197). Compare Strabo's account of the Ichthyophagi on the
coast of Mekran (XV. 11), and the like account in the life of Apollonius of
Tyana (III. 56).
[Burton, quoted by Yule, says (Sind Revisited, 1877, I. p. 33): "The
whole of the coast, including that of Mekran, the land of the Mahi
Kharan or Ichthyophagi." Yule adds: "I have seen this suggested also
elsewhere. It seems a highly probable etymology." See note, p. 402.
- H.C.]
NOTE 5. - At Hasik, east of Dhafar, Ibn Batuta says: "The people here live
on a kind of fish called Al-Lukham, resembling that called the sea-dog.
They cut it in slices and strips, dry it in the sun, salt it, and feed on
it. Their houses are made with fish-bones, and their roofs with
camel-hides" (II. 214).
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
CONCERNING THE CITY OF DUFAR.
Dufar is a great and noble and fine city, and lies 500 miles to the
north-west of Esher. The people are Saracens, and have a Count for their
chief, who is subject to the Soldan of Aden; for this city still belongs to
the Province of Aden. It stands upon the sea and has a very good haven, so
that there is a great traffic of shipping between this and India; and the
merchants take hence great numbers of Arab horses to that market, making
great profits thereby. This city has under it many other towns and
villages.[NOTE 1]
Much white incense is produced here, and I will tell you how it grows. The
trees are like small fir-trees; these are notched with a knife in several
places, and from these notches the incense is exuded. Sometimes also it
flows from the tree without any notch; this is by reason of the great heat
of the sun there.[NOTE 2]
NOTE 1. - Dufar. The name [Arabic] is variously pronounced Dhafar,
DHOFAR, Zhafar, and survives attached to a well-watered and fertile plain
district opening on the sea, nearly 400 miles east of Shehr, though
according to Haines there is now no town of the name. Ibn Batuta speaks
of the city as situated at the extremity of Yemen ("the province of
Aden"), and mentions its horse-trade, its unequalled dirt, stench, and
flies, and consequent diseases. (See II. 196 seqq.) What he says of the
desert character of the tract round the town is not in accordance with
modern descriptions of the plain of Dhafar, nor seemingly with his own
statements of the splendid bananas grown there, as well as other Indian
products, betel, and coco-nut. His account of the Sultan of Zhafar in his
time corroborates Polo's, for he says that prince was the son of a cousin
of the King of Yemen, who had been chief of Zhafar under the suzerainete
of that King and tributary to him.
