SHEIK BAROUD. 30§ 
had no soundings. At twelve, we found no bottom with eighty 
fathom. The shore was as usual protected by a reef of rocks, and 
was composed of small islands, covered with the rack-tree. There 
was another reef to the eastward, leaving a channel about three miles 
wide. In the evening we had soundings of twenty-seven fathom, 
mud. We cast anchor, as we supposed, in a similar bottom, but, 
on sounding, found fourteen fathom, rocks. If a vessel carried very 
little sail, she might find out a good anchorage; but the ground is 
so unequal that, when moving fast, there is no certainty that the 
next throw of the lead may not differ several fathom in depth, and 
more essentially in the quality of the bottom. The night was 
moderate. 
March 5. — Our stream anchor was entangled among the rocks, 
and we were obliged to leave it there, after having used every exer- 
tion, but in vain, to raise it. The breeze was fine, but hung too much 
to the northward ; the channel was from 2^ to 3^ miles wide. A 
whole fleet of dows was in sight, steering northward. We hailed 
one, and found it was from Mocha, laden with coffee. The pilot 
intended to have anchored between two of the shoals to the E. 
where he said there was good bottom, and moderate water, but the 
breeze came round to the eastward, and freshened ; he therefore de- 
termined to run for a harbour he pointed out, sanctified by the tomb 
of Sheik Baroud, who has kindly chosen to be buried on a rising 
hillock, that marks the northern extremity of a narrow peninsula. 
Behind this lies a very excellent harbour, free from rocks, in which 
every danger is visible, and where a vessel may lie perfectly land- 
locked from every wind. We got in just as it was dark, to our 
very great satisfaction, as the wind freshened considerably. The 
