But As We All Declared Against
Submitting To Pay This Arbitrary Exaction, The Governor Sent Our Two
Merchants To The Pacha At Sanaa, About Eight Days Journey Up The
Country.
[Footnote 285:
Jones says she belonged to Diu, but told the English she
was from Surat, and gave them an account of the arrival of Captain
Hawkins at that place. - E.]
The 28th of May, we were joined by our pinnace, the Good Hope, the
master of which, John Luffkin, had been knocked in the head with a
mallet by Thomas Clarke, with the consent of Francis Driver, master's
mate,[286] together with Andrew Evans and Edward Hilles. Being asked the
reason for this murder, they could only allege being refused some aqua
vitae and rosa solis, which Luffkin wished to preserve for the crew
in case of sickness. A jury was called on the 31st May, when the
murderers were convicted; of whom Driver and Clarke were hanged in the
pinnace. The other two met their deserts, for Hilles was eaten by
canibals,[287] and Evans rotted where he lay.
[Footnote 286: Jones calls Clarke master's-mate, and Driver gunner. - E.]
[Footnote 287: Hilles was left at Madagascar, where perhaps he might be
eaten. - Astl. 343. c.]
The 3d June, we departed from Aden and sailed into the Red Sea through
the Straits of Mecca.[288] This strait is about a league in breadth, and
three leagues in length, with an island in the middle, and 18 fathoms
water close to the island. Within the straits there is a shoal some two
leagues off shore, which it is necessary to keep clear from. From the
straits it is about six leagues to Mokha, where is a good road and fair
ground for vessels to ride in 14 fathoms. This port is never without
shipping, being a place of great trade, and frequented by caravans from
Sanaa, Mecca, Cairo, and Alexandria. There is good vent here for tin,
iron, lead, cloth, sword-blades, and all kinds of English commodities.
It has a great bazar, or market, every day in the week; and has plenty
of apricots, quinces, dates, grapes, peaches, lemons, and plantains,
which I much wondered at, as the inhabitants told me they had no rain
for seven years before, and yet there was abundance of good corn to be
had at 18d. a bushel. There is such abundance of cattle, sheep, and
goats, that we got an ox for three dollars, and a goat for half a
dollar. Of dolphins, mow-fish, basse, mullets, and other good fish,
there was such plenty, that we could buy as much for 3d. as would
suffice ten men for a meal. The town is under the government of the
Turks, who punish the Arabians severely for any offence, having gallies
for that purpose, otherwise they would be unable to keep them in awe and
under subjection.
[Footnote 288: In the original it is Mockoo, and on the margin Moha, but
these are not the Straits of Mokha, but of Mecca - Astl.
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