positively to impugn his veracity. The very passages which have been cited with regard to the great edifices at Dehli are only exaggerated when he rashly ventures on positive statements of dimension; in other respects they are the brief and happy sketches of an eye-witness. His accounts of the Maldive islands, and of the Negro countries of Sudan (of which latter his detail is one of the earliest that has come down to us) are full of interesting particulars, and appear to be accurate and unstrained. The majority of the names even, which he attaches to the dozen great clusters of the Maldives, can still be identified,' and much, I believe, of his Central African narrative is an anticipation of knowledge but recently regained. The passage in which he describes at length his adventures near Koel in India, when accidently separated for many days from his company, is an excellent example of fresh and lively narrative. Bis full and curious statements and anecdotes regarding the showy virtues and very solid vices of Sultan Mahorned Tughlak are in entire agreement with what is

1 The names attributed by Ibn Batuta to twelve of the Maldive clusters are (1) Paliptir, (2) Kannalus, (3) Mahal, the Royal Residence, (4) Taladib, (5) Karaidu, (6) Taim, (7) Taladumati, (8) Haladumati, (9) Baraidu, (10) Kandakal, (11) Multik, (12) Suwaid, which last he correctly describes as being the most remote. The names corresponding to these as given in a map accompanying an article in the J. R. Geog. Soc. are, (1) Padypolo, (2) Colomandus ? (3) Malé, the Sultan's Residence,

(4) Tillada, (5) Cardiva, (6)   ? (7) Tilladumatis, (8) Milladumadue,

(9) Palisdus, (10)    ? (11) Molucque, (12) Suadiva. M. Defrémery had
already made the comparison with those given in Pyrard's voyage of 1619.