^62 COAST OF ABYSSINIA. 
night, but he mentions, that it cast flames like fire; which confirms 
the conjecture, that the brilhant appearance of the sea is owing 
to fish-spawn and animalcula. Don Juan passed this spot on the 
/2,0th of February, one month later than I did, but the spawning 
may probably continue for that period. It was nearly calm the 
whole night, so that we lost but little by anchoring. 
January 22^^ — We were under sail as soon as Captain Court had 
taken a set of bearings. The breezes were light, and there was a tide 
against us. The coast was low, with the lofty mountains at a dis- 
tance ; between them and the sea were occasionally hillocks, some of 
which might have been thought hills, had it not been for their more 
lofty neighbours. The coast still kept a northerly direction with very 
little westing ; in sixty miles N. only seventeen west. The sound- 
ings as usual, and the chain of islands to the eastward, low, with a 
few trees, that often had the appearance of ships under sail. We 
anchored in seven fathom, with a good bottom. About half a mile 
nearer was a chain of madrapore rocks, with four fathom and a 
half on them, as Mr. Hardy reported, who was sent with our boat 
to examine it. A little to the southward was a small port, called 
by the pilot Mirsa Mombarrick : two dows were in it; a small 
island is at the entrance. Our pilots say there is no village, but 
that the natives come down from a little way inland, and that there 
are water and provisions. A calm, as usual, at night. 
January 2,3. — In the morning I perceived that, immediately on 
the beach, the whole way we could see, was a strip of bright ver- 
dure, though beyond it, all was as barren as usual. The boat was 
out early to examine the reef. We weighed at seven, but it soon 
fell calm, and obliged us again to come to an anchor. The boat was 
sent again to survey the beach beyond the reef. The officers 
