On The 19th,
Every Thing Being Arranged At Aden, The Fleet Took In Water, Which
Occupied Them During Three Days; And On The 23d We Sailed From Aden With
A Good Wind, Steering W. By S. And Between The Evening And Morning
Proceeded 100 Miles.
The 24th at the 5th hour of the day, the fleet
entered the straits of the Red Sea, and lay all night at anchor.
On the
25th, being Christmas, we departed three hours before day, and sailing
to the N.W. with a scant wind, we ran 50 miles and came to a castle
called Mokha. The same day, an old Turk who was governor of the castle
came to wait upon Solyman, who received him with great honour and gave
him a caftan. In return the governor sent every kind of refreshment that
the place could supply to the Pacha; and came a few days afterwards on
board with all his riches, which were very great, besides many slaves of
both sexes.
[Footnote 234: These fouts, so often mentioned in this chapter, were
probably grabs or jerbs, a large species of barks employed in their
navigations by the Arabs of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. - E.]
From Mokha the Pacha sent a messenger to the sheikh or king of Zabid,
who was a Turk named Nokoda Hamet, commanding him to come immediately
to the sea-side and pay his obeisance to the sultan. The sheikh sent
back for answer, that he was ready to pay the tribute due to the sultan,
and would willingly accept a Sanjak or banner if sent to him; but that
he did not know the Pacha and would not come to the sea-side. The Pacha
was much displeased at this, yet sent his Kiahya and some janizaries to
Zabid, which is three days journey inland, to carry a standard to the
sheikh. In return the sheikh made him a rich present, in which was a
splendid scymeter and dagger, with some beautiful pearls of six carats
forming a string above a foot in length, besides one fine pearl of
eighteen carats: for a great deal of fine oriental pearls are found in
this coast of Arabia. He likewise gave each of the Turks two rich-vests
or caftans, and a young black slave. The Kiahya made him many
compliments, and entreated him to wait upon the Pacha; but the sheikh
would on no account consent. Finding that he could not prevail upon him,
the Kiahya said, "Since you will not go to the Pacha, he will come to
you:" And so took his leave and returned to Mokha.
We remained twenty-nine days at Mokha, which we left at sunrise on the
23d of January 1539 with a brisk gale, and sailed W. by N. till noon;
when the wind altered and we proceeded N.W. going in all 100 miles that
day. The 24th we continued to the N.W. under easy sail with a fair wind
30 miles during the day; and by the sixth hour of the night, we cast
anchor at the island of Khamaran, 20 miles farther. The Pacha landed
on the 29th, and gave pay to all the janizaries who were willing to
fight, but nothing was given to the slaves and mariners. The 2d of
February, the weather being calm, we left Khamaran by the help of our
oars, and came about six o'clock to a place on the coast called Kubit
Sarif[235], 20 miles from Khamaran.
[Footnote 235: In the edition of Aldus, this place is here named
Khebiccairf; but afterwards Kubit Sarif as in the text. In Ramusio it
is named Kobbat Sharif, signifying the noble dome, which is probably
the right name. - Astl. I. 98. a.]
SECTION VIII
Transactions of the Pacha at Zabid, and continuation of the Voyage from
Kubit Sarif.
On the 3d of February, the day after our arrival at Kubit Sarif, a Turk
in the service of the sheikh of Zabid[236] revolted with fifty horse and
came to the Pacha, who received him kindly and gave him presents. This
man encamped with his followers on the shore, and we noticed that in
this country they had their horses in armour, to defend them against
darts and arrows which are their chief weapons. The Pacha landed on the
fourth, ordering his men to be got ready with provisions and ammunition,
in order to march for Zabid, and directed some light pieces of artillery
to be put on carriages to accompany him. The Pacha set out on his march
on the 19th, three hours before day on horseback, and was joined on the
road by another Turk with fifty horse, who had deserted from the sheikh.
Him the Pacha made free, and continued his march. He encamped on the
20th on the outside of the city of Zabid, and sent a message to order
the sheikh to wait upon him. Seeing himself betrayed by many of his own
people, and distrusting the fidelity of the rest, the sheikh came forth
with a cord about his neck, as the slave of the grand signior, and
presented himself before the Pacha, who immediately commanded his head
to be cut off. On this the people of the city, to the number of three
hundred men, fled to the mountains, among whom were three chiefs with
all their riches, which were very considerable, yet knew not where to
go. The Pacha sent to tell those who had escaped, that they ought to
return and join him, promising to enroll them among his troops and to
give them good pay. Accordingly there came back 200 black
Abissins[237], who had been soldiers in the service of the sheikh.
These were valiant desperate fellows almost naked, who did not value
their lives, and were almost as swift as horses. For arms, some carried
clubs of the cornel tree headed with iron, others had pointed stakes
which they used like darts, others again had short swords, a span
shorter than those used by the Christians, and everyone had a dagger at
his girdle, bent like those used, by the Moors and Arabs.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 119 of 217
Words from 120496 to 121528
of 221361
