Page 96 - Arabiab Studies (IV)

86 Arabian Studies IV
land of $a‘Id (Upper Egypt) and they arc sold to the Infidels in the
province of Abyssinia. It is related that the Muslims of the aforesaid Zaila*
send letters to the tribcsfolk (A‘rab) of Suakin asking ‘why arc you selling
horses to the Infidels in your country? Through these horses they become
powerful and fight against us. Arc you, too, not Muslims?’ But they do not
take any notice of that. On the edge of the Nile below the mountains that
rise the other side of Suakin there is a province to reach which is three
months’ journey, ruled by a black slave called ‘Amarah. The tribes of
these lands are so weak that they give every year nine thousand camels to
the Infidels of Abyssinia. These lands stretching from Suakin to the River
Nile are areas with pastures and water. The River Nile divides into two
branches when it meets with these lands; at the juncture of the two
branches there is a big city and port called Tabarah.26 The amount of
merchandize (which pours into these lands) from the province of
Abyssinia and from other provinces, the names of which are unknown,
also, is limitless. Most of this merchandize consists of gold, musk and
ivory. The capital of the province of Abyssinia is in fact called Bab
al-Muluk, the Infidels of which are bare-footed weak footmen with
wooden bows and shields made of elephant-hide. These people are
dominant in that country for there is no one to put up resistance against
them. God knows that not only is it easy to take the town called Tabarah
with a thousand men, since they could come from their province three
months away but also all the country of Abyssinia. In the land of
Abyssinia, near Zayla4 there are many Muslims. This land of Abyssinia
also has a port called Baylul with Muslim inhabitants, who are extremely
weak. In addition to the annual tribute they pay to the Abyssinian infidels,
they are forced to give a beautiful virgin girl.
16. Since we are aware of the significance of the above-mentioned matters
we have the audacity to present this report to the Gate of Felicity.
Command is a matter for the place where justice takes refuge (the Sultan).

Notes

1. Preserved at the Topkapi Palace Archives of Istanbul (E. 6455). It
was first published, though carelessly, by F. Kurtoglu as ‘Me§hur Tilrk
Amirali Selman Reis’ in L&yihasi’, ‘Deniz Mecmuasi, Istanbul, 1934,
XLVII, 67-73.
2. E.g. H. Inalcik, ‘The Ottoman economic mind and aspects of
Ottoman economy in Studies in the Economic history of the Middle East,
ed. M. A. Cook, London, 1970, 212; C. Orhonlu, Osmanli Imparator-
lugunun Giincy Siyiseti: Habe§ Eyaleti, Istanbul, 1974, 13-15.
3. This is not the occasion to discuss the spice trade through the Red
Sea and the Portuguese attempt to blockade it. On this topic the reader is
referred to the detailed studies of MagalhScs Godinho: Os Descobrimen-
tos e Economia Mundial, Lisboa, 1965, II, 145 ff.; and L’Economie de
l’Empire Portugais aux XVC et XVIc sidcles, Paris, 1969, 731 ff.
is