. with a brisk wind till nine
in the morning, we came among certain islands called _Atfas_, almost
entirely desert, and only inhabited by people who come from other
islands to fish and seek for pearls, which they get by diving to the
bottom of the sea in four fathom water. They drink rain water, which is
preserved in cisterns and ponds. We remained here all night, having ran
100 miles. On the 20th we came to an island 20 miles from the land named
_Khamaran_, where we got provisions and good water. In this island there
was a ruinous castle, altogether unoccupied, and about fifty houses
built of boughs of trees, besides a few other huts scattered over the
island. The inhabitants were barefooted and quite naked, of a small
size, and having no head-dresses but their hair, and merely conceal
their parts of shame by means of a clout. They are all mariners, having
a few barks and small craft, the planks of which are sewed together by
rope, and are entirely destitute of iron work, with sails curiously made
of mats, constructed of the barks of the palm or date tree, and folding
together like a fan. The cordage and cables are made of the same
materials. They trade to the main land in these barks, and bring from
thence abundance of dates, jujebs, and a sort of white buck-wheat. They
make a good quantity of _Mecca ginger_, and procure plenty of
frankinsence from Bista[220]. They reduce their buck-wheat to meal on a
piece of marble, about the size of the stone on which colours are ground
by painters, on which another stone about half an ell long and like a
rolling pin or roller is made to work so as to bruise the corn.
Immediately after this it is made into a paste and baked into thin
cakes. This is their bread, which must be made fresh every day,
otherwise it becomes so dry and hard that there is no eating it. Both
fish and flesh are to be had here in sufficient abundance. From the
islands of _Akhefas_ or _Atfas_ to this island of _Khamaran_ the
distance is 40 miles.

[Footnote 219: In Ramusio only 40 miles.--Astl. I. 90. d.]

[Footnote 220: This is called the land of the Abissins in the edition of
Ramusio.--Astl. I. 91. a.]

The Pacha landed at this place, making all the gallies turn into the
harbour along with him; and sent from thence two foists with messengers,
one to the king or sheikh of _Zibit_ or _Zabid_, and the other to the
sheikh of Aden, ordering them to provide water and provisions for the
fleet, to enable him to pr