Asking What Sort Of Place Mokha Was For Trade, They
Told Me There Was One Man In Mokha Who Would Purchase All My Goods.
I
sent John Williams ashore, one of my factors, who could speak Arabic,
who was kindly entertained.
The morning of the 9th, I sent my pinnace ashore to procure a pilot for
Mokha, and in the mean time weighed anchor and got under sail. The
pinnace returned without a pilot, saying, they would not let us have any
unless we left three of our chief merchants in pledge, and that they
entreated me to leave one ship, and they would buy all her goods. Being
desirous of trade, I agreed to leave the Pepper-corn, and did what we
could to regain the road, but were carried to leeward by the current, so
we came to anchor to the south of the town. I then sent Mr Fowler and
John Williams ashore, to tell them I was to leave one ship with them to
trade, and begged they would let me have a pilot They seemed glad that
one of the ships was to remain, and promised me a pilot next day. Seeing
no hope of a pilot on the 12th, and having dispatched our business with
the Pepper-corn, I sailed about noon with the Trades-increase and
Darling for Mokha.
The 14th, we saw the head-land going into the Red Sea, rising like an
island, and about eleven, we were athwart the entrance, being only three
miles broad.[322] On the north side is a rugged land like an island, and
on the other side is a low flat island, called Babelmandd,[323] on the
south side of which island there appeared to be a broad strait or
entrance. After passing through the strait, we saw a village in a sandy
bay on the north shore, to which place I sent my pinnace to get a pilot.
It soon returned with two Arabs, who pretended to be very skilful. Our
depth in the straits was from eight to eleven fathoms, and the distance
from Aden to the straits is thirty leagues. About four o'clock p.m. we
had sight of the town of Mokha; and about five, while luffing with a
strong wind, we split our main-top-sail, and putting abroad our mizen,
it split likewise. At this time our pilots got our ship aground on a
sand bank, the wind blowing hard, and the sea somewhat high, so that we
much feared her getting safe off again.
[Footnote 322: This must have been the N.E. passage, between the island
of Prin and the promontory on the coast of Arabia. The other passage is
much broader. - E.]
[Footnote 323: The name of the island is Prin, Bab-al-Mondub,
signifying the gate of lamentation, is the Arabian name of the straits
leading into the Red Sea. - E,]
Sec. 2. Transactions at Mokha, and Treachery of the Turks there, and at
Aden.
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