It is an exceedingly hot place, with few small palm trees in it, under the shade of which they sow the melon.  The water of the place is found in pits, having been absorbed by the sand.  Mutton is in great plenty.  Their clothing is all brought from Egypt.  The greater part of the inhabitants are merchants.  Their women are exceedingly beautiful, and more respectable than men.  The character of these merchants is strange enough, for they are quite impervious to jealousy.  No one is named after his father, but after his maternal uncle; and the sister’s son always succeeds to property in preference to the son: a custom I witnessed nowhere else, except among the infidel Hindus of Malahar [region in the southwestern coast of India].  

But these are Muslims, who retain their prayers by memory, study theology, and learn the Koran by rote.   As to their women, they are not shy with regard to men, nor do they veil themselves from them, although they constantly accompany them at prayers.  Anyone who wishes to marry one of them may do so; but he must not take her with him out of the country; and even if the woman should wish to go, her family will not allow her.  It is a custom among them, that a man may have a mistress, of women strangers to him, who may come and associate with him, even in the presence of her own husband and of his wife.  In like manner, a man will enter his own house, and see the friend of his wife with her alone, and talking with her, without the least emotion or attempt to disturb them;  he will only come in and sit down on one side, till the man goes.  

Upon a certain day I went to the Judge of Abu Latin, who was an eminent man, at the time my host, and with whom I had formed a friendship.  I knew his wife, and that this was a different person. The woman smiled at me, but did not blush.  He said: This is my female friend; she is no stranger.  I remonstrated with him, and said: This is a strange woman; you are Judge of the Muslims: how, then, can you be alone with her?  He said: This is our custom; nor is there any suspicion from our being in society together.  He did not, however, benefit (by my advice), nor did I visit him after this.

I then went to the city of Mali, the residence of the King.  I there inquired for the residence of the white people, and lodged with them; they treated me very honorably.  The Muslim Judge of the blacks, who was a celebrated pilgrimage, made me his guest, and sent me a present and a cow.  I was sick two months in Mali.  But God restored me.

It happened that Mansi Suleiman, the Sultan of Mali, a most avaricious and worthless man, made a feast by way of kindness.  I was present at the entertainment with some of our theologians.  When the assembly broke up, I saluted him, having been brought to his knowledge by theologians.  When I had left the place he sent me a meal, which he forwarded to the house of the Judge.  Upon this occasion the Judge came walking hastily to me, and said: Up, for the Sultan has sent you a present.  I hastened, but expecting that a dress of honour, some horses, and other valuables, had been sent; be behold!  They were only three crusts of bread, with a piece of fried fish, and a dish of sour milk.  I smiled at their simplicity, and the great value they set on such trifles as these.  I stayed here, after this meal, two months; but saw nothing from him, although I had often met him in their friendly meetings.  I one day, however, rose up to his presence, and said: I have traveled the world over, and have seen kings; and now, I have been four months in thy territories, but no present, or even provision from thee, has yet reached me.  Now, what shall I say of thee, when I shall be interrogated on the subject hereafter?  Upon this, he gave me a house for my accommodation, with suitable provisions.  After this, the theologians visited me in the month of Ramadan and, out of their whole number, they gave me three and thirty methkals of gold.  

Of all people, the blacks debase themselves most in presence of their king: for when any one of them is called upon to appear before him, he will immediately put off his usual clothing, and put on a worn-out dress, with a dirty cap; he will then enter the presence like a beggar, with his clothes lifted up to the middle of his legs; he will then beat the ground with both his elbows, and remain in the attitude of a person performing a prostration.  When the Sultan addresses one of them, he will take up the garment off his back, and throw dust upon his head; and as long as the Sultan speaks, every one present will remain with his turban taken off.  

One of the best things in these parts is, the regard they pay to justice; for, in this respect, the Sultan regards neither little nor much.  The safety, too, is very great; so that a traveler may proceed alone among them, without the least fear of a thief or robber.  Another of their good properties is, that when a merchant happens to die among them, they will make no effort to get possession of his property: but will allow the lawful successors to it to take it.  Another is, their constant custom of attending prayers with the congregation; for, unless one makes haste, he will find no place left to say his prayers in.  Another is, their insisting on the Koran’s being committed to memory: for if a man finds his son defective to this, he will confine him till he is quite perfect, nor will he allow him his liberty until he is so.  As to their bad practices, they will exhibit their little daughters, as well as their male and female slaves, quite naked.  In the same manner will the women enter into the presence of the King, which his own daughters will also do.  Nor do the free women ever clothe themselves till after marriage.  The greatest part of them will eat stinking dead bodies, dogs, and donkeys.

Ibn Battuta sails along the east coast of Africa

I took ship at Aden, and after four days at sea reached Zayla [Zeila, on the African coast], the town of the Berberah, who are a negro people. Their land is a desert extending for two months' journey from Zayla to Maqdashaw [Mogadishu]. Zayla is a large city with a great bazaar, but it is the dirtiest, most abominable, and most stinking town in the world. The reason for the stench is the quantity of its fish and the blood of the camels that they slaughter in the streets. When we got there, we chose to spend the night at sea, in spite of its extreme roughness, rather than in the town, because of its filth.

The town of Mogadishu in Somalia 

I embarked at Maqdashaw [Mogadishu] for the Sawahil [Swahili] country, with the object of visiting the town of Kulwa [Kilwa, Quiloa] in the land of the Zanj. We came to Mambasa [Mombasa], a large island two days' journey by sea from the Sawihil country. It possesses no territory on the mainland. They have fruit trees on the island, but no cereals, which have to be brought to them from the Sawahil. Their food consists chiefly of bananas and fish. The inhabitants are pious, honourable, and upright, and they have well-built wooden mosques. 

Kulwa [Kilwa] on the African mainland 

We stayed one night in this island [Mombasa], and then pursued our journey to Kulwa, which is a large town on the coast. The majority of its inhabitants are Zanj, jet-black in colour, and with tattoo marks on their faces. I was told by a merchant that the town of Sufala lies a fortnight's journey [south] from Kulwa and that gold dust is brought to Sufala from Yufi in the country of the Limis, which is a month's journey distant from it. Kulwa is a very fine and substantially built town, and all its buildings are of wood. Its inhabitants are constantly engaged in military expeditions, for their country is contiguous to the heathen Zanj.