SOURCE OF THE NILE. .265 



CHAP. XL 



Occurrences at Jidda — Vifit of the Vizir-~-Alarm of the Factory — Great 

 Civility of the Englijh trading from India — Polygamy — Opinion of 

 Dr Arbuthnot ill-founded — Contrary to Reafon and Experience — 

 Leave Jidda. 



THE port of Jidda is a very extenfive One, conlifting of 

 numberlefs fhoals, fmall liiands, and funken rocks, 

 with channels, however, between them, and deep water. 

 You are very fafe in Jidda harbour, whatever wind blows, 

 as there are numberlefs fhoals which prevent the water 

 from ever being put into any general motion; and you may 

 moor head and Hern, with twenty anchors out if you pleafe. 

 But the danger of being loft, I conceive, lies in the going in 

 and coming out of the harbour. Indeed the observation 

 is here verified, the more dangerous the port, the abler the pi- 

 lot s^ and no accidents ever happen. 



There is a draught of the harbour of Jidda handed about 

 among the Englilh for many years, very inaccurately, and 

 very ill laid flown, from what authority I know not, often 

 condemned, but never corrected ; as alfo a pretended chart 

 of the upper part of the Gulf, from J'c'da to Mocha, full of 

 foundings. As I was fome months at Jidda, kindly enter- 



Vol. I. L 1 tained* 



