Ii, p. 240.)
NOTE 3. - The supposed confusion between Adel and Aden does not affect this
chapter.
The "Soldan of Aden" was the Sultan of Yemen, whose chief residence was at
Ta'izz, North-East of Mokha. The prince reigning in Polo's day was Malik
Muzaffar Shamsuddin Abul Mahasen Yusuf. His father, Malik Mansur, a
retainer of the Ayubite Dynasty, had been sent by Saladin as Wazir to
Yemen, with his brother Malik Muazzam Turan Shah. After the death of the
latter, and of his successor, the Wazir assumed the government and became
the founder of a dynasty. Aden was the chief port of his dominions. It had
been a seat of direct trade with China in the early centuries of Islam.
Ibn Batuta speaks of it thus correctly: "It is enclosed by mountains, and
you can enter by one side only. It is a large town, but has neither corn
nor trees, nor fresh water, except from reservoirs made to catch the
rain-water; for other drinking water is at a great distance from the town.
The Arabs often prevent the townspeople coming to fetch it until the latter
have come to terms with them, and paid them a bribe in money or cloths. The
heat at Aden is great. It is the port frequented by the people from India,
and great ships come thither from Kunbayat, Tana, Kaulam, Kalikut,
Fandaraina, Shaliat, Manjarur, Fakanur, Hinaur, Sindabur,[1] etc. There are
Indian merchants residing in the city, and Egyptian merchants as well."
[Illustration: Attempted Escalade of ADEN by the Portuguese under
ALBOQUERQUE in 1513 (Reduced Facsimile of a large Contemporary Wood
Engraving in the Map Department of the BRITISH MUSEUM supposed to have
been executed at Antwerp) Size of the Original (in 6 Sheets) 12 Inches by
19-1/2 Inches]
The tanks of which the Moor speaks had been buried by debris; of late
years they have been cleared and repaired. They are grand works. They are
said to have been formerly 50 in number, with a capacity of 30 million
gallons.
[Illustration: Attempted Escalade of ADEN by the Portuguese under
ALBOQUERQUE in 1513 (Reduced Facsimile of a large Contemporary Wood
Engraving in the Map Department of the BRITISH MUSEUM supposed to have
been executed at Antwerp) Size of the Original (in 6 Sheets) 12 Inches by
19-1/2 Inches]
[Illustration: View of Aden in 1840.]
This cut, from a sketch by Dr. Kirk, gives an excellent idea of Aden as
seen by a ship approaching from India. The large plate again, reduced from
a grand and probably unique contemporary wood-engraving of great size,
shows the impression that the city made upon European eyes in the
beginning of the 16th century. It will seem absurd, especially to those
who knew Aden in the early days of our occupation, and no doubt some of
the details are extravagant, but the general impression is quite consonant
with that derived from the description of De Barros and Andrea Corsali:
"In site and aspect from the seaward," says the former, "the city forms a
beautiful object, for besides the part which lies along the shore with its
fine walls and towers, its many public buildings and rows of houses rising
aloft in many stories, with terraced roofs, you have all that ridge of
mountain facing the sea and presenting to its very summit a striking
picture of the operations of Nature, and still more of the industry of
man." This historian says that the prosperity of Aden increased on the
arrival of the Portuguese in those seas, for the Mussulman traders from
Jidda and the Red Sea ports now dreaded these western corsairs, and made
Aden an entrepot, instead of passing it by as they used to do in days of
unobstructed navigation. This prosperity, however, must have been of very
brief duration. Corsali's account of Aden (in 1517) is excellent, but too
long for extract, Makrizi, IV. 26-27; Playfair, H. of Yemen, p. 7;
Ibn Batuta, II. 177; De Barros, II. vii. 8; Ram. I. f. 182.
NOTE 4. - I have not been able to trace any other special notice of the
part taken by the Sultan of Yemen in the capture of Acre by the Mameluke
Sultan, Malik Ashraf Khalil, in 1291. Ibn Ferat, quoted by Reinaud, says
that the Sultan sent into all the provinces the most urgent orders for the
supply of troops and machines; and there gathered from all sides the
warriors of Damascus, of Hamath, and the rest of Syria, of Egypt, and of
Arabia. (Michaud, Bibl. des Croisades, 1829, IV. 569.)
"I once" (says Joinville) "rehearsed to the Legate two cases of sin that a
priest of mine had been telling me of, and he answered me thus: 'No man
knows as much of the heinous sins that are done in Acre as I do; and it
cannot be but God will take vengeance on them, in such a way that the city
of Acre shall be washed in the blood of its inhabitants, and that another
people shall come to occupy after them.' The good man's prophecy hath come
true in part, for of a truth the city hath been washed in the blood of its
inhabitants, but those to replace them are not yet come: may God send them
good when it pleases Him!" (p. 192).
[1] All ports of Western India: Pandarani, Shalia (near Calicut),
Mangalore, Baccanore, Onore, Goa.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
CONCERNING THE CITY OF ESHER.
Esher is a great city lying in a north-westerly direction from the last,
and 400 miles distant from the Port of Aden. It has a king, who is subject
to the Soldan of Aden. He has a number of towns and villages under him,
and administers his territory well and justly.
The people are Saracens. The place has a very good haven, wherefore many
ships from India come thither with various cargoes; and they export many
good chargers thence to India.[NOTE 1]
