THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 341 



the entry or paflage by which the devil comes up to this 

 world. 



Six leagues E. by S. of this ifland there is a dangerous 

 flioal with great overfalls, on which a French Ihip ftruck in 

 the year 1 75 1 , and was faved with very great difficulty. Jibbel 

 Teir is the point from which all our lhips, going to Jidda, 

 take their departure, after failing from Mocha, and palling 

 the iflands to the fouthward. 



We left Jibbel Teir on the i ith with little wind at weft, but 

 towards mid-day it frefhened as ufual, and turned northward 

 to N.N. eaft. We were now in mid-channel, fo that we flood 

 on ftraight for Dahalac till half pall four, when a boy, 

 who went aloft, faw four iflands in a direction N. W. by 

 W.^r weft. We were flanding on with a frefh breeze, and 

 all our fails full, when I faw, a little before fun-fet, a white- 

 fringed wave of the well-known figure of a breaker. I 

 cried to the Rais for God's fake to fhorten fail, for I faw a 

 breaker a-head, ftraight in our way. He faid there was no. 

 fuch thing ; that I had miftaken it, for it was a fea-gull. A- 

 bout feven in the evening we ftruck upon a reef of coral 

 rocks. Arabs arc cowards in all fudden dangers, which 

 they confider as particular directions or mandates of pro- 

 vidence, and therefore not to be avoided. Few uncultiva- 

 ted minds indeed have any calmnefs, or immediate refource 

 in themfclves when in unexpected danger. The Arab fai- 

 lors were immediately for taking the boat, and failing to 

 the iflands the boy had feen. The Abyflinians were for cut- 

 ting up the planks and wood of the infide of the vefTel, and 

 making her a. raft., 



A VIOLENT 



