PILOT'S ISLAND. W 
some time we ran along shore. However, we could not get a sight 
of Dhalac in the latitude, and nearly in longitude in which Mr. 
Bruce placed it, viz. lat. J 5° 29", long. 40° 15" 30'; yet he says it 
is visible at the distance of nine leagues, which is in itself impos- 
sible, as he admits that the land is low. I began to fear that he had 
invented much in his travels. The soundings w^ere regular the whole 
day. We passed within several islands, keeping close to the shore, 
which was flat, with gentle acclivities beyond, covered with wood ; 
and farther off, the lofty mountains of Abyssinia appeared nearly 
hidden in the haze. At four we came to anchor within a mile and 
a half of the land. In fishing from the ship, the hooks caught on 
some dark brown pieces of coral, from the holes of which issued 
a profusion of living animalculae : each was nearly brown, about a 
quarter of an inch long, with a black head. I put a specimen several 
times in water, and they extended themselves directly : when out of 
the water they did not retire, but hung close to the sides, one over 
the other. We also caught a very large specimen of the pearl 
muscle, with a piece of madrapore growing on it. The night was as 
sultry as ever. We passed a vessel this day. 
On the 19th we sailed at four: the north-west wind still conti- 
nued sufficiently strong to be pleasant. We had to work between an 
island that was ahead of us, and the main, in a passage about three 
miles wide. The channel was nearly as broad, as it was deep water 
close to the main land. We were not through till eleven, when we 
bore away along the Abyssinian shore. We passed another vessel 
this day, 
A great deal of trade seems to be carried on at Massowah. The 
coast also seemed tolerably full of inhabitants. Last night there 
