1835.] Report on the Island of Socotra. 139 



The Island of Socotra appears to have been known at an early period 

 to the ancient geographers. Ptolemy notices it under the appellation of 

 Dios Cavedis Ins: and Arbian specifies, that the inhabitants of it were sub- 

 jected to the authority of the kings of the Incense Country ; but from this 

 period it appears to have attracted little attention, and may almost be con- 

 sidered as lost to Geography, until the visit of Marco Polo in the 13th 

 century, who does not however make any particular mention of its inhabi- 

 tants or resources. Vasco da Gama, in his memorable voyage from Lisbon to 

 Calicut in 1497, passed Socotra without seeing it ; but seven years after- 

 wards, it was made known to European navigators by Fernandez Pereira ; 

 and Albuquerque, at a somewhat later period, took possession of it. At the 

 commencement of the 17th century, when the increasing spirit of commerce 

 and enterprise led several of our squadrons to enter the ports in the Red 

 Sea, Socotra was frequently visited for shelter or refreshment; and in con- 

 sequence of a general belief during the year 1798, that Buonaparte, who 

 was then in Egypt, contemplated a junction of his forces with those of 

 Hyder Ali in India, Commodore Blanket, with a squadron from the Cape 

 of Good Hope, was dispatched to take possession of it*. But notwithstand- 

 ing these several visits, our accounts connected with its inhabitants, ap- 

 pearance and produce, have been vague and contradictory. By one traveller, 

 Captain Dauntoun, a notice of whose travels is in my possession, it is ob- 

 served, that " its chief produce is aloes, though the annual amount does 

 not exceed a ton — cattle may be bought but exceedingly small, according 

 to the dry rocky barrenness of the island — wood at 12 pence a man's 

 burden, every particular is a very dear penny worth." By another, it is 

 described as a populous fruitful island ; that the inhabitants trade to Goa 

 with its produce, viz. fine aloes, frankincense, ambergris, dragon's blood, 

 rice, dates, and coral. 



Inconsistent as these statements appear, there is reason to believe both 

 may have described with fidelity that which at the period of their visit 

 was presented before them. Independent of the evidence which exists as 

 to the former fertility of the island, it is necessary to consider, that those 

 parts which would be exposed to the view of the passing traveller are most- 

 ly naked limestone, parts of which are indeed covered with a scanty sprink- 

 ling of soil, but that of a quality so hard and bad, that it merely nourishes 

 a feeble grass, which dries up almost as soon as the rain ceases, which may 

 have caused it to spring forth. Upon our first arrival at Tam'arida, in the 

 early part of January, some recent showers had clothed the hill with a 

 lively verdure to the very base of the granite spires, and the whole looked 

 fresh and beautiful ; a month afterwards all was parched and barren. 



More than one vessel at different periods had been dispatched to ex- 

 amine the nature of its harbours and anchorages ; but owing to some cause 

 which I cannot explain, our information on these points could in no higher 

 degree be depended on. Our ignorance on these subjects strikes us the more 



* These and the other scanty notices found in this paper, are extracted from books 

 in my possession on board ; other information will of course be found in works to 

 •which I have it not in my power at present to refer. 

 T 2 



