An inhabitant of Pate village rides his donkey through ruins on the outskirts of modern Pate Village. With no roads or motor vehicles on the island, donkeys are used widely to ride or transport goods from one village to another.Pate was established by Arabs from Arabia in the 13th century, or possibly earlier. By the time Portuguese seafarers reached there in the 16th century, the place was in decline although it was still famous for making silk cloth. Its importance declined further when its ruling family was driven from the island by the Sultan of Zanzibar in 1865. The place has never regained its former glory.