Fua Mulaku 

HCP BELL 

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Fua Mulaku in sight, westward at dawn. By 7 a.m. the ship was able to approach the island with perfect safety, so close to owing to "no soundings," as to lie off " 500 yards only from the nearest coconut tree".* Landed after some delay in a boat of the islanders, which had come out with 'Ali Didi, the Goiveri, or Headman of the island, to take us ashore.

Taking Mr. Silva and the Malay, and accompanied by Ismail Didi as usual, we had again the pleasurable company of two officers of the cruiser, Paymaster Cross and Sergeon-Lieut. Fitzmaurice.  

The landing place (called Rasgefanne), the only one on this side of the island, is said to be the best. The beach is not formed of the usual flat sand but steeply shelving bank of loose coral shingle, differing strangely from that found elsewhere through out the Maldives. (teste that peripatetic old Maldivian, Ismail Didi) which provided amusing "treadmill work"  for the feet at each step upwards.

Even from the quarter-deck of the "comus" a ruined Dagaba ( with coconut trees growing upon the mound) stood out boldly at the north end of the island.

A large gathering, male and female alike, thronged the shore-men, woman and children are equally pressing forward with liveliest interest-to gaze upon the unwanted sight of European strangers.

Here no more than at Addu Atoll, did the women slip away, or keep at a distance, with that elusive bashfulness, possibly half-feigned, observable at Male'. There the woman and girls, who may regular be observed stealthily peering through garden gateways or over cadjan fences, "bolt" incontinently for the nearest shelter when met on the sudden. In striking contrast, these southern Maldive women exhibit the unsophisticated simplicity and natural fearless bearing of animals in a "Game Sanctuary" ; rare or never having seen alien man, they have not yet learnt to doubt him.

RUINS

 At once started, with a posse of islanders, to examine the "Havitta" (Sin. Chaitya) _ the name here applied to the Dagaba ruins, as "Ustubu" is at Addu. This involved a walk of about 1 1/2 or 2 miles; for at least half the distance along the most perfectly shaded and well-kept thoroughfare imaginable. The roads and streets seen at Fua Mulaku are all trimly conserved, and, as befits a Muslim regime, lined for privacy with cadjans wherever dwellings and gardens exist. The luxuriance of the undergrowth, the exceptional magnitude of the trees, (breadfruit and particular), and their great variety, was a matter of ceaseless wonder and delight, adding enhanced enjoyment to this wholly unique excursion.

"Havitta" Sthupa

The ruins stand not far from the eastern shore at the Northern point of the island, separated from the wooded and inhabited village by half a mile or so of open land. The Fua Mulak Islanders (advised in good time by the boat of twenty-four rowers dispatched from Hithadhoo, Addu Atol, on the 12th) had cleared well all round the base of the mound, where Pandanus, Scaevola, &c., grew thickly, and freed its slopes. from vegetation except a few coconut trees, leaving the Havitta ruin, so far as it has survived, quite bare for inspection.

Here then at last was the definite realization of a Cylone Archaeologist's dream of years-- an actual Sthupa beyond all cavil among the Atols, affording tangible answer-if the Usthubu mound of Gan were insufficient evidence- to the query so long unsolved "Did Buddhism ever exist in the Maldives"?

Most regrettably, absolute want of time (the "comus" had to stream off within an hour or two after noon to reach Ma'le without fail to-morrow) prohibited any possibility of doing more than examine and record, however hurriedly, the salient superficial characteristics of the Dagaba, which fortunately are very marked in places.

Under direct personal supervision, Mr. Silva, and the equally active Malay peon, took such measurements as could be jotted down in untoward circumstances; the former adding note-book sketches of the ruin and its moldings, &c.

Photographs of the "Havitta" were secured from different points.

On getting back to the village, wearied but justifiably jubilant, we were almost hospitably entertained by the Goiveri, Ali Didi, at his tiled house, which resembles that of his namesake at Hitadu' in many respects. A verandah, about six feet wide, leading into a large inner room, with a second of it to right; behind lie further rooms, including the ladies apartments. The front room held several "setties" and one of the characteristic Maldivian "swinging couches" (M. odo'li). In addition to the cooked meal ready prepared, pineapples and oranges, a rear treat at the Maldives_ were produced for our further refreshment.

Subsequently interested to meet, and ask many question of, several fine old men in robust health, direct descendants of Ibrahim F'amuderi Kile'gefa'nu, ultimately banished to Fua Mulaku after the tragic death of his father Sulta'n Mohammad Ghiya's-ud-din murdered A.C 1774.

In proof of the islander's skill in weaving, Ali Didi exhibited some unworn fe'li and liba's of fine texture woven on Fuvah Mulaku itself; and-mirable-dictu-astounded us by the quaint present of half-a-dozen most creditable cakes of stamped soap, also made locally!

After breakfast a visit was hastily paid to a fresh-water lake (called Banda'ra Kuli), 200 to 300 yards long, which is less than half a mile from the house, and a photograph taken of Hukuru Miskit the island's Chief Mosque ; but our times was too limited to permit of any other excursion further afield. 

Several delightful days -not a few brief hours, all that fate could now allot-might be spent most profitably in unraveling the full history, social economy, and distinctive custom of this "lovely gem of Ma'ldive seas," still practically unknown. Such good fortune may perchance some day fall to a luckier wonderer : for us-

"Isle of Beauty, fare thee well." Ave atque Vale.

Article taken from: THE MALDIVE ISLANDS_ HCP BELL