A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Vi Part 20

[Footnote 267: By verdigris is probably meant the Socotorine aloes.--Purch.]

Leaving Socotora, we were very near Aden in the morning of the 27th of January 1541, which was to the north-west, distant from us about 6 leagues. The wind being from the east and fair, we sailed W.S.W. and then knew that the land we had seen the evening before, thinking it an island, was the mountain of Aden. This mountain is very high and is full of crags on every side, with some very high peaks, like the hill of Cintra, having a n.o.ble appearance. This hill descends to the sea, into which it projects a very great and long cape or promontory; on each side of which there is a deep harbour or bay, the strong city of Aden being situated on that which is to the east of the cape. In ancient times the hill was called _Cabubarra_, famous among navigators, and the city of _Aden_ was then known by the name of _Madoca_. Within these three years, this city of Aden has fallen under the power of the Turks, being taken by the treachery of Solyman Pacha, governor of Cairo, in the following manner. At the request of the king of Cambaya and all the inhabitants of the _Straits of Mecca_[268], the grand Turk sent the governor of Cairo, Solyman Pacha eunuch, with a great fleet of s.h.i.+ps and gallies for India.

On coming to Aden, the king and inhabitants, fearing the treachery of the Turks, refused to allow them to come into their city, but supplied them, with all kinds of provisions and necessaries. As Solyman and his soldiers shewed no resentment, the king became rea.s.sured, and after many messages and declarations of friends.h.i.+p on both sides, consented to an interview with the Pacha on board his galley, that they might treat respecting the conquest on which the Pacha was bound. But the king was made prisoner by Solyman on board the galley; and the Turks landing possessed themselves of the city, before the gates of which the king was hanged next day. Whereupon Solyman left a garrison to keep possession of the city, and proceeded on his voyage to Diu.

[Footnote 268: This singular expression certainly means the Red Sea, which the Arabs often call the Straits of Mecca, or more properly the Gulf of Mecca; sometimes Bahr-hejaz, or the Sea of Hejaz, one of the provinces of Arabia.--E.]

From the Cape of _Guardafu_ on the coast of Africa, anciently called _Aromata_, and from the opposite promontory of _Siagros_ or Cape _Fartak_ in Asia, all the sea to the city of _the heroes_, now _Suez_, is called the _Arabian Gulf_, vulgarly the Red Sea. The distance between these two promontories may be 58 leagues. From these promontories the coast on both sides of this sea extends towards the west, nearly at the same distance, till they come to the two cities of _Aden_ in Arabia; and _Zeyla_ in Ethiopia or _Abexi_[269]; and from thence the two sh.o.r.es begin to approximate rapidly, with desert coasts and little winding, till they almost meet in the straits which are formed by two capes or promontories; that on the Arabian side being named _Possidium_ by the ancients, but I could never learn either the ancient or modern name of that on the side of Ethiopia[270]. This strait between the promontories is called by the neighbouring people and those who inhabit the coasts of the Indian ocean _Albabo_[271], which signifies the gates or mouths in the Arabic language. This strait is _six_ leagues across, in which s.p.a.ce there are so many islands, little islets, and rocks, as to occasion a suspicion that it was once stopped up. By those straits, sluices, and channels, there entereth so great a quant.i.ty of water, which produces so many and great creeks, bays, gulfs, and ports, and so many islands, that we do not seem to sail between two lands, but in the deepest and most tempestuous lake of the great ocean. Now returning to the mouths of the strait, which is the object of our description, we are to note that the land of Arabia at this place stretches out into the sea with a long and large point or promontory; and as there is a great nook or bay, it appears on coming from sea as if this cape were an island separate from the continent. This is what was named the promontory of _Possidium_ by Ptolemy. Not more than a stones throw from this promontory is a small islet called the Isle of the _Robones_. For _Roboan_[272]in Arabic signifies a pilot, and in this isle dwell the pilots who are in use to direct s.h.i.+ps coming from sea to the ports for which they are bound within the straits. This islet is round and quite flat, about the sixth part of a league in circuit, and the channel between it and the main land of Arabia may be crossed on foot at low water; but at one quarter-flood it becomes too deep for being waded. To seawards from this little island about a league from the coast is an island about a league and a half in length, which has a large haven on the side towards Ethiopia secure in all winds, where a large fleet of gallies may be safely harboured; but the side of this island towards Arabia has neither harbour nor landing-place[273]. This channel is easily sailed in the middle, steering N.W. and by W. from S.E. and by E. having 11 fathoms all through. It is all clean in every place, without flats, shoals, or any other obstruction, so that it may be pa.s.sed on either side or in the middle. The whole ground is a soft coral rock, with hardly any sand.

Being far within the channel, and going to seek the road or haven for shelter from the east winds which are here very strong, the depth somewhat diminishes, but is never less than 9 fathoms.

[Footnote 269: Meaning Aba.s.si, Abyssinia, or Habash.--E.]

[Footnote 270: The cape on the Arabian sh.o.r.e is called Arrah-morah, or of St Anthony, and that on the African _Jebul al Mondub_, or _Mandab_, which signifies the Mountain of Lamentation, as formerly explained respecting _Bab-al-Mandub_, the name of the straits--E.]

[Footnote 271: In Arabic _Al Bab_ is the gate, and _Al Abwah_ the gates.

By the Turks it is called _Bab Bogazi_, a general name for all straits; and _the babs_ by the English sailors.--Ast.]

[Footnote 272: Rather Roban or Ruban.--Ast.]

[Footnote 273: The island of Prin.--E.]

Besides this channel of the Arabians[274], there are many others by which we may safely enter the straits; but we shall only mention one other, which they called the channel of Abyssinia, between the _Island of the Gates_, or _Prin_, and the promontory opposite to _Possidium_, which is on the Abyssinian sh.o.r.e, and is about five leagues broad; but in this s.p.a.ce there are six great high islands, which being seen by sailors while without the straits are apt to put them in fear that there is no pa.s.sage that way; but between all these islands there are large channels of great depth all of which may be taken without danger, or leaving them all on the right hand, we may pa.s.s in safety between them and the coast of Abyssinia. At noon on the 29th of January 1541, I took the alt.i.tude of the sun, which at its great height rose 62-3/4 degrees above the horizon, the declination of this day being 15 degrees, whence the lat.i.tude of the promontory _Possidium_ and mouth of the straits is 12 15' N. The pilot took the same alt.i.tude with me, and being taken on the land, it cannot but be accurate.

[Footnote 274: From this expression it is probable that Don Juan had described the channel between the island of Pria and the sh.o.r.e of Arabia, or rather the pilot island.--E.]

SECTION III.

_Continuation of the Voyage, from the Straits of Bab-el-Man-dub, to Ma.s.sua_.

On the same night, two hours after midnight, we set sail from the mouth of the straits, and by day-light on the 30th we saw the land of both the Arabian and African coasts, being nearer to the latter. The wind blew hard at E.S.E. till noon, and we sailed to the N.W. and by W. making our way by a channel between the first islands and the coast of Abyssinia, till that day unknown to the Portuguese, being about 4 leagues distant from that coast. An hour after sunrise, we saw a range of islands along the coast, most of them low, stretching from S.E. to N.W. and which extended about 60 leagues. Continuing our course in this channel with a fair wind, we saw many little islands on either side, at whatsoever part we cast our eyes. In this channel of the _Abyssins_, as it is called, it is not proper to sail by night, nor unless the wind is in the p.o.o.p, as if the wind should change there is not room to turn to windward, neither can we come to anchor till so far forward _as the first of the first islands_, when we shall observe to seawards nine little islands, and from thence forwards the sea remains free and open to seaward, but towards the land there still are many islands. Some of these islands are about two leagues distant from the coast, but the greatest part of them are close to the land. The length of this channel, between the three first islands and the coast of Abyssinia is about 8 leagues, and the safest navigation is nearer the continent than the islands: But in my opinion no one ought to venture upon this pa.s.sage without a pilot of the country.

On the 31st day of January we came to a shoal with six fathoms water, and to seawards of which, over against certain islands called the Seven Sisters, there is a very dangerous rock as I was told by the Moorish pilots; so that the safe navigations in this part is to go between the shoal and the land, and in no case to pa.s.s to seawards of the shoal. At night we came to anchor in a haven named _Sarbo_, or _Sorbo_, in 9-1/2 fathoms water; having all this day seen many little islands close to the coast. On the 1st of February I landed at the port in this island of _Sarbo_ taking the pilot and master along with me, that we might all three take the alt.i.tude of the sun. At its greatest height it was scarce 71 above the horizon, and the declination of that day being 13 56', the lat.i.tude was 15 7' N. About 24 leagues short of Ma.s.sua, and 4 leagues from the Abyssinian coast, in lat. 15 N. there is a great cl.u.s.ter or archipelago of islands, some of which hardly rise above the surface of the sea, while others are so lofty that they seem to touch the clouds; and between these there are so many bays, ports, and harbours, that no wind can annoy us. All of these islands want water, except one very high island, called _Whale_ Island by the Portuguese, because it very much resembles one, in which there is water and plenty of cattle, with a large haven in which s.h.i.+ps may winter. Of all these islands, that which is most out to sea is called in Arabic _Sarbo_, where we now lay at anchor. The island of Sarbo is about a league in length and half a league broad, all low land with many low barren trees, and covered with gra.s.s. In every place we found the marks of men and cattle, but we only saw one camel, for which reason our men called it the Island of the Camel. Though we sought the whole island with much diligence we could find no water, except in one well dug in a stone which seemed intended to contain rain water. Between these islands there are numerous arms of the sea, reaches, and channels. At sunrise on the 4th of February, we set sail from the port of _Sarbo_. February 7th we sailed along many islands about three or four leagues distant from the main land, most of them very low, almost even with the sea. We pa.s.sed to seaward of them all about a league, and about even-song time, we saw to seawards of us a very long range of islands about 5 leagues in extent and about four leagues from us, which lay N.W. and S.W. as far as I could discern. The coast all this day trended N.W. and by W. and S.E.

and by E. so that the channel in which we sailed this day was about 5 leagues broad. The greatest part of this day I caused the lead to be constantly thrown, always having 25 fathoms on an ouze bottom.

Two hours after sunrise on the 8th of February we set sail, steering mostly to the N.W. and at sunset we were nearly entered into the channel between that point of _Dallac_ which looks to the continent, and an island called _Shamoa_[275]. But as night was coming on, and many of the galleons were far astern, so that it might be difficult for them to hit the channel, and as besides the wind was now scarce, we took in our sails, and with our foresails only _we went rummore_[276], sailing to the south-east, and two hours after night-fall we cast anchor in 40 fathoms water the ground ouzing. All this day we saw many islands along the coast, so low and flat that they seemed to have no surface above water. The coast stretched N.W. and S.E. to a low point which is as far forward as the island of _Dallac_. On doubling this point, a great bay or creek penetrates ten or twelve leagues into the land.

[Footnote 275: In Purchas these two last mentioned places are named Dalaqua and Xamea, the Portuguese expressing our _k_ by _qu_, and our _sh_ by _x_; but we have preferred the more ordinary mode of spelling in modern geography.--E.]

[Footnote 276: This expression is absolutely unintelligible, but in the context the s.h.i.+p is said to have returned to the south-east. It is used on a subsequent occasion apparently in the same sense, and perhaps means beating to windwards or drifting to leeward.--E.]

The Island of Dallac is very low land, almost level with the sea, having no mountain or any other height. In the common opinion it is 25 leagues long by 12 in breadth. The side of the island opposite to the south stretches E.S.E. and W.N.W. being all the coast which I could see, and along the coast lay great numbers of little islands, all very low, and having the same direction with the coast. I only went along this coast of the island seven leagues, at two leagues from the land, and though the lead was often cast I never found ground. The metropolitan city or chief town is situated almost on the point of the island which lieth on the west side, and is a frontier to Abyssinia. It is called _Dallaca_, whence the island took its name. _Dallac_, in the Arabic language signifies _ten lacs_, because in former times the custom-house of this city yielded that sum yearly to the king. Every Arabian _lac_ is 10,000 Xerephines; so that _ten lacs_ are worth 40,000 crusadoes[277]. The west point of the island, opposite to Abyssinia, is distant from the continent about 6 or 7 leagues, and in this s.p.a.ce there are five very flat islands. The first of these, one league from the point, called _Shamoa_, is two leagues in circuit, and contains some springs and wells. Between this island of _Shamoa_ and the western point of Dallac, is the princ.i.p.al and most frequented channel for going to _Ma.s.sua_. In this channel the water is 70 fathoms deep. The land of this island is red, and produces few trees, but plenty of gra.s.s. The king of it and all his people are Moors. He resides most part of the year at Ma.s.sua, because of the trade which he carries on with the Abyssinians. At present this island and Dallac yields very little profit; for since the rise of Suakem, Ma.s.sua, Aden, and Jiddah, it has lost its trade and reputation.

[Footnote 277: A Xerephine being 3s. 9d., a lac is L.1875 sterling, and ten lacs are consequently L.18,750.--E.]

The 12th of February the whole of our fleet came into the harbour of Ma.s.sua. Ma.s.sua is a small island very low and flat, in which anciently stood the city of _Ptolomaida of the wild beasts_. This island is in length about the fifth part of a league, and a caliver-shot in breadth, being situated in a large crooked nook or bay of the sea, and near the north-west head-land of the bay. The channel which divides it from the main land is about a falcon-shot across, and in some parts not so much, in which channel the harbour is situated, which is safe in all weathers, as all the winds that blow must come over the land, and it has not much current. The depth of water is eight or nine fathom with an ouze bottom.

The proper entrance into this port is on the north-east by the middle of the channel, between the island and the main; because from the point which runneth to the E.N.E. a shoal projects towards the land, and the continental point of the bay hath another projecting towards the point of the island, both of which make it necessary for s.h.i.+ps to avoid the land and to keep the mid-channel, which is very narrow and runs N.E. and S.W. Very near this island of Ma.s.sua, towards the south and the south-west, there are two other islands, that nearest the main land being the larger, and that more out to sea being smaller and very round.

These three islands form a triangle, being all very flat and barren, having no wells or springs; but in Ma.s.sua are many cisterns for the use of the inhabitants. There are many shoals interspersed among these islands, but there is a channel through among them, through which gallies and rowing vessels may pa.s.s at full sea. This island of Ma.s.sua, with all the coast from Cape _Guardafu_ to _Swakem_, was only a short time before under the dominion of _Prester John_; but within these few years the king or sheikh of _Dallac_ hath usurped it, and resides there the greater part of the year, because of the trade which he carries on with the Abyssinians, from whom he procures great quant.i.ties of gold and ivory. In the months of May and June, in consequence of excessive calm weather, the air of this island is exceedingly intemperate and unhealthy; at which season the sheikh and the other inhabitants go all to Dallac, leaving Ma.s.sua entirely empty. All the coast of the bay of Ma.s.sua on the main-land is extremely mountainous, till you come to a place called _Arkiko_[278] by the sea-side, where there are many wells of water, where the coast is more clear and open, with many fields and plains. Arkiko is about a league from Ma.s.sua to the south, and through all these mountains and fields there are many wild beasts, as elephants, tygers, wolves, wild boars, stags, and elks, besides others not known to us; whence Ma.s.sua was called _Ptolomaida of the wild beasts_, which is farther confirmed, as the lat.i.tude of Ma.s.sua is the same as that a.s.signed to _Ptolomaida_[279].

[Footnote 278: Arkiko, Arkoko, or Erkoko, by some erroneously called Erocco, and by De L'Isle, Arcua. In the edition of this journal by Purchas it is called Arquito.--Ast.]

[Footnote 279: These are no proofs that Ma.s.sua is on the spot formerly occupied by Ptolomaida; for the whole coast of Abyssinia is full of wild beasts, and since Ptolomy fixed the lat.i.tude solely by computed distances, it is next to impossible that these should exactly agree with real observations.--Ast.]

SECTION IV.

_Digression respecting the History, Customs, and State of Abyssinia_.

_Presbyter_ or _Prester John_, otherwise called _Prete Jani_, who is the king or emperor of the Abyssinians, is lord of all the land called anciently _Ethiopia sub Egypto_[280], or Lower Ethiopia; which is one of the most extensive dominions we know of in the world. This empire begins at Cape _Guardafu_, called anciently _Aromata_, whence running along the Red Sea, with desert and not very crooked coasts, it reaches to the boundaries of the rich city of _Swakem_. On the north side it borders on the warlike people of the _Nubys_, _Nuba_, or Nubians, who intervene between Abyssinia and the _Theabaid_ or Upper Egypt. From thence it reaches a great way inland to the kingdom of _Manicongo_, including part of _Lybia Inferior_, and other interior parts of Africa towards the west; whence turning behind the springs and lakes of the Nile through burning and unknown regions, it endeth in the south upon the _Barbarian Gulf_, now known to the Portuguese who navigate that gulf, as the coasts of _Melinda_ and _Magadoxa_. The Nile is still known by its ancient name, being called _Nil_ by the Abyssinians, Egyptians, Arabians, and Indians. The springs and lakes of this river are on the confines which separate the land of the Abyssinians from the Cafres that inhabit the continent behind Melinda and Mozambique, as I was informed by some great lords and other persons of Abyssinia, whence it appears that the ancients had little knowledge respecting the origin of this river.

Inquiring from these people, if it were true that this river did sink in many places into the earth, and came out again at the distance of many days journey, I was a.s.sured there was no such thing, but that during its whole course it was seen on the surface, having great breadth and depth, notwithstanding of what we read in the fifth book of the Natural History of Pliny. I made many inquiries respecting the causes of increase and overflowings of this river, which has been so much disputed by all the ancient philosophers, and received the most satisfactory solution of this question never before determined. Thus almost jestingly, and by means of very simple questions, I came to learn that which the greatest philosophers of antiquity were ignorant of.

[Footnote 280: That is Ethiopia _below_ Egypt, or more properly to the _south_ of Egypt. The expression _below_ seems ridiculous, as Abyssinia or Ethiopia containing the sources of the Nile must be _higher_ than Egypt at its mouth. But among Greek and Roman geographers, _above_ and _below_ meant respectively to the north and to the south.--E.]

The princ.i.p.al lords of Abyssinia informed me, that in their country the winter began in May, and lasted all June and July and part of August, in which latter month the weather becomes mild and pleasant. In June and July it is a great wonder if the sun ever make his appearance; and in these two months so great and continual are the rains that the fields and low grounds are entirely overflown, so that the people cannot go from one place to another. That this prodigious quant.i.ty of water hath no other issue or gathering-place excepting the Nile; as towards the Red Sea the country is entirely skirted by very high mountains. Hence that river must necessarily swell prodigiously and go beyond its ordinary bounds, as unable to contain such vast quant.i.ties of water, and overflows therefore both in Egypt and the other lands through which it pa.s.ses. And as the territories of Egypt are the most plain of these, of necessity the overflowing there must be the more copious, as the river has there more scope and freedom to spread out its waters than in the high and mountainous lands of Abyssinia. Now, it is manifest that the inundations of the Nile in Egypt always begin when the sun is in the summer solstice, which is in June, while in July the river increases in greater abundance, and in August, when the rains diminish in Abyssinia, the river decreases by similar degrees to its former increase. Hence the manifest cause of the increase of the Nile is from the great and continual rains that fall in Abyssinia during the months of June and July. I was myself in Ma.s.sua in the month of June and part of July, where I saw great storms of thunder and rain; and we saw within the continent great and constant black clouds; though the Abyssinians said what we saw was little in comparison of what it was in the inland country. We likewise know that the months of June and July are the winter season at the Cape of Good Hope and all the coast of Africa, where the rains are continual. I was likewise told that the Nile formed many islands, especially one exceedingly large, in which was a great and rich city; which on due consideration must be the Island of _Meroe_.

They told me also that on this great island, and all through the river, there were great numbers of fierce and pestiferous animals, which doubtless must be crocodiles. Enquiring if the river in a certain place fell from such a height, that with the noise of the fall those who inhabited the neighbouring towns were born deaf; they said that certainly in one place the river did fall over a great rock with a prodigious noise, but had no such effects.

As an extended account of the manners and customs of the Abyssinians would interfere with this journal, I must touch them only shortly, though most worthy of being known; more especially the causes of the overthrow and ruin of this empire in these our own days.

_Atini Tingill_, afterwards named David, _Prete Jani_ or Emperor of Ethiopia, reigning in the year 1530, became so cruel and tyrannized so much over his subjects that he incurred their universal hatred. At that time _Gradamet_, king of Zeyla, made war on Abyssinia, encouraged by the great enmity of the people against their sovereign, and perhaps secretly invited by some of the great lords of the kingdom. On entering into Abyssinia, and having reduced some towns and districts, Gradamet divided liberally the spoils among his warriors, among whom he had 300 Turkish arquebusseers, who formed the main strength of his army. He likewise enfranchised all the inhabitants of the towns through which he pa.s.sed, exempting the inhabitants from the taxes and impositions they had to pay to their sovereign, by which he gained to his party all the common people, and even many of the princ.i.p.al n.o.bles of the kingdom[281].

[Footnote 281: Of the cruelties of David, several examples are given in the journal of Alvarez, such as the death of two _Betudetes_, the chief justice, two _Tigre mahons_ or governors of Tigre, and four _Barnaga.s.soes_ or governors of the maritime country, in six years. This disposition increased with his years, and perhaps he intended to force some alteration in the religion of the country; which indeed sufficiently appears by his sending Alvarez and Bermudez as his amba.s.sadors to the Pope.--_Purchas_.]

King David sent an army against the king of Zeyla; but when the Turks began to shoot their calivers or arquebusses, among the Abyssinians, by which some of them were slain, they were seized with an universal panic and took flight. Proud of this victory, the king of Zeyla overrun the country, accompanied by a great number of Abyssinians, and advanced into that part of the south, towards Magadoxa and Melinda, where the vast treasures of the former kings of Abyssinia were secured on the top of an almost inaccessible mountain. Seeing every day the Abyssinians revolting to the Moors, David gathered a new army with which be marched against _Gradamet_ and joined battle, but was again completely defeated, chiefly, by means of the Turkish musqueteers: On which David withdrew to a strong post on a mountain, where in a few days he died, in the year 1539. After this great victory Gradamet marched immediately to the mountain where the treasure was deposited, which he a.s.saulted and took, gaining possession of the largest treasure that ever was known in the world. On the death of David, those of the n.o.bles who had continued to adhere to him, elected his eldest son in his stead, who was a young man under age; and that nothing might be wanting to a.s.sist the ruin of the kingdom, already almost irrecoverably reduced by the Moors, another party of the n.o.bles appointed a different son of the late king to succeed to the throne. In this hopeless condition of his affairs, the unfortunate youth, having to contend at the same time against foreign invasion and domestic division, withdrew for personal safety to the mountain of the Jews.

In the interior of Abyssinia there is a very large and high mountain which can only be ascended by one very difficult path, and on its summit there is a large plain, having abundance of springs, with numerous cattle, and even some cultivation. The inhabitants of this mountain observe the law of Moses. Though I have carefully inquired, I could never learn how this people came into Abyssinia, and wherefore they have never descended from their mountain to mix with the other inhabitants of the country. The young king received a friendly entertainment from these Jews, who acknowledged him as their sovereign, and defended him against the king of Zeyla, who was unable to force his way up the mountain, and had to retire. About this time we arrived at Ma.s.sua, which put the Moors in great fear, and inspired new courage into the hearts of the Abyssinians, insomuch that the young king left the mountain of the Jews and took up his quarters with his adherents in other mountains towards the sea coast and nearer to Ma.s.sua, whence he wrote many pitiful and imploring letters for a.s.sistance, to which favourable answers were returned giving him hopes of succour. We proceeded on our expedition to Suez; and being returned again to Ma.s.sua, it was ordained to send an auxiliary force of 500 men under a captain, which was accordingly done and we set sail on our way back to India. Since that time, I have not learnt any intelligence whatever respecting the affairs of Ethiopia[282].

[Footnote 282: The circ.u.mstances and fate of this Portuguese expedition into Abyssinia will be found in the next chapter of this work.--E.]

The Abyssinians are naturally ceremonious men, and full of points of honour. Their only weapons are darts, in which they figure to themselves the lance with which our Saviour was wounded, and the cross on which he died, though some wear short swords. They are very expert hors.e.m.e.n, but badly apparelled; and are much given to lying and theft. Among them riches are not computed by money, but by the possession of cattle and camels, yet gold is much valued. In their own country they are dastardly cowards, but in other countries valiant; insomuch that in India they say that a good _Lascarin_, or what we call a soldier, must be an Abyssinian; and they are so much esteemed in Ballagayat, Cambaya, Bengal, and other places, that they are always made captains and princ.i.p.al officers in the army. Their clothing is vile and poor. They wear linen s.h.i.+rts, and the great personages have a kind of upper garment called _Beden_. The vulgar people are almost quite naked. They eat _bollemus_ and raw flesh; or if held to the fire, it is so little done that the blood runs from it. In the whole land there are no cities or towns, so that they live in the field under tents and pavilions like the Arabs[283]. They pride themselves on believing that the queen of _Sheba_ was of their country, alleging that she took s.h.i.+pping at _Ma.s.sua_, though others say at _Swakem_, carrying with her jewels of great value when she went to Jerusalem to visit Solomon, making him great gifts, and returned with child by him.

[Footnote 283: The word used here in the edition of Purchas is _Alarbes_.--E.]

It is alleged in the history of Abyssinia, that when one of the Soldans of _Babylon_ in Egypt made war many years ago upon their emperor, he gathered a mult.i.tude of people and turned the course of the Nile, so that it might not run into Egypt[284]. The Soldan, amazed at this vast enterprize, which he believed would entirely ruin the land of Egypt, sent amba.s.sadors with great gifts, and made peace with the emperor, giving a privilege to the Abyssinians to pa.s.s through his country without paying tribute, when on their way to visit the holy sepulchre at Jerusalem, and the shrine of St Catharine on Mount Sinai. Some learned Moors whom I conversed with while in the Red Sea confirmed the truth of this relation.

[Footnote 284: According to Bermudez, this attempt was begun by _Ale Beale_, predecessor to _Onadinguel_ or _Atine-tingil_.--Astl.]

SECTION V.

_Continuation of the Journal of De Castro from Ma.s.sua to Swakem_.

We set sail at sun-rising on the 19th of February from the bay which is half a league beyond Ma.s.sua and half a league from the land. This day was very close and rainy, and numbering our fleet I found 64 rowing vessels; that is 3 galliots, eight small gallies, and 35 foists[285]. By night our north-west wind lulled, and it blew a little from the west. In the second watch it came on to rain; and in the middle of the morning watch we weighed anchor and rowed along sh.o.r.e till morning, during which time it rained hard. By evening of the 20th we were as far as the extreme point of the range of islands on the north side, about 14 leagues from Ma.s.sua. The coast from Ma.s.sua hither stretched N.N.W. and S.S.E. for these 14 leagues, and in some of the islands which lay to seaward we knew that there were cattle and water, with some few poor dwellings. The distance from these islands to the African coast might be about four leagues. The islands in this range having cattle and water are _Harate_, _Dohull_, and _Damanill_, which are all low and surrounded with shoals and flats. All the first watch of the night, having the wind fair at east, we sailed N.N.W. At the beginning of the second watch we came suddenly to certain very white spots, which threw out flames like lightning. Wondering at this strange event, we took in our sails believing we were upon some banks or shoals; but on casting the lead I found 26 fathoms. As this great novelty to us made no impression on the native pilots, and being in deep water, we made sail again. On the 21st at day light, we saw off to seawards a low island of which the Moorish pilot had been afraid in the night. At day light on the 22nd we again set sail, and at noon my pilot took the alt.i.tude of the sun, and found our lat.i.tude 18 30' N. At this time we were abreast of a very long point of sand projecting from the main-land. After doubling this point, we found the sea very free, and sailed N.W. and by W. One hour after noon we came to a haven called _Marate_. All the coast on our left hand during this day stretched N.N.W. and S.S.E. the land by the sea sh.o.r.e being very low with not even a hillock; but within the land the mountains rise to such a height that they seem to reach the clouds.

_Marate_ is a very low desert island and without water, 66 leagues beyond Ma.s.sua, of a roundish figure, and a league and a half in circuit.

It is about three leagues from the main, and on the S.W. side which fronts the Ethiopean coast it has a very good harbour, safe in all winds, especially those from the eastern points; as on this side two long points stretch out from the island east and west, one quarter N.W.

and S.E. between which the land straitens much on both sides, forming a very great and hollow bosom or bay, in the mouth and front of which there is a long and very low island, and some sands and shoals, so that no sea can come in. This haven has two entries, one to the east and the other to the west, both near the points of the island which form the harbour. The channel on the _east_ stretches N. and S. one quarter N.W.

and S.E. having three fathoms water in the shallowest place, after which it immediately deepens, and within the haven we have four and five fathoms near the sh.o.r.e, with a mud bottom. During the night the wind was from the east, but less than in the day, and we rode at anchor all night.