tree which bears the cocoa nuts, and they are from one to four
leagues distant from each other, all inhabited. The wealth of the
inhabitants consists in shells, of which even the royal treasury is full.
The workmen in these islands are exceedingly expert, and make shirts and
vests, or tunics, all of one piece, of the fibres of the cocoa nut. Of the
same tree they build ships and houses, and they are skilful in all other
workmanships. Their shells they have from the sea at certain times, when
they rise up to the surface, and the inhabitants throw branches of the
cocoa nut tree into the water, to which the shells stick. These shells they
call Kaptaje.

Beyond these islands, and in the sea of Herkend, is Serendib[4] or Ceylon,
the chief of all these islands, which are called Dobijat. It is entirely
surrounded by the sea, and on its coast they fish for pearls. In this
country there is a mountain called Rahun, to the top of which Adam is said
to have ascended, where he left the print of his foot, seventy cubits long,
on a rock, and they say his other foot stood in the sea at the same time.
About this mountain there are mines of rubies, opals, and amethysts. This
island is of great extent, and has two kings; and it produces aloes wood,
gold, precious stones, and pearls, which last are fished for on the coast;
and there are also found a kind of large shells, which are used for
trumpets, and much esteemed. In the same sea, towards Serendib, there are
other islands, not so many in number as those formerly mentioned, but of
vast extent, and unknown. One of these is called Ramni, which is divided
among a number of princes, and in it is found plenty of gold. The
inhabitants have cocoa nut trees, which supply them with food, and with
which also they paint their bodies, and oil themselves. The custom of the
country is, that no man can marry till he has killed an enemy, and brought
off his head. If he has killed two he claims two wives, and if he has slain
fifty he may have fifty wives. This custom proceeds from the number of
enemies with which they are surrounded, so that he who kills the greatest
number is the most considered. These islands of Ramni abound with
elephants, red-wood, and trees called Chairzan, and the inhabitants eat
human flesh.

These islands separate the sea of Herkend from the sea of Shelabet, and
beyond them are others called Najabalus, which are pretty well peopled,
both men and women going naked, except that t