306 HISTORY OF THE PROPAGATION the work of conversion was fairly commenced upon, Was rapid, and as complete as the genius of society among the people would permit. The period of the conversion of the great tribes of the western portion of the Archipelago^ may, indeed, I think, be pointed out particularly, as the most flourishing period of Hinduism in Java, as I have endeavour- ed to show, ill the account of ancient religion and antiquities. On the other hand, the era of its de- cline was that of the successful propagation of Ma- homedanism. That the Mahomedans frequented the island of Java long previous to the establishment of their reli- gion, is determined with certainty, by the existence of their burying grounds, on more than one part of the north coast, where tombs are found of a date nearly a whole century earlier than the fall of Mo- jopahit ; and an unsuccessful attempt to convert some of the Sunda tribes is said to have been made as early as the year of Salivana 1250, or 1328 of Christ. In the more populous and civilized eastern districts, an attempt to propagate Mahomedanism was made in 1313 of the era of Salivana, or 1391 of Christ, by a foreigner called Raja Charmen, and by an Arab of the name of Maulana Ibrahim, The latter lived at Garsik, after this unsuccessful, and, apparently, imprudent and premature attempt, and died there, in 1334 of Salivana, A. D. 1412. In the history of the conversion of the Indiaa
