The Sea Between
Toro And Suez Is Subject To Sudden And Violent Tempests; As When The
Wind Blows From The
North, which is the prevailing wind here, although
not very great, the sea is wonderfully raised, the waves being
everywhere
So coupled together and broken that they are very dangerous.
This is not occasioned by shallow water, as this channel is very deep,
only that on the Egyptian side it is somewhat shoaly close to the shore.
"About this place I saw certain sea foams otherwise called evil
waters, the largest I had ever seen, being as large as a target, of a
whitish dun colour. These do not pass lower than Toro; but below that
there are infinite small ones, which like the other are bred in and go
about the sea[324]." While between Toro and Suez, though the days were
insufferably hot, the nights were colder than any I ever met with.
[Footnote 324: This passage respecting sea foams or evil waters is
altogether unintelligible, unless perhaps some obscure allusion to
water-spouts maybe supposed. - E.]
SECTION IX.
Return Voyage from Suez to Massua.
In the morning of the 28th of April 1541 we departed from before Suez on
our return to Massua[325]. At sunset we were one league short of a sharp
red peak on the coast, 20 leagues from Suez. At night we took in our
sails and continued along shore under our foresails only, the wind
blowing hard at N.N.W. Two hours within the night, we came to anchor
near the shore in 3 fathoms, the heavens being very dark and covered by
many thick black clouds. The 29th we weighed in the morning, and came
into the port of Toro at nine o'clock, but soon weighed again, and came
to anchor a league farther on, in a haven called Solymans watering
place, where we took in water, digging pits in the sand a stones throw
from the sea, where we got abundance of brackish water. Leaving this
place in the morning of the 30th, we anchored at 10 in the morning at
the first of the three islands, which are two leagues N.W. of the island
of Sheduam. I went on shore here with my pilot, when we took the suns
altitude a little less than 80 deg.; and as the declination that day was
17 deg.36' the latitude of this island is 27 deg.40' N. At sunset on the 1st of
May we set sail, and by even-song time we came to an island, two leagues
long, which thrusts out a point very close to the main land, between
which and the island is a singularly good harbour for all weathers, fit
for all the ships in the world. The 2d at sunset we came to anchor in
the port of Goelma[326], which is safe from N. and N.W. winds, but
only fit for small vessels. A short space within the land is the dry bed
of a brook, having water during the floods of winter descending from the
mountains. Digging a little way we found fresh water. There is a well
here also, but not abundant in water. This port, the name of which
signifies in Arabic the port of water, is N.N.W. of al Kessir,
distant 4 leagues.
[Footnote 325: The fleet seems only to have been before Suez from 3
o'clock on the afternoon of the 27th of April till the morning of next
day the 28th, or rather Don Juan only went forwards to examine the
possibility of landing. Yet De Faria says, II. 23. "That after many
brave attempts made by several to view and sound the harbour, Don
Stefano landed with his men, and being repulsed, chiefly by means of an
ambush of 2000 horse, was obliged to retire." The silence of Don John
respecting any military operations, and the shortness of time, leaves
hardly room to suppose that any were attempted. - E.]
[Footnote 326: Rather Kallama or Kalla'lma, - Astl.]
The 4th of May we rowed along shore, and came to anchor near sunset, in
a small but excellent harbour named Azallaihe, two leagues S.E. beyond
Shakara between that place and the black hillock. We lay at anchor
all night, the wind at N.N.W. Bohalel Shame is a deep, safe, and
capacious port, in which many ships may ride at anchor. It was named
from one Bohalel, a rich chief of the Badwis who dwelt in the inland
country, and used to sell cattle to the ships frequenting this port.
Shame signifies land or country; so that Bohalel Shame signifies the
Land of Bohalel[327]. At this place we found an honourable tomb within a
house like a chapel, in which hung a silk flag or standard, with many
arrows or darts round the grave, and the walls were hung round with many
bulls[328]. On an upright slab or table at the head of the grave there
was a long inscription or epitaph, and about the house there were many
sweet-scented waters and other perfumes. From the Moors and Arabs I was
informed that an Arabian of high rank of the lineage of Mahomet was here
buried; and that the Sharifs of Jiddah and other great prelates gave
indulgences and pardons to all who visited his sepulchre: But the
Portuguese sacked the house and afterwards burnt it, so that no vestige
was left. On the shore of this harbour we saw many footsteps of tigers
and goats, as if they had come here in search of water.
[Footnote 327: Rather perhaps Bohalel Shomeh, meaning the lot or
portion of Bohalel. - Astl.]
[Footnote 328: Perhaps Bells. - E.]
Having often occasion to mention the Badwis or Bedouins while
voyaging along the coasts of their country, it may be proper to give
some account of that people. These Badwis are properly the
Troglodites ophiofagi, of whom Ptolemy, Pomponius Mela, and other
ancient writers make mention.
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