a shoal under water on which the sea breaks very much, and to landward a small island, these two ranging N.E. and S.W. a quarter more E. and W. the distance between being three quarters of a league.  Immediately on entering, the channel seemed large and spacious, and the farther we advanced so much more to seaward there appeared to us an infinite number of very flat islands, shoals, sand-banks and rocks, that they could not be reckoned.  Towards the land side these were not so numerous; but it is the foulest and most unnavigable channel that ever was seen, in comparison with any other sea.  What ought chiefly to be attended to in this channel, is always to keep nearer to the shoals that are to seawards, and as far as possible from those to landward.  The breadth of this channel in some places is about half a league, in others a quarter, and in others less than a gun-shot.  In the entry to this channel we had six fathoms, and from thence to the port of Shabak never less, and never more than 12.  From the beginning of the shoals to Shabak may be about five leagues, and their whole length eight or nine.  We have then another channel, more secure for ships and great vessels; and we may likewise pass these shoals leaving them all to seaward, going very close to the main-land, which is the best and most pleasant way.

[Footnote 286:  Perhaps this refers to the west channel of the harbour, though not so expressed in the text.—­E.]

[Footnote 287:  Named Daratata and Dolkefallar in Astley.]

[Footnote 288:  More properly Shabak.—­Ast.]

[Footnote 289:  Purchas in a side-note makes this the latitude of the harbour of Xabaque; but it is obvious that they had sailed a long way between noon, when the altitude was taken, and an hour before sunset, when they entered the harbour.—­E.]

On the 24th, at sunrise, we set sail from the port of Shabak, and rowed by so narrow a channel that our fleet had to follow each other in single line a-head, being only about a cross-bow shot over in the widest parts.  In this narrow channel we were never more than a cannon shot from the main-land, and sometimes little more than a cross-bow shot; having shoals, rocks and banks on every side of us, all under water, yet we had always sufficient indications to avoid them; as wherever they lay, the water over them appeared very red or very green, and where neither of these colours appeared we were sure of the clearest channel, the water, being there dark.  Continuing by this channel among so many difficulties, we came to anchor at half an hour past eleven at a little low round island, in lat. 19 deg.  N. In this latitude Ptolomy places the mountain of the Satyrs[290].  Of this mountain the native pilots had no knowledge; but going about half a league into the land, I found the footsteps of so many kind of beasts, and such great flocks of pianets[291] as was wonderful.  All these tracks came till they set their feet in the