THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 437 



which carries her out of the Straits of Babelmandeb, through 

 the few leagues where the wind is variable. If her courfe. 

 was now to the Eaft Indies, that is eaft-north-eaft, or north- 

 eaft and by north, fhe would find a ftrong fouth-weft wind 

 that would carry her to any part of India, as foon as fhe 

 cleared Cape Gardefan, to which fhe was bound. 



But matters are widely different if fhe is bound for So- 

 fala ; her courfe is nearly fouth-weft, and fhe meets at Cape 

 Gardefan a ftrong fouth-wefter that blows directly in hen 

 teeth. Being obliged to return into the gulf, fhe miftakes 

 this for a trade-wind, becaufe fhe is not .able to make her 

 voyage to Mocha but by the fummer monfoon, which car- 

 ries her no farther than the Straits of Babelmandeb, and; 

 then leaves her in the face of a contrary wind, a ftrong cur- 

 rent to the northward, and violent fwell. 



The attempting this voyage with fails, in thefe circum- 

 fiances, was abfolutely impoflible, as their vefTels went only 

 before the wind : if it was performed at all, itmuft have been* 

 by oars*, and great havock and lofs of men muft have been 

 the confequence of the feveral trials. This is not conjec- 

 ture only ; the prophet Ezekiel defcribes the very fact. 

 Speaking of the Tyrian voyages probably of this very one 

 he fays, " Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters- 

 " (the ocean): the eafl wind hath broken thee in the 

 midft of the feasf." In fhort, the eaft,. that is the north-eaft 

 wind, was the very monfoon that was to carry them to So- 

 fala, yet having no fails, being upon a lee-fhore, a very bold 



3 coaft, 



* Ezek. chap, xxvii. ver. 6. f Ezek. chap, xxvii. ver. z6, 



