338 
VALENTIAv; 
could make no way, and therefore came to an anchor under shelter 
of the S.W. point of the island. Soon afterwards Mr. Maxfield 
joined us. He reported that he had been nearly to the extremity 
of the western part of Annesley Bay; that the water gradually 
shoaled to four fathom, mud, when he had come to an anchor. It 
is certainly a noble bay from its size, from the goodness of its 
bottom, and from its being perfectly protected from every w^ind 
that blows in this sea. It is not surprising that the ancients pre- 
ferred anchoring in it to the narrow harbour of Massowah, where 
the ground is hard. Though the channel between the island and 
the main land is sufficiently deep to prevent its being forded, yet 
it is so narrow, that a communication is kept up with the greatest 
ease. The trade that comes down from Abyssinia might be easily 
brought to thebottomof thebay at the southern extremity of Gedam, 
instead of passing along the side of that mountain. The distance 
would be less, as Dixan, the first town of Abyssinia, lies nearly due 
south of Massowah, and the facilities of embarkation would be 
equally good. I have no doubt that the trading inhabitants of 
Orine brought all their goods by this road after they had removed 
from Massowah or Toualout ; and independently of the security from 
the attacks of the barbarians, they might be very probably induced 
to remove their station by the facilities which Annesley Bay afforded 
them, in embarking their elephants' and rhinoceros' teeth. 
March ^4.— At ten o'clock all the passengers, with Mr. Macgie 
and theshcll-boys, landed on Valentia Island, to walk to the village, 
while the two vessels beat round to the anchorage. Captain Rud- 
land, and my servant took their guns, and soon parted from the 
botanisers. We had tolerable success, as the herbaceous plants were 
