We Saw Them Make Signals From
Thence, And Imagining They Would Come To A Parley, Sent Out Our Boat
With
Two sailors and an Abyssin, putting the ships off from the
shore, to set them free from any suspicion of
Danger in coming down.
All this was to no purpose, they could not be drawn from the
mountain, and our men had orders not to go on shore, so they were
obliged to return without information. Soon after we discovered the
isle of Babelmandel, which gives name to the strait so called, and
parts the sea that surrounds it into two channels; that on the side
of Arabia is not above a quarter of a league in breadth, and through
this pass almost all the vessels that trade to or from the Red Sea.
The other, on the side of Aethiopia, though much larger, is more
dangerous, by reason of the shallows, which make it necessary for a
ship, though of no great burthen, to pass very near the island,
where the channel is deeper and less embarrassed. This passage is
never made use of but by those who would avoid meeting with the
Turks who are stationed on the coast of Arabia; it was for this
reason that we chose it. We passed it in the night, and entered
that sea, so renowned on many accounts in history, both sacred and
profane.
In our description of this famous sea, an account of which may
justly be expected in this place, it is most convenient to begin
with the coast of Arabia, on which part at twelve leagues from the
mouth stands the city of Moca, a place of considerable trade. Forty
leagues farther is the Isle of Camaram, whose inhabitants are
annoyed with little serpents, which they call basilisks, which,
though very poisonous and deadly, do not, as the ancients have told
us, kill with their eyes, or if they have so fatal a power, it is
not at least in this place. Sailing ninety leagues farther, you see
the noted port of Jodda, where the pilgrims that go to Mecca and
Medina unlade those rich presents which the zeal of different
princes is every day accumulating at the tomb of Mahomet. The
commerce of this place, and the number of merchants that resort
thither from all parts of the world, are above description, and so
richly laden are the ships that come hither, that when the Indians
would express a thing of inestimable price, they say, "It is of
greater value than a ship of Jodda." An hundred and eighteen
leagues from thence lies Toro, and near it the ruins of an ancient
monastery. This is the place, if the report of the inhabitants
deserves any credit, where the Israelites miraculously passed
through the Red Sea on dry land; and there is some reason for
imagining the tradition not ill grounded, for the sea is here only
three leagues in breadth. All the ground about Toro is barren for
want of water, which is only to be found at a considerable distance,
in one fountain, which flows out of the neighbouring mountains, at
the foot of which there are still twelve palm-trees.
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