After Getting To
Anchor Near A Town Called Gallanza, The General Informed Me That The
People Of The Island Had
Confirmed what he already much feared, that the
easterly monsoon was already come, and all our hopes of getting to
Cambaya were frustrated for nine months; but of this we expected to be
better informed by the king of the island at Tamarin, where he resides.
The 20th, we got to anchor at a point six leagues short of Tamarin, and
five leagues from the point of Gallanzoe; but weighing next day with a
small promising breeze, we were forced back by the current again athwart
the town of Gallanza, and had to cast anchor far out in a great depth.
The 22d being full moon, it was high water about nine p.m. and I judged
that it flowed between ten and eleven feet, the flood-tide setting to
the northward, close by the shore.
The 25th, about 11 a.m. we anchored in eight fathoms, a mile from shore,
right over against the town of Tamarin, where the king's house is north
from the castle, on the top of the hill above the town. At anchoring, we
saluted the king with nine guns, and the general sent Mr Femell ashore
handsomely attended in the pinnace, with a fine crimson awning, to
present the king a fair gilt cup of ten ounces weight, a sword-blade,
and three yards of stammel [red] broad-cloth. The king was ready at
the shore to receive him, in an orange-tawny tent, attended by the
principal of his people, being Arabs, and a guard of small shot. He
thankfully received the present, promised water free, and any thing else
the island afforded at reasonable price; but they had suffered a two
years drought, and consequently had little to spare. He had no aloes for
sale, having sent the whole produce to the Red Sea. He informed Mr
Femell, that the Ascension and her pinnace came there in February, and
went in company with a Guzerat ship to the Red Sea, whence both returned
to Socotora and took in water, departing for Cambaya. That his own
frigate being afterwards at Basseen, near Damaun, in India, was informed
by the Portuguese, that the Ascension and pinnace were both lost, but
the men saved, having come too soon upon the coast, before the bad
weather of winter was over. After a conference of more than an hour, the
king sent the general a present of twelve goats.
This king of Socotora was named Muley Amor ebn Sayd, being only
viceroy under his father, who is King of Fartak, in Arabia, not far from
Aden, and comes into the sea at Camricam..[351] He said his father was
at war with the Turks of Aden in his own defence, for which reason he
refused to give us a letter for the governor of Aden, as it would do us
harm. The people in Socotora on which the king depends are Arabs, the
original natives of the island being kept under a most servile slavery.
The merchandise of this island consists of Aloes Socotarina, of which
they do not make above a ton yearly; a small quantity of Sanguis
draconis, some of which our factors bought at twelve-pence a pound;
dates, which serve them instead of bread, and which the king sells at
five dollars the hundred [weight?] Bulls and cows we bought at twelve
dollars a-piece; goats for a dollar; sheep half a dollar; hens half a
dollar; all exceedingly small conformable with the dry rocky barrenness
of the island; wood cost twelve-pence for a man's burden; every thing in
short was very dear. I know of nothing else the island produces, except
rocks and stones, the whole country being very dry and bare.
[Footnote 351: We cannot tell what to make of this remark in the text.
Purchas, who has probably omitted something in the text, puts in the
margin, King of Fartak, or Canacaym; which does not in the least
elucidate the obscurity, unless we suppose Canacaym an error for
Carasem, the same with Kassin, or rather Kushem, to which Fartak now
belongs. - Astl. I. 395. b.]
Sec. 2. Of Abdal Kuria, Arabia Felix, Aden, and Mokha, and the treacherous
Proceedings of both Places.
After saluting the king, we took our departure from Socotora for Aden,
taking our course along the north side of Abdal Kuria[352] for Cape
Guar-da-fui, which is the eastermost point of Abax [Habesh, or
Abyssinia], and is about thirty-four leagues west from the western
point of Socotora; from which the eastern point of Abdal Kuria is
fourteen leagues off. Abdal Kuria is a long narrow rugged island, about
five leagues in extent from east to west, on which the King of Socotora
keeps a few people to tend a flock of goats. About three leagues north
from the middle of Abdal Kuria, are two great rocks near each other, and
some half a mile long, which are rendered entirely white by the dung of
birds. From the west of Abdal Kuria to Cape Guar-da-fui, the distance is
fifteen leagues. The 31st October, being athwart the west end of
Socotora, we left, to the north, a white rock called Saboyna, four
leagues N.W. by W. from the point of Socotora. The first November, at
sunrise, we were abreast the middle of Abdal Kuria, leaving it two and a
half leagues to larboard, and the two white rocks half a league to
starboard. At one p.m. we descried Cape Guar-da-fui, but it was night
before we came near and passed it, so that we could not fix its true
position. On the morning of the second we were abreast a high mountain,
nine leagues west from Cape Guar-da-fui, between which point and another
high point five leagues W. by S. by the compass, there is a low sandy
point stretching one league and a quarter to sea; and about three
leagues more westerly, we anchored and went ashore with all our boats to
cut wood, of which we were in great want.
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