38 DHALAC. 
May 2,^. — Captain Keys again went on shore. At night Mr. 
Sah returned with a view of Dhalac-el-Kibeer, and made a report 
of his tour, from which I compiled the following observations. 
Standing in shore at half a mile from the ship, there were 
soundings at 3, ^ ^ and ^ fathom, at two hundred yards from the 
shore. The ship bore W by S f S. the extremities of the bay from 
Sby E. to W by N ^ N. They proceeded along shore till the ship bore 
W. N. W ^ N. when a sand appeared equidistant from them, about 
three miles, bearing W. S. W. Close to a plantation of doom-trees, 
about two miles from the place where they landed, were sixteen 
wells like those we found at Nokhara, but the water was not more than 
two feet below the surface. Here two shepherds were tending, and 
drawing water for, several camels with their young, a great herd of 
asses, a few fine goats, and two sheep. As soon as the camels were 
supplied and driven olF, some water was placed in the stone for the 
birds, which arrived in vast flights, particularly doves. A planta- 
tion of date-trees had been lately formed here ; which at present did 
not bear fruit. They hired two asses for a dollar, but they were low 
and unmanageable. 
About four miles and a half from the wells they passed a creek, 
where they met with a great number of pelicans, plenty of madra- 
pore, and sea-weed, but no shells. On the right was a salt-marsh, 
which probably, at high spring tides, is connected with one more 
distant. They rested under the shade of a mimosa, till Hyder, 
and old Hassan, the boat-man, joined them. The pilot had con- 
stantly kept up with them. A native came down from a hill with 
some milk and water; he was very civil, but objected to their go- 
ing to the place he came from ; to avoid affronting him, they did 
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