The 19th A Junk Arrived From Jiddah, With Many Passengers From Mecca,
Bringing Camblets, Bad Coral, Amber Beads, And Much Silver, To Invest In
Spices And India Cotton Goods.
She brought news of a ship, laden last
year from Mokha for Grand Cairo, which had lost her monsoon, and was
forced to wait till next year, at a place only a little way beyond
Jiddah.
By this ship, the governor had letters informing him that the
Grand Signior had sent various state ornaments to the pacha of Sinan,
whom he had confirmed in his government for seven years longer, and
appointing himself to continue governor of Mokha for the like time, of
which he seemed not a little proud.
As I was constantly indisposed, it was thought fit that Mr Salbank
should go up to Sinan to wait upon the pacha with a present, and to
carry up some goods also with him for sale at that place. On this
occasion, the scrivano offered him his own mule to ride upon, which he
thankfully accepted. He was furnished with two camels, a cook, a
horsekeeper, and three servants belonging to the governor, all of whose
wages he agreed to pay at certain fixed rates, and was also accompanied
by a linguist named Alberto. Taking leave of the governor, who gave him
letters for the pacha, he departed from Mokha about six in the evening
of the 23d June, the nights being the accustomed time of travelling.
In the morning of the 23d, we had a letter from our captain; then at
Assab, informing of his safe arrival there, and the good health of the
people, and that he had procured ballast and provisions to his
satisfaction. On the 26th, the governor sent me a horse by one of his
servants, inviting me to accompany him to his banqueting house, about
half a mile out of town, there to spend the day in mirth along with
other merchants. About half an hour after, the chief scrivano came to
accompany me, with whom I went, joining the governor by the way, and
rode with him to the place. It was a fair house, in the middle of a
grove of date trees, beside a large tank or pond, having several rooms
handsomely fitted; up for sitting. After a little while, the governor
and several others went into the tank to bathe, where they sported
themselves for half an hour. Coffee was then handed round to the
company, after which grapes, peaches, and both musk and water; melons,
were brought in, together with blanched almonds and great quantities of
raisins, as there were between fifty and sixty guests, besides,
attendants; and always between whiles coffee, sherbet, and tobacco were
handed round. Thus, and with indifferent music, we spent the forenoon.
After prayers, the governor, went again into the tank, where he spent an
hour sporting with his company. In the sequel, the time was spent in
cards and chess, and in looking at various; jiggling tricks, till four
in the evening. At this time above an hundred dishes were served up, all
of good meat, but; cold, and ill dressed, each dish being sufficient to
have satisfied four hungry men. He treated me with much kindness, and
was earnest to have me go with him into the tank, but I excused myself;
on account of my late indisposition. He then said, if at any time I was
inclined to bathe, I might come to this place when I pleased, and he
would give orders to the keeper to admit me and use me well.
The 12th July, the Surat captain made a fine display of many artificial
fire-works before the governor, it being then new moon. The governor
sent for me to see them, and placed me in a chair beside himself,
telling me he had letters that day from Sinan, informing him that the
Pacha had granted a phirmaun for us before the arrival of Mr Salbank,
but hearing of his coming, had delayed sending it, and had since granted
another, according to his instructions, and had delivered it to Mr
Salbank with his own hand.
On the 13th there passed by the roads a junk of four or five hundred
tons from Jiddah, bound for Kitchine, a day's sail within the entrance
of the Red Sea, which I suppose is not far from Cape Guardafui, on the
coast of Africa.[292] She is said to contain great sums in gold and
silver, with much valuable merchandize. This ship comes yearly to Mokha
at the beginning of the western monsoon, bringing myrrh, and boxes for
coho seeds, [coffee] and goes from hence to Jiddah or Aliambo, [Al
Yambo] where she sells her coffee and the India goods procured at
Kitchine; which last are brought thither by Portuguese barks from Diu
and other places. Her outward lading consists of indigo, all manner of
India cotton goods, gum-lac; and myrrh.[293] She is freighted by the
Portuguese, and the governor of Mokha wished much we had met with her,
which we had probably done, had not our ship been absent, which returned
into the road of Mokha on the 21st. I went aboard, and was told that the
king of Assab and his brother had been aboard, and were kindly
entertained, in return for which he promised to supply them with
abundance of beeves and goats; but that same evening, in consequence of
a signal of fire, he and all his people fled into the mountains,
pretending they were threatened by an attack from their enemies, and
never even gave thanks for their entertainment.
[Footnote 292: The only place resembling this name is Kissem, on the
oceanic coast of Yemen, or Arabia Felix, nearly due N. from Cape
Guardafui. - E.]
[Footnote 293: This must refer to her homeward lading, called outward in
the text in respect to India. - E.]
Before day of the 27th July, Mr Salbank returned from Sinan in perfect
health, and much satisfied with his phirmauns.
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