Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 1 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 1 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773
Bruce, James
Egypt -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- History; Natural history -- Ethiopia; Nile River
The many delays of loading the wheat, the desire of _doubling_ the
quantity I had permitted, in which both the Rais and my friend the
cadi conspired for their mutual interest, detained me at Yambo all
the 27th of April, very much against my inclination. For I was not a
little uneasy at thinking among what banditti I lived, whose daily
wish was to rob and murder me, from which they were restrained by fear
only; and this, a fit of drunkenness, or a piece of bad news, such as
a report of Ali Bey’s death, might remove in a moment. Indeed we were
allowed to want nothing. A sheep, some bad beer, and some very good
wheat-bread, were delivered to us every day from the Aga, which, with
dates and honey, and a variety of presents from those that I attended
as a physician, made us pass our time comfortably enough; we went
frequently in the boats to fish at sea, and, as I had brought with
me three fizgigs of different sizes, with the proper lines, I seldom
returned without killing four or five dolphins. The sport with the line
was likewise excellent. We caught a number of beautiful fish from the
very house where we lodged, and some few good ones. We had vinegar in
plenty at Yambo; onions, and several other greens, from Raddua; and,
being all cooks, we lived well.
On the 28th of April, in the morning, I sailed with a cargo of wheat
that did not belong to me, and three passengers, instead of one, for
whom only I had undertaken. The wind was fair, and I saw one advantage
of allowing the Rais to load, was, that he was determined to carry sail
to make amends for the delay. There was a tumbling, disagreeable swell,
and the wind seemed dying away. One of our passengers was very sick. At
his request we anchored at Djar, a round small port, whose entrance is
at the north-east. It is about three fathoms deep throughout, unless
just upon the south side, and perfectly sheltered from every wind. We
saw here, for the first time, several plants of rack tree, growing
considerably within the sea-mark, in some places with two feet of water
upon the trunk. I found the latitude of Djar to be 23° 36´ 9´´ north.
The mountains of Beder Hunein were S. S. W. of us.
The 29th, at five o’clock in the morning, we sailed from Djar. At
eight, we passed a small cape called [186]Ras el Himma; and the wind
turning still more fresh, we passed a kind of harbour called Maibeed,
where there is an anchoring place named El Horma. The sun was in the
meridian when we passed this; and I found, by observation, El Horma was
in lat. 23° 0´ 30´´ north. At ten we passed a mountain on land called
Soub; at two, the small port of Muftura, under a mountain whose name is
Hajoub; at half past four we came to an anchor at a place called Harar.
The wind had been contrary all the night, being south-east, and rather
fresh; we thought, too, we perceived a current setting strongly to the
westward.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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