BEILOUL. 
2,1 
view of the Abyssinian land when there. I did not lose any time in 
sending ofF my servants in the pilot's boat to the shore to look 
for shells. The people bear a bad character; but probably the ac- 
counts of their ferocity are exaggerated. Our pilot offered to go 
to the village, which he said was beyond the hills. The whole coast 
had a black, barren appearance, except where it was broken by 
white sand. 
After dinner Mr. Salt and Captain Keys went on shore in the 
boat, and took with them the lead line. They found, contrary to 
Mr. Bruce's assertions, " that there was no anchoring ground on 
the Abyssinian shore, and that you might have your bowsprit 
over the land without any bottom astern," that the land gradually 
shallowed to seven fathom within a quarter of a mile of the shore. 
They found an inner bay perfectly defended, except to the north. 
A strong gust of wind prevented their entering to sound it. It was 
about five miles round. Under a stone were lying a net and iron 
head of an harpoon, but they saw no native. A few mimosas and 
herbaceous plants were all the vegetation; but as yet I have not 
been able to discover Mr. Bruce's Absinthium. My servant procured 
some beautiful specimens of the Neritae. Many dead shells showed 
the riches beneath the sea, but, as I had no diver, I could only wish 
for them. The seamen caught several cat-fish, as they call them. 
May 11. — We got under weigh at six, and steered N. N. W. 
directly across the Bay, which, as it was clear, appeared of a mag- 
nificent extent. It could not be less than twelve miles deep, and 
about thirty from one head-land to a large island, which formed 
the other extremity. In the bottom the land had a very singular 
appearance; large masses being perfectly flat, and, near three others 
