MALDIVES NO FURTHER A MYSTERY

"It is actually more robust than hemp," wrote Ibn Battuta, "and is used to sew alongside one another the planks of Sindhi and Yemeni dhows, for this sea abounds in reefs, and When the planks had been fastened with iron nails, they'd crack into parts if the vessel strike a rock. The coir offers the boat larger elasticity, to ensure that it will not