I. 93. This account is
omitted in Astley's Collection, but inserted, here as a curious record
of the geographical knowledge of the Portuguese in those times. There
are numerous errors in this short geographical sketch, especially in the
names, measures, and latitudes; but it would load this portion of our
work too much with notes, and induce great confusion, to comment upon
every step of this survey. - E.]
The first, commencing at the mouth of the Red Sea in the west, reaches
to the mouth of the gulf of Persia, being the oceanic coast of Arabia.
From the mouth of the Red Sea in lat. 12 deg. 40' N. to the city of Aden, is
44 leagues: Thence to Cape Fartaque in lat. 12 deg. 30' N. is 100 leagues,
containing the towns of Abian, Ax, Canacan, Brun, Argel, Zebel which is
the metropolis, Herit, Cayem, and Fartach. Thence to Curia Muria is 70
leagues of coast, on which is the city of Dolfor, famous for
frankincense, and Norbate 20 leagues farther east. From Curia Muria to
Cape Ras-Algate, in lat. 22 deg. 30' N. is 120 leagues all barren and
desert. Here begins the kingdom of Ormuz, and hence to Cape Mozandan are
90 leagues, having the cities or towns of Colagate, Curiate, Mascate,
Soar, Calata, Orfacam, Doba, and Lima, 8 leagues from Monbazam which
Ptolomey calls Cape Assaborum in lat. 26 deg. N. All this track is called
Ayaman or Yemen by the Arabians, and was the Arabia Felix of the
ancients, because the most fertile and best inhabited country of all
Arabia.
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