been lost in a storm. He may have got on shore in this island, and been
massacred by the natives.--E.]

We were farther informed, that this day, 26th May, 1608, was the 224th
from the _Neyrooze,_ or new-year's-day, according to their account:
That there is no rain on the coast of Arabia till the 70th day of this
monsoon: That the 305th day from Neyrooze is the best time for going to
Surat; and that in ten or twelve days they get to that port. Burrom,
Mekella, and Cayxem, [Keyshem, Kashin, Kasseen, Kassin, or Kushem,] on
the coast of Arabia, are good harbours for shelter in both monsoons; but
are places of no trade. Xael or Xaer[171] has no harbour or road for any
season, yet might be a vent for iron or lead. This place is commanded by
a Turkish Aga, and they send thence for commodities to Keyshem, a day's
journey to the west; but there is no going there at this season. In both
monsoons there is a very heavy sea on the coast of Arabia, and the
currents there set along with the wind. There is no riding at anchor at
the entrance to Surat, so as to have shelter in the west monsoons, both
on account of bad ground, and because the tides run with such rapidity
as to overset ships that are not aground. This road of Delisa is very
safe in the west monsoon; but only two miles either east or west it
continually blows so strong that no ship can ride. I can give no reason
for this, unless that the distance of the high mountains produce this
remarkable difference, as there is much low ground between us and them.

[Footnote 171: This is the Portuguese orthography; in English it should
be _Shael_, or Shaer; but the true name is Shahr, or Shohr, while some
call it Seer.--ASTL. I. 318.I.]

We departed from Delisa on the 24th June, 1608; and on the 23d July we
saw an island, and about noon two more, in lat. 4 deg. 2' S. We left two of
these to the north and one to the south of our course; the most
northerly being a large high island full of trees. Between the two
southermost of these three islands, ten leagues distant, and half way
between them, there is a dangerous reef of rocks, to avoid which we
steered through a very good passage within two leagues of the middle
island, the reef being then to the south, about three leagues from us,
and is very dangerous for ships going through by night. There seemed a
likeness of a passage through between the middle island and the
northermost, but it was not a league broad. The southern island is the