On These Occasions Most Of The Stones Brought Up Were Of Red
Coral, And Others Were Covered By Orange-Tawny Weeds.
Whether the sea
appeared green, I found the stones at the bottom were white coral
covered with green weeds; and where the sea was white I found a very
white sand.
I have conversed often with the Moorish pilots, and with
persons curious in antiquities, who dwelt on this sea, who assured me
that it was never stained red by the dust brought from the land by the
winds: I do not, however reprove the opinion of former Portuguese
navigators; but I affirm, that having gone through this sea oftener than
they, and having seen its whole extent, while they only saw small
portions, I never saw any such thing. Every person with whom I conversed
wondered much at our calling it the Red Sea, as they knew no other name
for it than the sea of Mecca[335]. On the 9th of August 1541, we entered
the port of Anchediva, where we remained till the 21st of that month,
when we went in foists or barks and entered the port of Goa, whence we
set out on this expedition on the 31st of December 1540, almost eight
months before.
[Footnote 335: This might have been the case among the pilots at this
time; but among Arabic geographers it is likewise called the Sea of
Hejaz, the Sea of Yaman, and the Sea of Kolzum. - Astl.]
Table of Latitudes observed in the Journal of Don Juan[336].
Deg.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 565 of 809
Words from 154176 to 154434
of 221361
