DHALAC. 
2,31 
mosque, measured a base to the water's edge, in a line with the 
northern point of Irwee. He found the space between Ras-el- 
Shoel and Irwee, which forms what Bruce calls the harbour of 
Dobelew, filled up with sandy shoals, and small islets, excepting 
close to Irwee, where there appears to be a channel sufficiently 
deep for boats of small burthen. Hence the south-end of Irwee 
makes in one, and seems almost connected, with the main land of 
Dhalac. Seied-el-Arabie and Seied-el-Sezan were both in sight, 
but, from some particular effect in the atmosphere, they were not 
able to distinguish Dalcoos. As far as this chain of islands extends 
outwards Captain Court is satisfied that the water is shoally, and 
that no vessel would be safe in attempting a passage within them, 
except small craft ; and it is only a few days ago that two dows were 
lost on the outside of Irwee, driven in by stress of weather. During 
Captain Court's absence I endeavoured to get as much information 
as possible concerning the place, and, for this purpose, one of the 
elder inhabitants, who had spent his life in piloting vessels to and 
fro, was brought to me by the Nayib's man. He confirmed to me 
the names of all the islands we had seen in the morning, which 
agree most perfectly with what Bruce has called them. He re- 
cognised every island, excepting two, mentioned by Bruce, as I 
named them from the book. Abdel Gaffar's tomb, however, they 
assured me was on the island of Noorah, off Ras Antalou, where is a 
small village, and not on Dahalottum, as asserted by Bruce. They 
say, there are two islands of el-Surat, the largest of which had 
once wells and inhabitants, but the latter have removed, and the 
former have been all filled up. 
" January 12. — About two o'clock in the morning a heavy 
