78 DESCRIPTION OF ARABIA. 



their height, according to AU Bey, being equal to a 

 third of their length. The ropes are made of the 

 bark of palm-trees, and the sails of extremely coarse 

 cotton. To guard against the shoals, they have a 

 false keel, which lessens the shock, and saves the 

 ship if the weather is not rough. It is usual to cast 

 anchor at night, except when crossing the gulf at its 

 full breadth. 



The vessel in which Niebuhr embarked at Suez 

 for Jidda was large enough to have carried at least 

 forty gvms ; and, besides her own freight, towed 

 after her three large shallops and one small, the 

 former being filled with passengers, horses, sheep, 

 and women, belonging to the crews. On the appear- 

 ance of a storm the sailors leaped into the boats and 

 betook themselves to the shore. The pilot was 

 constantly begging brandy of those on board, on 

 pretence that he could not see the hills or the out- 

 line of the coast unless his sight was cleared by 

 drinking a little strong liquor. On nearing the des- 

 tined port their joy was excessive ; cannons and 

 muskets were fired, the ship and the boats were 

 illuminated with lamps and lanterns ; all was exul- 

 tation and gratitude for the perils they had escaped. 



The superiority of European science has in a great 

 measure set the impediments of rocks and winds at 

 defiance. The British flag waves in every port of 

 the Red Sea, from Suez to Aden. It has even been 

 proposed to open a communication through that 

 channel with India by means of steam, as much 

 more expeditious than the ordinary passage by the 

 Cape of Good Hope. Sir John Malcolm, in a paper 

 on this subject which appeared in the Edinburgh 

 Cabinet Library, states that for nine months in the 

 year packets from India may be delivered at Alex- 

 dangerous metal from their naval architecture. The Romans 

 forbade the sale of iron to the Indians and Ethiopians under pain 

 of death. — Be Bell. Persic. 



