Page 466 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

XXIII.] SOUTHERN ARABIA. 437

Aden, Makullah, and Shaher, still employ
about seventy vessels in this trade, some of
which are two hundred tons. Departing from
the Arabian ports in September, the larger
class proceed to the eastward as far as Ras
Fartak, the smaller to Ras el Had; from

thence they strike across, and make the coast
of India about Porebunder: although every
vessel carries a pilot, few have instruments,
or are capable of making observations, I
have, however, occasionally seen among them
a rude description of astrolabe and cross staff.
Some obtain the latitude with tolerable pre­
cision, but others, like the mariners of old,
ascertain their approach to the Indian coast
by the discoloration of the water, and the ap­
pearance of snakes.

The Arabians lay claim to the invention of
the compass. If with reason, they have
either sadly retrograded in that, as in many
other things, or else they never advanced be­
yond the first and most inartificial principles
of their construction. Those they use at
present are altogether rude, and made in
India expressly for the market. The needle
is usually fixed, so as to allow for the varia-