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
It was on the 8th of July 1769 I sailed from the harbour of Jidda on
board the same vessel as before, and I suffered the Rais to take a
small loading for his own account, upon condition that he was to carry
no passengers. The wind was fair, and we sailed through the English
fleet at their anchors. As they had all honoured me with their regret
at parting, and accompanied me to the shore, the Rais was surprised to
see the respect paid to his little vessel as it passed under their huge
sterns, every one hoisting his colours, and saluting it with eleven
guns, except the ship belonging to my Scotch friend, who shewed his
colours, indeed, but did not fire a gun, only standing upon deck, cried
with the trumpet, “Captain ---- wishes Mr Bruce a good voyage.” I stood
upon deck, took my trumpet, and answered, “Mr Bruce wishes Captain ----
a speedy and perfect return of his understanding;” a wish, poor man,
that has not yet been accomplished, and very much to my regret, it does
not appear probable that ever it will. That night having passed a
cluster of shoals, called the Shoals of Safia, we anchored in a small
bay, Mersa Gedan, about twelve leagues from the harbour of Jidda.
The 9th of July, we passed another small road called _Goofs_, and at
a quarter past nine, Raghwan, east north-east two miles, and, at a
quarter past ten, the small Port of Sodi, bearing east north-east, at
the same distance. At one and three quarters we passed Markat, two
miles distant north-east by east; and a rock called _Numan_, two miles
distant to the south-west. After this the mountain of Somma, and, at a
quarter past six, we anchored in a small unsafe harbour, called _Mersa
Brahim_, of which we had seen a very rough and incorrect design in the
hands of the gentlemen at Jidda. I have endeavoured, with that draught
before me, to correct it so far that it may now be depended upon.
The 10th, we sailed, at five o’clock in the morning, with little wind,
our course south and by west; I suppose we were then going something
less than two knots an hour. At half after seven we passed the island
Abeled, and two other small mountains that bore about a league
south-west and by west of us. The wind freshened as it approached
mid-day, so that at one o’clock we went full three knots an hour, being
obliged to change our course according to the lying of the islands. It
came to be about south south-east in the end of the day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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