*

carried Mahomet Abd-el-cader, governor of Dahalac, over to his government. Dahalac is a large island, depending upon Masuah, but which has a separate firman, or commission, renewed every two years. This man was a Moor, a servant of the Naybe of Masuah, and he had been at Jidda to procure his firman from Metical Aga, while Mahomet Gibberti was to come with me, and was to bring it to the Naybe.This Abd-el-cader no sooner was arrived at Masuah, than, following the turn of his country for lying, he spread a report, that a great man, or prince, whom he left at Jidda, was coming speedily to Masuah; that he had brought great presents to the Sheriffe and Metical Aga; that, in return, he had received a large sum in gold from the Sherriffe's Vizir, Yousef Cabil; besides as much as he pleased from the English, who had done nothing but feast and regale him for the several months he had been at Jidda; and that, when he departed, as this great man was now going to visit the Imam in Arabia Felix, all the English ships hoisted their colours, and fired their cannon from morning to night, for three days successively, which was two days after he had sailed, and therefore what he could not possibly have seen. The consequence of all this was, the Naybe of Masuah expected that a man with immense treasures was coming to put himself into his hands. I look, therefore, upon the danger I escaped there as superior to all those put together, that I have ever been exposed to: of such material and bad consequence is the most contemptible of all weapons, the tongue of a liar, and a fool!

Jidda is in lat. 21° 28′ 1′′ north, and in long. 39° 16′ 45′′ east of the meridian of Greenwich. Our weather there had few changes. The general wind

* The island of the Shepherds.

wind was north-west, or more northerly. This, blowing along the direction of the Gulf, brought a great deal of damp along with it; and this damp increases as the season advances. Once in twelve or fourteen days, perhaps, we had a south wind, which was always dry. The highest degree of the barometer at Jidda, on the 5th of June, wind north, was 26° 6′, and the lowest on the 17th of same month, wind north-west, was 25° 7'. The highest degree of the thermometer was 97° on the 12th of July, wind north, the lowest was 78° wind north.

CHAP. XII.

Sails from Jidda-Konfodah-Ras Heli boundary of Arabia Felix-Arrives at Lobeia-Proceeds to the Straits of the Indian Ocean-Arrives there-Returns by Azab to Loheia.

It

was on the 8th of July, 1779, I sailed from the harbour of Jidda on board the same vessel as before, and I suffered the Rais to take a small loading for his own account, upon condition that he was to carry no passengers. The wind was fair, and we sailed through the English fleet at their anchors. As they all honoured me with their regret at parting, and accompanied me to the shore, the Rais was surprised to see the respect paid to his little vessel as it passed under their huge sterns, every one hoisting his colours, and saluting it with eleven guns, except the ship belonging to my Scotch friend, who shewed his colours, indeed, but did not fire a gun, only standing upon deck, he cried with the trumpet, "Captain wishes Mr Bruce a good voyage." I stood upon deck, took my trumpet, and answered, " Mr Bruce wishes Captain a perfect return of his understanding;" a wish, poor man, that has not yet been accomplished, and very much to my regret, it does not appear probable that ever it will. That night having passed a cluster

of shoals, called the shoals of Safia, we anchored in a small bay, Mersa Gedan, about twelve leagues from the harbour of Jidda.

The 9th of July, we passed another small road, called Goofs, and, at a quarter past nine, Raghwan, east north-east two miles, and, at a quarter past ten, the small port of Sodi, bearing east north-east at the same distance. At one and three quarters, we passed Markat, two miles distant north-east by east; and a rock called Numan, two miles distant to the south-west. After this the mountain of Somma, and, at a quarter past six, we anchored in a small unsafe harbour, called Mersa Brahim, of which we had seen a very rough and incorrect design in the hands of the gentlemen at Jidda. I have endeavoured, with that draught before me, to correct it so far that it may now be depended

upon.

The 10th, we sailed, at five o'clock in the morning, with little wind, our wind south and by west; I suppose we were then going something less than two knots an hour. At half after seven we passed the island Abeled, and two other small mountains that bore about a league south-west and by west of us. The wind freshened as it approached mid-day, so that at one o'clock we went full three knots an hour, being obliged to change our course according to the lying of the islands. It came to be about south south-east in the end of the day.

At a quarter after one, we passed Ras el Askar, meaning the Cape of the Soldiers, or of the Army. Here we saw some trees, and, at a considerable distance within the main, mountains to the north-east of us. At two o'clock we passed in the middle channel, between five sandy islands, all covered with kelp, three on the east, or right hand, and two on the west. They are called Ginnan el Abiad, or the White Gar

dens, I suppose from the green herb growing upon the white sand. At half after two, with the same wind, we passed an island bearing east from us, the main about a league distant. At three, we passed close to an island bearing south-west of us, about a mile off. It is of a moderate height, and is called Jibbel Surreine. At half past four, our course was south-east and by south; we passed two islands to the south-east of us, at two miles, and a smaller, west south-west, a quarter of a mile distant. From this to the main will be about five miles, or something more. At fifty minutes after four, came up to the island, which reached to Konfodah. We saw to the west, and west south-west of us, different small islands, not more than half a mile distant. We heaved the line, and had no soundings at thirty-two fathom, yet, if any where, I thought there we were to find shoal water. At five o'clock, our course being south-east, and by south, we passed an island a quarter of a mile to the west of us, and afterwards a number of others in a row; and, at half past eight, we arrived at an anchoring-place, but which cannot be called a harbour, named Mersa Hadou.

The 11th, we left Mersa Hadou at four o'clock in the morning. Being calm, we made little way; our course was south south-east, which changed to a little more easterly. At six, we tacked to stand in for Konfodah harbour, which is very remarkable for a high mountain behind it, whose top is terminated by a pyramid, or cone, of very regular proportion. There was no wind to carry us in; we hoisted out the boat which I had bought at Jidda for my pleasure and safety, intending it to be a present to my Rais at parting, as he very well knew. At a quarter past eight, we were towed to our anchorage in the harbour of Kon fodah.