xii BOTANY OF SOCOTRA. 



subsequently arranged, therefore, that we should go in the ' Seagull ' instead of the ' Dagmar,' 

 and the date of sailing was fixed for February 2. 



" The intervening days were occupied in obtaining stores and servants ; the latter not easy 

 to procure, especially a good interpreter, on account of the very high rate of pay demanded. 



" All our gear was shipped on the 'Seagull' by noon on February 2, and our party — composed 

 of Europeans, — Lieutenant Cockburn, Alexander Scott, and myself; and natives, — interpreter, 

 cook, tent Lascar, general servant, and two coolies — went on board later. Captain Heron 

 purposed to sail that day, but the monsoon blowing strongly up the harbour a start was delayed 

 until next morning. On the morning of the 3rd, though the wind had not much lulled, anchor 

 was weighed and the ' Seagull ' steamed out of Aden harbour in the teeth of a stiff breeze. By 

 the afternoon we had made so little way against the wind and current, and were pitching and 

 rolling so greatly, that Captain Heron determined to put back and make for Aden again. The 

 expedition at the outset thus encountered annoying delay, for we remained in Aden harbour 

 until the morning of February 6, when again the ' Seagull ' left for Socotra. Heavy weather 

 kept us back, on this our second attempt, and it was not until the morning of the 11th that 

 we sighted Socotra. 



" I desired to land at Hadibu, the chief village of the island, where the Sultan has his 

 Court ; but as much coal had been expended on the voyage, and the anchorage at Hadibu 

 being reported unsafe, Captain Heron deemed it advisable to anchor in Gollonsir Bay, a bay 

 considered the safest round the island, and at its north-west end. 



" From the village sheikh we learned that the Sultan was living at his hill residence, some 

 miles from Hadibu. We therefore sent by messengers the letter of recommendation furnished 

 to us by the Aden Government. But it was not until February 16 that an answer arrived at 

 Gollonsir — an answer of a very satisfactory kind, allowing us to go where we pleased, and 

 charging the village sheikh and the people of the neighbourhood to aid us if possible. Whilst 

 waiting for news from the Sultan, our tents, stores, and baggage were landed from the ' Seagull,' 

 and our first camp was formed on the slope of a hill N.E. of the Gollonsir village, and we 

 entered on our work. 



" The ' Seagull ' left on February 16. 



" Making in the first instance Gollonsir our headquarters, we explored the adjacent country 

 to the S. and S.W., until the 25th inst., when we struck tents, and sending our heavy baggage 

 and stores by sea, started to march to Hadibu. We took four days to accomplish it, reaching 

 Hadibu late on the night of the 28th inst. 



" Having communicated to the Sultan the fact of our arrival, he came to Hadibu on March 1, 

 when we had an interview. 



" Establishing our depot now on the Hadibu plain, about a mile from the town, we spent 

 the time until the 7th inst. investigating the magnificent Haggier range of hills shutting in on 

 the south the Hadibu plain. 



" On March 6, leaving a tent Lascar in charge of the depot at Hadibu, we started upon a 

 trip to the eastern end of the island, going eastward along the northern side and returning 

 westward by the southern side of the island. During this trip we reached Ras Mome, the 

 extreme eastern headland. Camp at Hadibu was again entered on March 18. 



" As yet we had not seen much of the southern parts of the island, so on March 22 we left 

 Hadibu on our last excursion. Crossing the Haggier range we emerged upon the southern 

 shore at Nogad, traversed the coast line for some distance, and then recrossed the island, so as 

 to come down upon Kadhab village on the north side. We regained Hadibu on the 27th. 



" March 28. — The ' Dagmar ' arrived this morning, having been sent specially for us by the 

 Resident. We were not sorry to see her, as our camp was now very sickly — Scott was down 

 with fever, one coolie had had sunstroke, and the other servants were all suffering badly from 



