THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 225 



take in your water at Mocha; or, if any reafon fliould hin- 

 der you from touching that more, a few hours will carry 

 you to Azab, or Saba, on the Abymnian coaft, whofe latitude 

 I found to be 13 5' north. It is not a port, but a very to- 

 lerable road, where you have very fafe riding, under the 

 Ihelter of a low defert ifland called Crab Ifland, with a few 

 rocks at the end of it. But it mud be remembered, the 

 people are Galla, the moll treacherous and villanous wretch- 

 es upon the earth. They are Shepherds, who fometimes are 

 on the coaft in great numbers, or in the back of the hills 

 that run clofe along the fhore, or in miferable villages 

 compofed of huts, that run nearly in an eaft and weft direc- 

 tion from Azab to Raheeta, the largeft of all their villages. 

 You will there, at Azab, get plenty of water, fheep, and goats, 

 as alfo fome myrrh and incenfe, if you are in the proper 

 feafon, or will Hay for it. 



I again repeat it, that no confidence is to be had in the 

 people. Thofe of Mocha, who even are abfolutely neceffary 

 to them in their commercial tranfaclions, cannot truft them 

 without furety or hoftages. And it was but a few years be- 

 fore I was there, the furgeon and mate of the Elgin Earl-In- 

 dia man, with feveral other failors, were cut off, going on 

 fhore with a letter of fafe conduct from their Shekh to pur- 

 chafe myrrh. Thofe that were in the boat efcaped, but moft 

 of them were wounded. A fhip, on its guard, docs not fear 

 banditti like thefe, and you will get plenty of water and 

 provifion, though I am only fpeaking of it as a nation of 

 necefnty. 



If you are not afraid of being known, there is a low 



black ifland on the Arabian coaft called Camaran, it is in 



Vol. I. F f l at 



