is the Sea
of Nikpa (Ning-po?), where the star Orion predominates and stormy
winds prevail[174]. At times the helmsman cannot govern his ship, as a
fierce wind drives her into this Sea of Nikpa, where she cannot move
from her place; and the crew have to remain where they are till their
stores of food are exhausted and then they die. In this way many a
ship has been lost, but men eventually discovered a device by which to
escape from this evil place. The crew provide themselves with hides of
oxen.

[p.95]

And when this evil wind blows which drives them into the Sea of Nikpa,
they wrap themselves up in the skins, which they make waterproof, and,
armed with knives, plunge into the sea. A great bird called the
griffin spies them out, and in the belief that the sailor is an
animal, the griffin seizes hold of him, brings him to dry land, and
puts him down on a mountain or in a hollow in order to devour him. The
man then quickly thrusts at the bird with a knife and slays him. Then
the man issues forth from the skin and walks till he comes to an
inhabited place. And in this manner many a man escapes[175].

[p.96]

Thence to Al-Gingaleh is a voyage of fifteen days, and about 1,000
Israelites dwell there. Thence by sea to Chulan is seven days; but no
Jews live there. From there it is twelve days to Zebid, where there
are a few Jews. From there it is eight days' journey to India which is
on the mainland, called the land of Aden, and this is the Eden which
is in Thelasar[176]. The country is mountainous. There are many
Israelites here, and they are not under the yoke of the Gentiles, but
possess cities and castles on the summits of the mountains, from which
they make descents into the plain-country called Lybia, which is a
Christian Empire. These are the Lybians of the land of Lybia, with
whom the Jews are at war. The Jews take spoil and booty and retreat to
the mountains, and no man can prevail against them. Many of these Jews
of the land of Aden come to Persia and Egypt[177].

Thence to the land of Assuan is a journey of twenty days through the
desert. This is Seba on the river Pishon (Nile) which descends from
the land of Cush[178]. And some of these sons of Cush have a king whom
they call the Sultan Al-Habash. There is a people among them who, like
animals, eat of the herbs that grow on the banks of the Nile and in
the fields. They go about naked and have not the intelligence of
ordinary men. They cohabit with their sis