THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 301 



We failed at fix o'clock in the morning, having firft, by- 

 way of precaution, thrown all our ballaft over-board, that 

 we might run into fhoal water upon the appearance of the 

 enemy. We kept a good look-out toward the horizon all 

 around us, efpecially when we failed in the morning. I ob- 

 ferved we became all fearlefs, and bold, about noon; but to- 

 wards night the panic again feized us, like children that 

 are afraid of ghofts ; though at that time we might have 

 been fure that all ftranger veffels were at anchor. 



We had little wind, and paffed between various rocks to 

 the weftward, continuing our co.urfe S. S. E. nearly, fome- 

 what more eafterly, and about three miles diftant from the 

 fhore. At four o'clock, noon, we paffed Jibbel Sabeia, a 

 fandy ifland, larger than the others, but no higher. To 

 this ifland the Arabs of Ras Heli fend their wives and chil- 

 dren in time of war; none of the reft are inhabited. At five 

 we paffed Ras Heli, which is the boundary between Yemen, 

 or Arabia Felix, and the * Hejaz, or province of Mecca, the 

 firft belonging to the Imam, or king of Sana, the other to- 

 the Sherriffe lately fpoken of. 



I desired my Rais to anchor this night clofe under the 

 Cape, as it was perfectly calm and clear, and, by taking a 

 mean of five obfervations of the paffage of fo many ftars, the 

 moft proper for die purpofe, over the meridian,. I determined 

 the latitude of Ras Heli, and confequently the boundary of 



the 



* Arabia Dsferta, 



