whose tails are a cubit long, and hang down like a large cluster of grapes, with great flaps of skin hanging from their throats.  The bulls and cows likewise have dewlaps hanging down almost to the ground.  There are also certain kine having horns like to those of harts, which are very wild, and when taken are given to the sultan of the city as a gift worthy of a prince.  I also saw other kine of a bright red colour, having only one horn in the midst of the forehead, about a span long, bending backwards, like the horn of the unicorn.  The walls of this city are greatly decayed, and the haven bad and unsafe, yet it is resorted to by vast numbers of merchants.  The sultan of Zeyla is a Mahometan, and has a numerous army both of horse and foot.  The people, who are much addicted to war, are of a dark ash-colour inclining to black, and wear loose vestments like those spoken of in Arabia.  After the weather had become calm, we again put to sea, and soon afterwards arrived at an island on the coast of Ethiopia named Barbora, which is under the rule of a Mahometan prince.  It is a small island, but fertile and well peopled, its principal riches consisting in herds of cattle, so that flesh is to be had in great plenty.  We remained here only one day, and sailing thence went to Persia.

SECTION VI.

Observations of the Author relative to some parts of Persia.

When we had sailed twelve days we came to a city named Divobanderrumi[53], which name signifies the holy port of the Rumes or Turks.  This place is only a little way from the Continent, and when the tides rise high it is an island environed on every side with water, but at ebb tides the passage between it and the land is dry.  This is a great mart of commerce, and is governed by a person named Menacheas, being subject to the sultan of Cambaia.  It is well fortified with good walls, and defended by a numerous artillery.  The barks and brigantines used at this place are smaller than ours of Italy.  Departing thence we came in three days to Zoar[54], which also is a well frequented mart in a fertile country inhabited by Mahometans.  Near this place are two other good cities and ports named Gieulfar and Meschet or Maskat.

[Footnote 53:  From the context, this place appears to have been on that part of the oceanic coast of Arabia called the kingdom of Maskat, towards Cape Ras-al-gat and the entrance to the Persian gulf.  The name seems compounded of these words Div or Diu, an island, Bander a port, and Rumi the term in the east for the Turks as successors of the Romans.  It is said in the text to have been subject to the sultan of Cambaia, but was more probably tributary to the king or sultan of Ormuz.—­E.]

[Footnote 54:  In the text of Hakluyt this place is called Goa, assuredly by mistake, as it immediately afterwards appears to have been in the neighbourhood of Maskat, and in the direct voyage between Aden and Ormus, by creeping along the coast from port to port.—­E.]