Upon the 6th, in the morning, while at breakfast, I was told that three servants had arrived from Tigrè; one from Janni, a young man and slave, who spoke and wrote Greek perfectly; the other two servants were Ras Michael’s, or rather the king’s, both wearing the red short cloak lined and turned up with mazarine-blue, which is the badge of the king’s servant, and is called _shalaka_. Ras Michael’s letters to the Naybe were very short. He said the king Hatzè Hannes’s health was bad, and wondered at hearing that the physician, sent to him by Metical Aga from Arabia, was not forwarded to him instantly at Gondar, as he had heard of his being arrived at Masuah some time before. He ordered the Naybe, moreover, to furnish me with necessaries, and dispatch me without loss of time; although all the letters were the contrivances of Janni, his particular letter to the Naybe was in a milder stile. He expressed the great necessity the king had for a physician, and how impatiently he had waited his arrival. He did not say that he had heard any such person was yet arrived at Masuah, only wished he might be forwarded without delay as soon as he came. To us Janni sent a message by a servant, bidding us a hearty welcome, acknowledging the receipt of the patriarch’s letter, and advising us, by all means, to come speedily to him, for the times were very unsettled, and might grow worse. In the afternoon I embarked for Masuah. At the shore I received a message from the Naybe to come and speak to him; but I returned for answer, It was impossible, as I was obliged to go to Masuah to get medicines for his nephew, Achmet. CHAP. II. _Directions to Travellers for preserving Health--Diseases of the Country--Music--Trade, &c. of Masuah--Conferences with the Naybe._ We arrived in the island at eight o’clock, to the great joy of our servants, who were afraid of some stratagem of the Naybe. We got every thing in order, without interruption, and completed our observations upon this inhospitable island, infamous for the quantity of Christian blood shed there upon treacherous pretences. Masuah, by a great variety of observations of the sun and stars, we found to be in lat. 15° 35´ 5´´, and, by an observation of the second satellite of Jupiter, on the 22d of September 1769, we found its longitude to be 39° 36´ 30´´ east of the meridian of Greenwich: the variation of the needle was observed at mid-day, the 23d of September, to be 12° 48´ W. From this it follows, that Loheia, being nearly opposite, (for it is in lat. 15° 40´ 52´´) the breadth of the Red Sea between Masuah and Loheia is 4° 10´ 22´´. Supposing, then, a degree to be equal to 66 statute miles, this, in round numbers, will bring the breadth to be 276 miles, equal to 92 leagues, or thereabouts.