The
Second Island Lies Considerably Out To Sea, And Is Called Al Mante,
And Is High Land Without Water; The Third Island Is All Sand And Quite
Low, Being Four Leagues From Salaka Towards Ras-Al-Dwaer, But I Did
Not Learn Its Name.
[Footnote 294:
Meaning perhaps the sandy point near Ras-al-Dwaer. This
paragraph is very obscure, and seems to want something, omitted perhaps
by the abbreviator. - Astl.]
On the 2d of April 1541, casting loose from the before-mentioned shoal,
which is 43 leagues beyond Swakem, we rowed along the coast, and
entered a river called Farate, about four leagues from the shoal;
whence setting our sails we got into a fine haven a league from thence
called Kilfit. All this day we saw no rocks to landward, but there was
a shoal to seaward. Farate is a large and fair river, the mouth of
which is in lat. 21 deg.40' N. Its mouth is formed by two low points about a
gun-shot apart, from each of which a shoal stretches towards the middle,
where only there is any passage. The river runs from the west to the
east, having very low land on both sides, without either tree or shrub
or bush of any kind. At the entrance it is 30 fathoms deep, and from
thence diminishes to 18 fathoms. Kilfit is a fine harbour and very
safe, as when once in, no wind whatever need be feared. There are at the
entry two very low points bearing N.W. 1/4 N. and S.E. 1/4 S. distant
near a quarter of a league. It is rather more than three leagues in
circuit, and every part of it is safe anchorage, having 12 fathoms water
throughout; the shore is however rocky. This harbour is rather more than
a league from the river of Farate, between which is a range of
mountains, one of which is higher than the others. We left Kilfit on
the 3d, an hour before day, and rowed along the coast till an hour
before sunset, when we anchored in a haven called Ras al Jidid, or the
new cape, about nine leagues from Kilfit. This day we saw a few shoals
to seawards, but fewer than before. Two leagues from Kilfit there is a
very good haven named Moamaa; and from the point of the shrubs to
another very long sandy point, about two leagues distant, before the
port of Ras-al-Jidid, the coast runs N. and S. with a small deviation
to the N.W. and S.E. the distance being about three and a half
leagues[295]. Ras-al-Jidid[296] is a small but very pleasant haven, 57
leagues beyond Swakem, and so exactly circular that it resembles a great
cauldron. There are two points at its entrance bearing N. and S. and on
the inside the eastern winds only can do harm. All the ground is very
clean, having 18 fathoms at the mouth and 13 within; and half a league
inland there is a well of water, though not very plentiful, and
bitterish.
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