MOCHA. -403 
agreement, by which each ship purchases in rotation, according to 
the time of her arrival. A captain, whose turn would not arrive 
these ten months, sailed this morning to the northward, evidently 
to Hodeida, or Loheia. The adventurers of the present season will 
find themselves in a very different situation from their predeces- 
sors ; for, independently of paying nearly double the price for their 
coffee, as they have only money enough to lay in half a cargo, the 
expenses of freight will be double also. Many have suffered even 
more severely, having been obliged to quit without any coffee, and 
to seek for a cargo elsewhere. 
I do not know whether it be of much consequence, as Yemen is 
changing masters, that the Americans are spoiling the road of Mocha 
by throwing over their ballast. The evil has already become great, 
for there is now no clear spot, under four fathom, and at a great dis- 
tance from the shore. In another season not a ship will be able to 
anchor in safety. Mr. Pringle spoke to the Dola about it ; but he 
did not seem to consider it as of any consequence. 
The southerly gales moderated on the ^5th of April, and gave 
us an opportunity of getting fresh ballast on board the Panther, 
preparatory to her going to the Straits of Bab-ehmandeb, which I 
wished to examine during the present leisure time. 
June 1 . — Captain Court returned from his cruize, having com- 
pleted his survey, and discovered more errors in Sir Home Popham's 
chart, than even the leaving out of Jibbel Anish had given me 
reason to expect. These will appear most plainly by a comparison 
betweent the two charts; but to those who may have no such op- 
portunity, I will only observe, that the actual distance between 
the Island of Perim, and the nearest part of Africa, is ten miles and 
VOL. II. 3 ¥ 
