differences being judged of by any permanent customs or
traditions, but rather that their sheiks or chiefs shall determine
according to their pleasure. They dwell in caves and holes, but most of
them in tents or huts. In colour they are very black, and their language
is Arabic. They worship Mahomet, but are very bad Mahometans, being
addicted beyond all other people on earth to thievery and rapine. They
eat raw flesh, and milk is their usual drink. Their habits are vile and
filthy; but they run with wonderful swiftness. They fight afoot or on
horseback, darts being their chief weapons, and are almost continually
at war with their neighbours.

[Footnote 329: _Badwi_, or more properly _Badawi_, signifies a dweller
in the field or in the desert; corruptly called by us Bedouin.--Astl.]

By day-light of the 10th May we weighed anchor from the port of
_Igidid_[330], and an hour before sunset we fastened our barks to a
shoal about four leagues south of _Farate_. In this shoal there is an
excellent harbour, lying almost E.S.E. and W.N.W. but very crooked and
winding, so large that we could not see to the other end. The 22d of
May[331], by day-break, we were a league short of the grove which stands
four leagues north of _Massua_, having the wind from the land. At nine
o'clock it began to blow fair from the N.N.E. and we entered the port of
Massua at noon, where we were joyfully received by the fleet and army.
From the 22d of May, when we entered Massua, the winds were always from
the easterly points, either E. or S.E. or E.S.E. often with great
storms. On the last day of June we had so violent a gale from S.E. that
the galleons drifted and were in great danger of grounding. This storm
was attended by heavy rain and fearful thunders, and a thunderbolt
struck the mast of one of our galleons, which furrowed it in its whole
length. On the 2d of July we had another great storm from the east which
lasted most of the day, and drove many of our vessels from their
anchors. From thence to the 7th of July we had other storms, but small
in comparison. On the 8th and 9th we had two desperate gales from the
land.

[Footnote 330: Either Don Juan or his abbreviator has omitted part of
the Journal at this place, from the port of _Azallaihe_ to that of
_Igidid_--E.]

[Footnote 331: Here again a considerable portion of the Journal is
emitted.--E.]

SECTION X.

_Return of the Expedition from Massua to India_.

Having remained 48 days