165 
The west wind increased about noon, and we cast 
anchor at half past one in a very bad spot called Del- 
maa. 
There were five other vessels at anchor near us, 
which were bound to the same spot as ourselves. 
The sea ran very high, and our ship was much buf- 
fetted about. 
Tuesday ', 24th March. 
We sailed about four in the morning, and made some 
way although the wind was not very favourable. The 
greatest part of our course was in a species of channel 
about two leagues wide, in a northerly direction, be- 
tween the coast of Arabia, and a line of innumerable 
shoals, which occupied the whole surface of the sea to 
the horizon. These shoals are without exception of the 
same level, and are covered with six inches of water at 
most. The waves dash against them with great fury, 
but the water in the rest of the channel is absolutely as 
tranquil as in a river. About noon we passed Tual, a 
little town surrounded with some trees. I observed the 
latitude to be 22° 5' 46" N. I cannot, however, be cor- 
rect to a minute. We anchored about two in the after- 
noon, nearly eight miles to the S. S. W. of another 
village called Omelmusk, the longitude of which was, 
according to my observations, 36 Q 31' E. from the ob- 
servatory of Paris, but the irregularity of my watch at 
this period may have deceived me in a minute or two 
of time, or in a quarter of a degree of longitude. 
The meredional passage of Mars gave me for latitude 
22° 19' 0" N. 
This anchorage is very good, although it is more 
than two miles distant from the shore. 
