292 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Dahalac * is a large ifland, depending upon Mafuah, but 

 which has a feparate firman, or commiffion, renewed every 

 two years. This man was a Moor, a fervant of the Naybe 

 of Mafuah, and he had been at Jidda to procure his firman 

 from Metical Aga, while Mahomet Gibberti was to come 

 with me, and was to bring it to the JSfaybe. This Abd el ca- 

 der no fooner was arrived at Mafuah, than, following the turn 

 of his country for lying, he fpread a report, that a great man, 

 or prince, whom he left at Jidda, was coming fpeedily to 

 Mafuah ; that he had brought great prefents to the Sherriffe 

 and Metical Aga ; that, in return, he had received a large 

 fum in gold from the Sherriffe's Vizir, Youfef Cabil; befides 

 as much as he pleafed from the Englifh, who had done 

 nothing but feafl and regale him for the feveral months he 

 had been at Jidda; and that, when he departed, as this great 

 man was now going to vint the Imam in Arabia Felix, all 

 the Englifh fhips hoifled their colours, and fired their can- 

 non from morning to night, for three days fucceflively, 

 which was two days after he had failed, and therefore what 

 lie could not poflibly have feen. The confequence of all 

 this was, the Naybe of Mafuah expected that a man with 

 immenfe treafures was coming to put himfelf into his bands. 

 I look therefore upon the danger I efcaped there as fuperior 

 to all thofe put together, that I have ever been expofed to : 

 of fuch material and bad confequence is the moll contemp- 

 tible of all weapons, the tongue of a liar and a fool ! 



Jidda 



* The ifland of .the Shepherds. 



