2,96 
SUAKIN. 
allowance of biscuit last till the 15th of March, by which time he 
had every reason to hope he should reach that place. To the 
Lascars he promised juwarry, and fresh meat. The whole were in 
perfect good humour, and assured him they were satisfied. 
February 19. — It blew fresher than usual, with showers. The 
boat came off with our sheep, water, and vegetables. 
We have every reason to rejoice that we made Suakin the day 
we did : ever since, the wind has been so steady to the northward, 
that we could not have quitted Bother'em Bay, and our distress 
there for water and provisions would have been great indeed. It 
was also fortunate that the northerly w4nds had blown only at a 
period when, by our having a complete stock of water to take in, 
they caused no delay. Their continuance however excited an 
unpleasant suspicion in my mind, that the monsoon had changed; 
which Mr. Macgie increased by the information, that he once sailed 
OB the 1st of March from Jidda, and was six weeks in reaching 
Suez. The delay, however, was in getting through the Straits of 
Juhal. The natives console me by saying, that this is always a rainy 
month with them, and that it will probably clear up in a day or 
two, and a southerly wind set in. 
Abdallah came off in the evening, and brought some juwarry. 
Unus was willing to go, but his men objected. We sent Abdallah 
back with a message to the Emir, that we should be glad to hire a 
pilot and a dow; but that if they could not be procured before 
the 2,2d, we should on that day sail without them. 
February 20. — A much finer day, and moderate. The cutter's 
crew, with my servant and Pierce, went to collect shells, and 
brought a good many, some new, but chiefly Cypraea ; handsome, 
