Page:A voyage to Abyssinia (Salt).djvu/120

( 112 ) CHAPTER IV.

ON Friday, December 8th, at four in the morning, we weighed anchor from Mocha Roads, and stood over to the coast of Abyssinia, accompanied by the ship's launch, which our Captain had fitted out With schooner rigging as a tender, steering W. ¾ S. with a strong gale from the southward. The sea ran very high in mid-channel, but as we approached the Abyssinian shore, the water became smooth, and the wind more moderate, which is customary in crossing this part of the sea, however hard it may blow on the Arabian side. At nine, we found ourselves close in with Ras Béloul, and after crossing the Bay, which appears to be free from shoals, we stretched along shore, at about three leagues distance, in fifteen fathoms, until we reached Rackmah, when we rounded the point of the first island, and came to an anchor in four fathoms, hard ground. This anchorage, which will be found accurately laid down in the chart, cannot be considered as affording good shelter, even against a southerly wind, and with any other it might prove extremely dangerous. The inner harbour offers more secure holding ground, but in order to get into it, a bar with two fathoms and a half must be passed over, which renders it useless: except, in cases of necessity,