Page:A voyage to Abyssinia (Salt).djvu/163

 On the top of the high land of Buckah, which forms almost a perfect level, we measured a base of two thousand seven hundred feet, and took sets of bearings with a theodolite, from which, and others taken by similar means on the Island of Dalheit, all the main points in the chart are laid down. The high land of Buckah is composed of large masses of basaltes, of a dark, burnt, brown colour, about three feet thick, and seven or eight in diameter, piled in loose strata, occasionally presenting the appearance of ruined walls. The low grounds of all the islands in this bay are composed, like those of Amphila, of marine productions. From Buckah I computed the highest point of Howakil to rise about six hundred and fifty feet above the level of the sea. On our return we passed to the eastward of that island, and thus completed a circuit of about twenty-four miles, which prevented our reaching the ship until it was dark. On the following morning we left our anchorage at Adjuice, and attempted to beat out of the Bay, but the wind being contrary we were compelled to seek shelter under the Island of Dalheit, where we were detained by a continuance of the same cause until the 7th of February, during which time we experienced dark cloudy weather, and occasionally heavy rain, with the wind as usual from N.W. to N.N.W.; the thermometer from 75 to 78.

On the 7th of February we again set sail. At one o'clock the sea, for a considerable extent round the ship, became so extremely red, that it occasioned us, on its first being observed, considerable alarm; but, on sounding, our fears immediately subsided, as we found upwards of twenty fathoms. As we were anxious to ascertain the cause of this very singular appearance, a bucket was let down into the water, by which we obtained a considerable quantity of the substance floating on the surface. It proved to be of a jelly-like consistence, composed of a numberless multitude of very small mollusca, each of which having a small red spot in the centre, formed, when in a mass, a bright body of colour,