THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 26§ 



Till that time, I would advifc every man failing in the 

 Red Sea, especially in the channel, where the pilots know 

 no more than he, to trull to his own hands for fafety in the 

 minute of danger, to heave the lead at leait every hour, 

 keep a good look-out, and Ihorten fail in a frefh wind, or in 

 the night-time, and to confider all maps of the channel of 

 the Arabian Gulf, yet made, as matters of mere curioiity, 

 and not fit to trull a man's life to. Any captain in the India 

 fervice, who had run over from Jidda into the mouth of 

 the river Frat, and the neighbouring port Rillit, which 

 might every year be done for L. 10 Sterling extra expences, 

 would do more meritorious fervice to the navigation of that 

 fea, than all the foundings that were ever yet made from Jib*- 

 bel Zekir to the illand of Shcduan. 



From Yambo to Jidda I had flcpt little, making my me- 

 moranda as full upon the fpot as poflible. I had, beiides, 

 an aguifh diforder, which very much troubled me, and in 

 drefs and cleanlinefs was fo like a Galiongy (or Turkifh fea- 

 man) that the * Emir Bahar was aftonifhed at hearing my 

 fervants fay I was an Englifhman, at the time they carried 

 away all my baggage and initruments to the cuftom-houfe. 

 He fent his fervant, however, with me to the Bengal-houfe, 

 who promifed me, in broken Englilli, all the way, a very 

 magnificent reception from ,my countrymen. Upon his 

 naming all the captains for my choice, I deiired to be car- 

 ried to a Scotchman, a relation of my own, who was then acci- 

 dentally leaning over the rail of the flair-cafe, leading up 



to 



Captain of the- port. 



