ARABIAN PIRATES. 
27 
After a most squally and boisterous night, the wind veered round, 
and on the morning of the 13th we arose with a strong north-wester, 
called by the Arabs shamal, blowing right in our teeth. We were 
about twelve miles from the land, which, by our dead reckoning, we 
supposed to be near to Cape Mucksa, and distant about eighty miles 
from Cape Jasques. We perceived, in the interior, some high mountains, 
of fine outline, and remarked that at sun-set they were particularly 
beautiful in their tints and general colouring. As we stood in towards 
the land, we observed so extraordinary a change of colour in the sea, 
that we imagined it proceeded from shoal water. The sea, for a con¬ 
siderable distance, was marked by a strong line, as well defined as any 
on a geographical chart ; on one side of which it was of a dark blue, on 
the other of a light pea green. On standing in, from the one to the 
other, we found that we did not shoal our water the more, having 
above seventy fathoms under us when in the pea-green water. It was 
concluded that this strange appearance must have proceeded from the 
decomposition of a chalky soil, which the mountain torrents, in flowing 
over it, had carried into the sea. On taking up a bucket of the disco¬ 
loured water, we found that its taste was not so salt as the common 
sea water. 
On the 14th February we saw the Arabian coast, and on the 15th 
we perceived a sail coming down before the wind, which, on approach¬ 
ing, we found to be an Arabian ship, originally from Bahrein, last from 
Bender Abassi, and bound to Muscat. From her we learnt that the 
pirates, who at Bombay we had heard were totally destroyed, were 
again recruiting their forces, and had collected a fleet of twenty-six 
vessels, which were cruising about Lengeh, Shahaib, and Kais, places 
in the vicinities of Ormus and Kishmis. Their head-quarters were, as 
formerly, at Bassal Kheimeh, on the Arabian coast. An Arab, who 
was brought on board the Lion to inform us of the news, told us that 
their ship had been chased by the pirates, but that a fair wind had 
saved them. He added, however, that with his own eyes he had seen 
another vessel taken belonging to a merchant of Bushire. 
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