Good Hope is 23 deg. 45' E. Thus, in every instance hitherto, the
observations of lat. and long. by Captain Best, at least as printed by
Purchas, are grossly erroneous.--E.]

[Footnote 78: This description seems rather to refer to the island of
Mayotto, about thirty leagues E. of S. from Mohilla; the small island to
the north, or N. by W. being called Saddle Isle.--E.]

Two of my men had belonged to a Dutch fleet, that year when they
assaulted Mosambique, on which occasion they put in here, and recovered
the healths of 400 or 500 men in five weeks. Yet it is well named
Mal-Ilha, or the bad island, for it is the most dangerous of any place I
ever saw. It is next to Comoro, from which it is distant some twelve or
fourteen leagues S.S.E.

At dawn on the 1st September we got sight of land to the eastwards, four
or five leagues distant, my reckoning being then eighty or ninety
leagues short, owing, I suppose, to some current setting east from the
coast of Melinda; neither from the latitude of Socotoro to Damaun could
we see the sun, to know our variation. The 3d at seven a.m. we spoke two
country boats, which informed us that the town, church, and castle in
sight was Damaun. From these boats I got two men, who engaged to carry
the Dragon to the bar of Surat, promising not to bring us into less than
seven fathoms. On the 5th a Surat boat came on board with _Jaddow_ the
broker, who had served Captain William Hawkins three years, and Sir
Henry Middleton all the time he was here. There were likewise in this
boat the brother of the customer of Surat, and three or four others. All
these remained with us till the 7th, when we came to anchor at the bar
of Surat, in eight 1/4 fathoms at high water, and six 1/2 at neap tides.
At spring tides, however, I have found the tide to rise in the offing
three fathoms, and even three 1/2. The latitude of our anchorage was 21 deg.
10' N. and the variation 16 deg. 20' or 16 deg. 27'.[79] On the 11th, _Thomas
Kerridge_ came aboard, with a certificate or licence under the seals of
the justice and governor of Surat, for our quiet and peaceable trade and
intercourse, and with kind entreaties to come ashore, where we should be
heartily welcomed by the people. They also brought off a letter or
narrative, written by Sir, Henry Middleton, which had been left in
charge of the _Moccadam_ of Swally. On the same day, I again sent Mr
Kerridge ashore, accompanied by Hugh Gettins.

[Footnote 79: Sorat bar is