too late, to wish
I had come better provided. I bought fur gowns for most of my men, who
were slenderly clothed, otherwise I think they would have starved. Zenan
is, as I judge, about 180 miles N.N.W. from Mokha.[330] It is in lat.
16 deg. 15', as I observed by an instrument I made there. We were fifteen
days between Mokha and Zenan. The 5th of January, 1611, two hours before
day, we came within two miles of Zenan, where we had to sit on the bare
ground till day-light, and were much pinched by the cold, and so
benumbed that we could hardly stand. Every morning the ground was
covered with hoar frost, and in Zenan we have had ice an inch thick in
one night, which I could not have believed unless I had seen it.

[Footnote 330: See a former note, in which its geographical relation to
Mokha is given on the authority of our latest and best maps.--E.]

About a mile from the town, we were met by the _subasha_, or sheriff,
with at least 200 shot, accompanied by drums and trumpets. We were now
drawn up in single file, or one behind the other, at some distance, to
make the greater shew, our men having their gowns taken from them, and
being forced to march on foot in their thin and ragged suits. The
soldiers led the way, after whom went our men one by one, our trumpeters
being next before me, and commanded by the aga to sound, but I forbade
them. After our trumpeters, came Mr Femell and I on horseback; and
lastly, came the aga riding in triumph, with a richly caparisoned spare
horse led before him. In this order we were led through the heart of the
city to the castle, all the way being so thronged with people that we
could hardly get through them. At the first gate there was a good guard
of armed soldiers; at the second were two great pieces of cannon on
carriages. After passing this gate, we came into a spacious court yard,
twice as long as the Exchange at London. The soldiers discharged their
pieces at this gate, and placed themselves, among many others there
before them, on the two sides, leaving a lane for us to walk through. Mr
Femell and I alighted at this gate, and placed ourselves on one side
along with our men, but he and I were soon ordered to attend upon the
pacha, it being their _divan_ day, or meeting of the council. At the
upper end of the court-yard, we went up a stair of some twelve steps, at
the top of which two great men came and held me by the wrists, which
they griped very hard, and led me in this manner to the