49 
as it is preserved in good cisterns. I cannot say as much 
of the bread, which did not appear to me to be of a 
good quality. 
The air is constantly perfumed; for in all the public 
places there are men who sell water in glasses to drink, 
and who have a small chafing dish near them, in which 
they burn incense and other aromatics. The same 
custom is observed in the coffee houses, shops, and 
houses. 
There are about 5,000 inhabitants in the town, 
which may be considered as the mart of the interior 
commerce of the Red Sea. The ships from Mokha 
bring to it coffee, and the products of the East, which 
are unloaded here, re-shipped in other vessels, and 
transported to Suez, Jenboa, Kossier, and all other 
points of the Arabian and African coasts. It is certain, 
that if the Arabs were more skilled in navigation, 
Mokha could send its cargoes direct to Suez, without 
touching at Djedda, which enhances the prices of the 
commodities; but this is almost impossible at present, 
on account of their want of proficiency in this art, their 
ill- constructed ships without decks, and their ignorant 
captains, to whom a voyage from Mokha to Djedda, 
or from the latter place to Suez, is equal to a voyage 
half round the globe. 
The interest of the Arabs, on the other hand, op- 
poses an amelioration in this respect; for at present the 
articles of commerce leave in their town and country 
the product of interests, commissions, transports, du- 
ties, &c. which they would lose if the navigation were 
improved; and Djedda would become an unimportant 
place. The merchants at Djedda buy at Mokha, or 
rather those of Mokha ship cargoes, which are sold at 
Djedda; and the Cairo merchants send money to Djed- 
Vol. II. G 
