4^4 
MOCHA. 
to me. This, however, confirmed what I had before heard, that the 
people in general attributed to me intentions hostile to the place. 
Another fire broke out about eleven in a stone house, and partly 
consumed it. The wind was fi:'esh, and had the flames caught one 
house of thatch, the whole bazar must have been destroyed, as it 
was close to it, and built of the most combustible materials. Im- 
mediately after dinner we were nearly smothered by a sand storm 
from the east. It was not so terrible as the great north-wester at 
Lucknow, but no object could be distinguished at a distance of 
twenty yards. It blew very fresh ; a few drops of rain fell towards 
the end ; which sensibly cooled the air. Devage said it was the 
most violent he had experienced in eleven years, during which he 
had resided here. 
Captain Court arrived this day, having finished his intended 
survey. He found Antelope shoal very different from what it was 
laid down. Assab is no cape, but a very lofty mountain, nearly 
forty miles inland. A very strong southerly current ran through 
the larger Straits of Bab-el-mandeb. 
Captain Barton sailed for Jidda with a cargo. I wrote to my 
friends in England, and inclosed my letters to Major Missett, to 
whom I also sent copies of Lord Wellesley's dispatches to Mr. 
' Jones at Bagdad, and of the Governor of Bombay's letter to Mr. 
Lock, who was appointed to succeed Major Missett, but died be- 
fore his arrival. I requested his assistance to reach Cairo from 
Suez, and recommunicated the wants of the Panther. The wind 
was from the south, so that the monsoon might be considered as 
set in. The heat was greatly diminished. 
September ^5.— The Dola sent me a present of two baskets of 
