98 
OFF MOUNT FELIX. 
his nation, addressed the natives with the Arabic word mar- 
haba/' signifying commonly/'^ very well/' but which he interprets 
soiez le bien venu/' ' terme de civilite fort en usage en Afrique 
et en Arabic/' and the poor man expresses himself quite aston- 
ished that the natives did not understand this language. In this 
expedition, the seamen discovered a large stock of fish hoarded 
in a small cavern. Je fis prendre" (says the captain) la 
moitie des sardines et des thons, et je leur laissai dans un plat 
une piastre et demie/' This imprudent step cost him dear, for 
on a second attempt to land, the natives assembled and killed no 
less than seven of the boat's crew, et tout le monde assura, 
qu'on se souviendroit longtemps de TAbyssinie/' 
After our return to the ship, a strong breeze sprung up, and at 
midnight we passed over a shoal projecting from a low point to the 
eastward of Mount Felix, on which we had ten fathoms water 
only, the mountain bearing at the time W. by S. ^ south, distant 
about five leagues. This shoal is not laid down in the charts, and 
evidently proves the danger of trusting to the assertion made in 
some Oriental Directories, that the shore between Guardafui and 
Mount Felix is so bold, that if occasion require, you may come 
within a mile of it." Yar. 4° 40' W. 
September 30. Having lost the current in the night, we 
passed Mount Felix, or as it might with more propriety be called. 
Cape Elephant, from the Arabic Has el Feel,'' which is its true 
name (being the Elephas Mons also of the Romans), and we 
continued all day sailing along the coast, to which the high 
mountains inland seem to run parallel. Therm. 89°, var. 5° 43' W. 
We continued to proceed in sight of the coast with light breezes. 
