re N. and S. distant about six leagues large.
From _Ras-al-nef_ forwards, the coast winds directly to the N.W. till we
come to _Swarit_, the distance being between 10 and 11 leagues. In this
distance the sea is only in three places foul with shoals; _first_ to
seaward of the island of _Connaka_, where there is a large fair shoal
rising above water in a great ridge of large rocks; and running a long
way toward the land; the _second_ place is at the island of _Shwarit_,
as both to the east and west of this island great shoals and flats
stretch towards the main-land, so as apparently to shut up the sea
entirely between that island and the main; the _third_ is at this
harbour of _Sial_ where we anchored, where the sea is studded thick with
innumerable shoals and flats, so that no part remains free. The island
of Shwarit is a gun-shot in length and nearly as much in breadth, all
low land, with a great green bush in the middle, and opposite to its
east side there is a great rock like an island. _Shwarit_ is little more
than half a league from the main-land.

From _Swakem_ all the way to _Ras-al-nef_, the countries are all
inhabited by _Badwis_ or _Bedouins_, who follow the law of Mahomet, and
from _Ras-al-nef_, upwards to _Suez_ and the end of this sea, the coast
all belongs to Egypt, the inhabitants of which dwell between the coast
of the Red Sea and the river Nile. Cosmographers in general call the
inhabitants of both these regions _Ethiopians_. Ptolomy calls them
Egyptian Arabs: Pomponius Mela and other cosmographers name them in
general Arabs; but we ought to follow Ptolomy, as he was the prince of
cosmographers. These Egyptian Arabs, who inhabit the whole country from
the mountains to the sea, are commonly called _Bedwis_ or _Bedouins_, of
whose customs and manner of life we shall treat in another place.

We took in our sails on the 11th of April, and proceeded on our way by
rowing. At nine o'clock we entered a great bay called _Gadenauhi_[304],
about 4 leagues from _Sial_, the coast between trending N.W. and S.E.
rather more to the N. and S. The land over the sea, which for some
way had the appearance of a wall or trench, becomes now very mountainous
and _doubled_, shewing so many mountains and so close that it was
wonderful. The port or bay of _Gadenauhi_ is 107 leagues beyond
_Swakem_, in lat. 24 deg. 40' N. It was low water _one hour after high
noon_[305], and full sea when the moon rose above the horizon; and as
th