30 
VALENTIA ISLAND. 
wks afire on the shore. Our pilot declared he could not reach Dhalac 
this day : he wished to anchor olF an island to the west of us, which 
forms a bay, where] he said large vessels may anchor in safety. The 
people, he declared to be very good friends of his, and very 
civil. We entered it in a S. S. W. direction, and anchored off a very 
picturesque island. The bay fully answered the pilot's description: 
it is eight or nine miles deep and about seven miles wide. A sand 
bank, which runs off from the island forms its N. W. defence. Behind 
that is another bay. The water is deep. We anchored in seventeen 
fathom, and at only three quarters of a mile from the shore. As 
no description of the island has ever been given, and we were, pro- 
bably, the first Europeans that had visited it, we called it Valentia. 
Mr. Salt went on shore to take the different bearings, from which 
we have formed a plan of the harbour kc. ; my servant went with 
Hyder in the dow's boat to procure shells. The men did not choose 
to assist, so that I got very few : from these I was convinced that 
had I had proper assistance, it was the best spot for the purpose 
at which I had hitherto touched. Mr. Salt was accompanied by two 
of the inhabitants to the summit of the hill : they were very civil. 
The water we got from a tank was good, and we procured a few 
sheep, which belonged to the Nayib of Massowah. The high hills 
of Habesh were in full view ; aiid in one part, a ridge appeared 
between us and them, which terminates a point said to form the 
bay of Massowah, and is called Ras Gidden. The night was as sultry 
as usual. 
On the ^Otli we heaved anchor at five. Our pilot seemed to be 
less acquainted than usual with the islands. We made a direct 
N. E. course but tacked incessantly. The distance we ran was about 
