52: TRAVELS TO DISCOVER. 
vation: forced’ to take in the ruder occupations of thofe 
times, have, to my very great regret, obliterated: long ago. 
the whole from my memory. . 
Ir is a. general cuftom in Mafuah for people to burn 
myrrh and incenfe in their houfes before they open the- 
doors in the morning; and when they go out at night, 
or early in the day, they have always a {mall piece of 
rag highly fumigated with. thefe._two perfumes, which . 
they fluff into each noftril to keep them from the unwhole-- 
fome air. | 
Tue houfes in Mafuah are, in general, built of poles and / 
bent grafs, as in: the towns of Arabia; but, befides thefe, . 
there are about twenty of flone, fix or eight of which. are. 
two ftoreys each; though the fecond feldom confifts of more, 
than one room, and. that one generally not a large one. . 
The ftones are drawn out of the fea as at Dahalac; and in. 
thefe we fee the beds of that curious muflel, or fhell-fith, — 
found to be contained in the folid rock at Mahon, called. 
Dattoli da mare, or fea-dates, the fifh of which I never faw. in - 
the Ked Sea; though there is no doubt but they are to br » 
found in the rocky iflands about Mafuah, if they break the : 
rocks for them.. 
Attuoucu Mafuah is fituated in the very entrance of A-- 
byffinia, a very plentiful country, yet all the neceflaries of - 
life are fcarce and dear. Their quality, too, is very indif-- 
ferent. This is owing to the difficulty, expence, and dan- - 
ser of carrying the feveral articles through the defert flat - 
country, called Samhar, which lies between Arkeeko and 
the mountains of Abyfiinia; as well as to. the extortions : 
Be exercifed.:: 
