342 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



A violent difpute enfued, and after that a battle, when 

 night overtook us, ftill faft upon the rock. The Rais and 

 Yafme, however, calmed the riot, when I begged the paf- 

 feno-ers would hear me. I told them, "You all know, or 

 ihould know, that the boat is mine, as I bought it with my 

 money, for the fafety and accommodation of myfelf and fer- 

 vants ; you know, likewife, that I and my men are all well 

 armed, while you are naked ; therefore do not imagine that 

 we will fuffer any of you to enter that boat, and fave your 

 lives at the expence of ours. On this veffel of 'the Rais is 

 your dependence, in it you are to be faved or to perifh; 

 therefore all hands to work, and get the veffel off, while it 

 is calm ; if me had been materially damaged, flie had been 

 funk before now." They all feemed on this to take cou- 

 rage, and faid, they hoped I would not leave them. I told 

 them, if they would be men, I would not leave them while 

 there was a bit of the veffel together. 



The boat was immediately launched, and one of my 

 fervants, the Rais, and two failors, were put on board. They 

 were foon upon the bank, where the two failors got out, 

 who cut their feet at firft upon the white coral, but after- 

 wards got firmer footing. They attempted to pufh the fhip 

 backwards, but Ihe would not move. Poles and handfpikes 

 were tried in order to ftir her, but thefe were not long 

 enough. In a word, there was no appearance of getting 

 her off before morning, when we knew the wind would 

 rife, and it was to be feared me would then be dallied to 

 pieces.. Mahomet Gibberti, and Yafme, had been reading 

 the Koran aloud ever fmce the veffel ftruck. I faid to them 

 in pafiing, "Sirs, would it not be as wife for you to leave 

 your books till you get a-ihore, and lend a hand to the 



people f 



