Page 504 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

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appendix. 467
466 APPENDIX.

safe and ca-
Cape Bab el Mandub* forms the No water is found, but it possesses a
terminating ex­ pacious harbour; and a body of our troops, in 1801,
tremity of Southern Arabia; it is a lofty ridge of a
were unfortunate enough to be stationed on it for
triangular form, and at a distance appears like an
island. The isthmus which connects it with the main some time.
is indeed very low, and the Arabs preserve a tradition Nearer the Abyssinian shore, and cropping out of
the bank of soundings which connects the two conti­
that their barks formerly sailed over the space it now
nents, there is a group of islets, called by the English
occupies. The port of Ocelis has been looked for on
“ Brothers,” and by the Arabs, “ Jezirat Subah,” Seven
the western side of this Cape; a small harbour remains,
Islets, equally sterile with Perim. Their only tenants
but we discovered no ruins, or other traces of anti-
quity. The Johasmf pirates f formerly had stations are a few sea-fowl, and occasionally a turtle, which the m
Arabs do not eat, but kill for the sake of its shell. In
in its vicinity, the ruins of which still remain. A line
their conical appearance, the basis of the rocks of
drawn from the Cape to the Abyssinian shores mea­
which they are composed, the whole group varies but
sures twenty-one miles, which is the least distance
little: thin layers of limestone rear themselves,
between the two continents; but this space is occupied
wrapped in curious folds, and containing fragments
with several islands.
of quartz and felspar, together with larger masses,
The largest, Perim or Mayun, as it is called by the
having fossil shells, coral, and other marine products
Arabs, is distant about two miles from the Arabian
embedded within them. A level circular belt of the
shore; the channel between them forming the lesser
same material, but considerably indurated by the action
strait: it rises gradually from either extremity to the
centre, where its elevation is about one hundred and of the water, surrounds them; the outer portion is
fifty feet. The basis of the island is secondary lime­ somewhat more elevated than that within, and is on a
stone, but the whole surface is covered with masses of level with the surface of the water; beyond this it sinks
volcanic rock, and is withal so parched as not to afford, perpendicularly to seven or eight feet. These islands
with the exception of Abysynthium and some scat­ have, without doubt, at some remote period, been up-
tered tufts of Salacorina, even the usual desert shrubs. heaved from the bottom of the sea, but the coral and
other marine exuvia are the same at every series of the :
* This hill is called Jebel Fermise by the Indians. They have a strata. How
tradition, that at one period it sent forth flames, which, judging fr‘)m were these supplied? By a submarine
volcano ?—if so,
conical and volcanic appearance, is extremely probable. we must suppose the interval of time
f I here take the opportunity of observing, that an historical accoun^ between each
of this interesting, but ferocious and sanguinary race, is on the eve ^ successive eruption was sufficient to
have
publication by Captain Brucks, of the Indian Navy. Being enabled those insects to recommence their
the circumstance, whilst preparing these volumes for the press, ^ labours in the vicinity of its crater. The interference
to swell them unnecessarily by more than a brief notice, fdrea J
of volcanic
agency with the uprearing of coral banks
nished to my readers.
2 h 2