DHALAG. 
I dispatched the dow with her people to Valentia Island to look 
for shells, and employed my servant and another European in the 
same pursuit. They procured a few fine specimens of Cypraea, but 
the others that they brought were of little value. 
I sent AUi Nohri on shore to procure sheep : he brought off 
twenty goats, for which he said they demanded fourteen dollars; 
and if I did not like them at that price, I must send them back. 
Astonished at conduct so different from what I had before expe- 
rienced, I instantly did so, being convinced that it was a contriv- 
ance of this rascally Arab, who wanted to purchase every thing 
here, as he did at Mocha, and have cent, per cent, profit. I was 
convinced of his knavery by another incident. The dow brought 
a heifer to sell, and asked four dollars : we objected, and they 
would have taken three; but Alii Nohri prevented them by saying 
in Arabic, it was cheap at four : this they afterwards owned to my 
servant and Pierce. 
January 14. — Captain Court, Mr. Salt, and the party, all returned, 
having surveyed the southern and eastern parts of the island. Mr. 
Salt made the following report of their proceedings during their 
absence. 
" We left Nokhara at seven in the morning, and crossed the 
creek to Dhalac ; but not finding the asses ready, walked to the 
wells on the sea shore, marked by the doom-trees, and whence 
latterly the water was procured for the ship. The distance was 
about one mile and three quarters. The country was dried up, as 
not a drop of rain had fallen since our last visit to the island, yet 
the wells w^ere as full as ever, the water being within two feet of 
the surface, and good. Near the wells were some bulbs, apparently 
