I went every day at a set hour to make my court to the king, and spent
the rest of my time in viewing the city, and what was most worthy of
notice.
The capital of Serendib stands at the end of a fine valley, in the
middle of the island, encompassed by high mountains. They are seen
three days' sail off at sea. Rubies and several sorts of minerals
abound. All kinds of rare plants and trees grow there, especially
cedars and coconut. There is also a pearl fishery in the mouth of its
principal river, and in some of its valleys are found diamonds. I
made, by way of devotion, a pilgrimage to the place where Adam was
confined after his banishment from Paradise, and had the curiosity to
go to the top of the mountain.
When I returned to the city I prayed the king to allow me to return to
my own country, and he granted me permission in the most obliging and
honorable manner. He would force a rich present upon me; and at the
same time he charged me with a letter for the Commander of the
Faithful, our sovereign, saying to me, "I pray you give this present
from me, and this letter, to the Caliph Haroun al Raschid, and assure
him of my friendship."
The letter from the King of Serendib was written on the skin of a
certain animal of great value, very scarce, and of a yellowish color.
The characters of this letter were of azure, and the contents as
follows:
"The King of the Indies, before whom march one hundred
elephants, who lives in a palace that shines with one
hundred thousand rubies, and who has in his treasury twenty
thousand crowns enriched with diamonds, to Caliph Haroun al
Raschid.
Pages:
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316