AT SEA. 331 
The JafFateen islands were an object which excited my interest, 
even in defiance of my annoyances, from their being considered, by 
some authors, as the three islands that lie oflP the Myos Hormos of 
the ancients. We ran as near them as we dared, and discovered that 
there were four of different sizes; the largest lies in latitude ^7° 
li', longitude SS"" 46' E. Their number precludes them from the 
honour of being Myos Hormos ; and I think the claim of the Two 
Brothers must be considered as inadmissible for the same reason ; 
otherwise there is evidently an opening in the mountains behind 
them, through which a communication might have taken place with 
Egypt. A little to the northward are the Sefadja Hills, a rugged 
and lofty pile visible from a great distance. Shaduan is well laid 
down by Sir Home Popham. It has a single, horizontal, white stripe, 
that runs along its western side. It is valuable as a bold and lofty 
mark of the entrance into the narrow straits of Jubal. 
Mr. Niebuhr does not seem to have laid down Ras Mohammed 
with his usual accuracy ; instead of ^7° 54' N, the southern Cape, 
which is high land, and divides the sea of Suez from the sea of 
Akaba, is in 21° 41' N. I cannot account for this difference any 
other way, than by supposing that Mr. Niebuhr might consider the 
south-westernmost point of land, which is opposite to Jubal, and 
forms the straits, as Ras Mohammed. 
Had we not considered ourselves as certain of a fair wind at this 
season of the year, we should have hired a pilot from Jidda, who 
would have taken us into some harbour during these heavy gales ; 
but ignorant as we were of the coast, and badly furnished with an- 
chors, it would have been madness to attempt to enter even the 
sea of Akaba, which looked free from all danger, and is perfectly 
