It may be presumed that the position given by Ptolomy is
merely accidental, resulting from computed distances; and Pliny only
speaks from the authority of Ptolomy.
In all probability Al Kossir, to
be afterwards mentioned, is the Berenice of the ancients. - Astl.]
Half an hour before sunset, we came to an island called Shwarit, but
passing onwards a quarter of a league we came to some shelves of sand
and others of rock, and anchored between them in a good harbour called
Sial. These shelves and this port are 103 leagues beyond Swakem. On
these shelves we saw a much greater quantity of sea-fowl than had been
seen in any part of the Red Sea. From Ras-al-Nashef to the island of
Shwarit may be between 16 and 17 leagues. After passing Cape
Ras-al-Nashef, or the N.W. point of the great bay, the coast winds
very much, running into the land, and pushing out again a very long
point of land called Ras-al-nef, which two points bear from each other
N.E. and S.W. almost 1/4 more N. and S. distant about six leagues large.
From Ras-al-nef forwards, the coast winds directly to the N.W. till we
come to Swarit, the distance being between 10 and 11 leagues. In this
distance the sea is only in three places foul with shoals; first to
seaward of the island of Connaka, where there is a large fair shoal
rising above water in a great ridge of large rocks; and running a long
way toward the land; the second place is at the island of Shwarit,
as both to the east and west of this island great shoals and flats
stretch towards the main-land, so as apparently to shut up the sea
entirely between that island and the main; the third is at this
harbour of Sial where we anchored, where the sea is studded thick with
innumerable shoals and flats, so that no part remains free.
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