EXPLORATION OF ADEN. 
3 
Back Bay, as the roads in front of the town were considered unsafe at 
this season of the year. Captain Weatherhead complied with this advice, 
and soon brought the ship to an anchor behind the rock, in an ex- 
cellent situation, in four fathoms water with good holding ground.” 1 
“ Aden, as a place of trade, is still of some consequence. It is the 
chief mart for the gums brought over by the Somali traders from the 
north-eastern districts of Africa, and coffee of the best quality may be 
procured in considerable quantities. The price of the principal articles 
at this time was as follows • 
Uddeen coffee 
Gum myrrh 
Gum aloes 
Gum Liban'um 
Gum mastich 
70 dollars per bale of 305 lbs. nett, 
4| dollars per frasil of 32 „ English 
2 dollars per „ ditto 
1 dollar „ „ ditto v 
2 dollars „ „ ditto 2 
“ Amongst the ruins some fine remains of ancient splendour are to be 
met with, but these only serve to cast a deeper shade over the devas- 
tation of the scene. The most remarkable of these reservoirs consists 
of a line of cisterns situated on the north-west side of the town, three of 
which are fully eighty feet wide and proportionately deep, all excavated 
out of the solid rock and lined with a thick coat of fine stucco, which 
externally bears a strong resemblance to marble. A broad aqueduct may 
still be traced which formerly conducted the water to these cisterns from 
a deep ravine in the mountain above ; higher up is another, still entire, 
which at the time we visited it was partly filled with water. Some 
Arab children who followed us in our excursions were highly pleased 
when we arrived at the spot, and plunging headlong into the water 
much amused us with their sportive tricks. They ran about collecting 
flowers for us.” 3 
“ On Friday the 6th, I resolved to ascend the mountain. The road is 
extremely steep and much incommoded by loose stones and pieces of 
rock, so that it was not long before our resolution was severely put to 
the test. After surmounting the first difficulty we came to a deep gully, 
in which we found two or three small pits of rainwater, some trees, and 
a few straggling goats. After traversing this gully another steep 
presented itself, that took us up to a ragged plain about a mile in extent, 
which, though at this time parched up, affords, after the rains, suste- 
nance enough for a considerable number of goats.” 4 
1 Salt, Voyage to Abyssinia, London, 1814, p. 99. 
2 Salt, 1. c. p, 106. 
8 Salt, 1. c. p. 107-108. 
4 Salt, 1. c, p. 108. 
B 2 
