Having Remained Here
Two Days, We Again Made Sail For The Mouth Of The Red Sea, Where We
Arrived In Other Two Days.
From Kamaran to the mouth of the Red Sea the
navigation is safe both night and day; But from Juddah to Kamsran the
Red Sea can only be navigated by day, as already stated, on account of
shoals and rocks.
On coming to the mouth of the Red Sea, we seemed quite
inclosed, as the strait is very narrow, being only three miles across.
On the right hand, or Ethiopian coast, the shore of the continent is
about ten paces in height, and seems a rude uncultivated soil; and on
the left hand, or coast of Arabia, there rises a very high rocky hill.
In the middle of the strait is a small uninhabited island called
_Bebmendo_[48], and those who sail from the Red Sea towards Zeyla, leave
this island on the left hand. Such, on the contrary, as go for Aden,
must keep the north eastern passage, leaving this island on the right.
[Footnote 48: This word is an obvious corruption of Bab-el-Mondub, the
Arabic name of the straits, formerly explained as signifying the gate or
passage of lamentation. The island in question is named _Prin_. - E.]
We sailed for _Bab-al-Mondub_ to _Aden_, in two days and a half, always
having the land of Arabia in sight on our left. I do not remember to
have seen any city better fortified than Aden.
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