806 Translation of the Mbhit, [Oct. 



are taken from the usual voyages of the ports, that is to say, the results 

 of calculations and distances are the foundations' ; if the foundations be 

 certain the results are also certain, and if the foundations are false the 

 results be the same. Be it known to you that you must get the 

 knowledge of each place from its inhabitants, which is more certain 

 than the knowledge acquired from strangers, but if the last be men of 

 experience and seafaring people, consult and consider also their infor- 

 mation ; if the knowledge of the inhabitants be small, and that of the 

 others is well ascertained, the latter is of course more to be relied on. 

 Of accidents to be taken care oj, and of hurricanes* '. 

 The masters of the Indian seas count ten things to be guarded 

 against 9 . 



1. Be on your guard against seeing Socotora at the end of the 

 monsoon, because in that is much fear 10 . 



2. Be on your guard against seeing Ghubbei' benna 11 * on the 

 130th day of the Yazdajirdian year, answering to the 360 of the 

 Julalian, (6th March)f; be also on your guard against seeing 

 Ghubbei Hdlole 12 which is on the south side of Hdfu lz \, 



3. Against seeing Fartak 1& § on the 130th day of the Yazdajird. 

 year = 360 Julal. (6th March) if you sail for Yamen ; because in some 

 places the Indian flood is very strong, particularly with a northerly 

 wind. Be it known to you that on the 110th day of the Yazdj. year 

 =340 Jul. (14th Feb.) Fartak remains on the north. 



4. From the 10th of the Yazdj. year (7th Nov.) up to the 80th 

 (15th Jan.) that is to say, from the 240, to the 310 Jul. not to fall 



12 aJjJU'aac 13 yU. u \*J3j9 



* Quere Ghabbai-lin of the 21st voyage from Diu to Maskat : see vol. V. p. 462, 

 supposed to be near Cape Isolette ; Ghabba may mean a round or hollow place 

 as a gulph or cove ; Kubha or Gubbha of the Pali or Sindhu ? — Ed. 



f We have added the English dates adapted to the author's period (1553) mak- 

 ing the Yazdajirdian year commence on the 28th Oct. and the Jul&lian on the 

 11th March. To adapt the observations to the present date, 10 days more should 

 be added.— Ed. 



X Ras Hafoon or Cape Orfric of Horsburgh, on the African coast, lat. 10* 

 22', long. 51° 16' south of Guardafui ; " between Ras Mabber and this cape lies a 

 deep circular rock-bound bay (doubtless the one here pointed out as Halula) 

 in which some of the Egyptian expedition were lost. — India Directory, I. 253.— 



Ed. 



§ Cape Fartash of the maps, N. E. of Kisseen on the south coast of Arabia. 

 One Arabian whom we consulted, doubted whether the meaning was not rather 

 that the hatches, (in Hindi phatta or phatak or gate) should be closely shut as 

 the sea ran very high at that season.— Ed. 



