2 2o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



The paffag^ between them is practicable by fmall craft 

 only, whofe planks are fewed together, and are not affec- 

 ted by a ftroke upon hard ground ; for it is not for want 

 of water that this navigation is dangerous. All the well 

 coail is very bold, and has more depth of water than the 

 eail ; but on this fide there is no anchoring ground, nor 

 fhoals. It is a rocky fhore, and there is depth of water eve- 

 ry where, yet that part is full of funken rocks ; which, 

 though not vifible, are near enough the furface to take up 

 a large (hip, whofe deflrutftion thereupon becomes inevi- 

 table. This I prefume arifes from one caufe. The moun- 

 tains on the fide of Egypt and Abymnia are all (as we hare 

 Hated) hard flone, Porphyry, Granite, Alabailer, Bafaltes, and 

 many forts of Marble. Thefe are all therefore fixed, and 

 even to the northward of lat i6°, where there is no rain, 

 very fmall quantities of dull or fand can ever be blown from 

 thern into the fea. On theoppoflte, or Arabian fide, the fea- 

 coafc of the Hejaz, and that of the Tehama, are all moving 

 fands ; and the dry winter- monfoon from the fouth-eaft 

 blows a large quantity from the deferts, which is lodged a- 

 mong the rocks on the Arabian fide of the Gulf, and con- 

 fined there by the north-eafl or fummer-monfoon, which is> 

 in a contrary direction, and hinders them from coming; 

 over, or circulating towards the Egyptian fide.. 



From this it happens, that the weil, or Abyilinian fide, is; 

 full of deep water, interfperfed with funken rocks, unmafk- 

 ed, or uncovered with fand, with which they would other- 

 wife become iilands. Thefe are naked and bare all round, 

 and fharp like points of fpears ; while on the eafl-fide there 

 are rocks, indeed, as in the other, but being between the fouth- 

 eaft monfoon, which drives the fand into its coail, and the 

 i north- well 



