SrORT IN ABYSSINIA. 249 



April 5. — We were at anchor south of Ras Benas, 

 and sheltered by the hcadhmd, but the captain would 

 not go near the mainland, as the pilot did not know 

 that the entrance into the small harbour is here. This 

 was a great disappointment to me, as I should much 

 have liked to land and see the ruins of Berenice. The 

 country is inhabited, and further inland gazelles and 

 deer arc found ; there is also some vegetation, includ- 

 ing mimosa bushes. Cordock and I went out in the 

 evening in the captain's gig to try to catch some fish, 

 but we only got a good tossing among the reefs, yet 

 I think the fresh breeze was beneficial to me. 



April 6. — We are still at anchor under Ras Benas, 

 it is blowing so hard. The captain gave us and his 

 officers a breakfast in Egyptian fashion : it was very 

 good, some of the dishes being quite original to 

 me. 



April 7. — We weighed anchor at seven o'clock in 

 the morning, it was blowing very hard, and the 

 captain wished to stay here till the wind dropped, 

 but Cordock induced him to go on, as he knew I 

 was ill and wanted to get home as quickly as 

 possible. The Arabs are dreadful cowards in a 

 storm, and when they find themselves in one they 

 generally begin praying, and doing nothing else. I 

 was a little stronger, but still very ill with a bad 

 diarrhoea. 



