the Sunne, and in his greatest height it rose ouer the Horizon eightit degrees, a little scant. The declination of this day was seuenteene degrees, sixe and thirtie minuts, whence it followeth, this Iland to stand in twentie seuen degrees & two third parts. The first of May, the sun being vp we set sayle. About Euen-song time we were with a great Iland, which hath in length two leagues, & thrusteth out a Point very close to the firme Land, where betweene the firme Land and the Iland, is a singular good Harbor for al weathers, for all the ships of the world. The second of May, at Sun set, we came to an Anchor in the Port of Goelma, a Port onely for small Vessels, safe from the North, and North-west. Within the Land a little space, is a dry Brook, whereby in Winter the water of the floods, which descend from the Mountaines doth auoid, where digging a little, ye finde fresh water, and heere is a Well, though not very plentifull of water. This Port was [ 10] called Goelma, which in Arabique, is to say, The Port of water, it lyeth to the North North-west of Alcocer, the distance is foure leagues.
The fourth of May, we rowed along the shoare: almost Sunne set, we came to an Anchor in a Port, which is called Açallaihe, which standeth beyond Xacara toward the South-east two leagues. By night the wind was at North North-west, we lay all night at Anchor.
Acallaihe is a small Port, but very good, betweene Xacara and the blacke Hillocke.
Bohalel Xame is a great Port, wherein may harbour many Shippes, it is very deepe within. This place was called Bohalel Xame, because within the Land dwelt a Badoil, very rich, which was called Bohalel, the which came or sent to sell Cattell to the Ships, which did take or come into that Hauen, and Xame, is to say, Land. And ••heere wee found an honourable Toombe [ 20] within a house like a Chappell, where was hanging a Guidon or Ancient of Silke, and many Arrowes or Darts round about the Graue, and about the Wals and Cords a great quantitie of Bulls did hang. At the head of the Graue there was a Table standing vpright, with a great Epitaph, and about the house, many Waters and Fragrant smelling things.
I enquiring of the Moores and Arabians of such a thing, I learned that here lay buried a ve∣ry honourable Arabian, of the Linage of Mahomet, which crossing these Coasts, fell very sicke, and in this Port ended his daies: and they made him this Graue as a man of so high a Genealogie. Where the Xarifes Iuda and great Prelats gaue Indulgences, and granted par∣dons to euery one that should visite this house. But the offerings and reuerence which the Portugals did vnto it, was to sacke the house, and afterward for to burne it, that no [ 30] signe was left where it had beene. In this Port wee found great footing of Tygres, and wilde Goats, and other Beasts which came all to the Sea, as though they came to seeke water for to drinke.
The many times that I bring to the field the name and memorie of the Badois, and likewise the trauelling by their Coasts and Countries, doth binde me to speake some thing of them. Ba∣doil, in good Arabique, signifieth a man that liueth onely by Cattell: these men, called Badoies, is properly the people of the Troglodithas, Ophiotofagis, of the which Ptolomie, Plinie, Pom∣ponius Mela, and other Authors doe write: the which Troglodithas or Badoies, doe liue in the Mountaines, and coasts of the Sea, which are contayned from the coast of Melinde and Ma∣gadoxa, to the Cape of Guardafui, and from thence going inward to the Streight, they doe [ 40] begirt and occupie all her Coasts, as well on the one side as on the other, and turning againe outward on the Arabian side, they runne along the Sea to the Streight of Ormuz, and all these Lands may rather be affirmed to be occupied by them then inhabited.
The Badoies are wilde men, amongst whom is no ciuill societie, no truth nor ciuilitie vsed: They worship Mahomet, and are very bad Moores, aboue all other People they are giuen to Stealths and Rapine; they eate raw flesh, and drinke milke; their habite is vile and filthy, they are greatly endued with swiftnesse and nimblenesse; they fight on foote and horse-backe, their weapons are Darts, they neuer haue peace with their Neighbours, but continually haue warre, and fight with euery one.
Those that dwell along the Red Sea, from as farre as Zeila vnto Suaquen, doe fight with the [ 50] Abexijs; and those from Suaquen to Alcocer, haue warre with the Nobijs; and those which inhabite from Alcocer to Soez, and end of this Sea, doe molest continually the Aegyptians. But returning by the Arabian side, by all the Coast of the Sea, that lyeth from Soez to the Streight of Ormuz, doe contend with the Arabians. Among the Badois there is no King or great Lord, but liue in Troopes or Factions; they permit no Towne in their Fields, neither haue they any certaine Habitation, for their custome is to be Vagabonds, from one place to an∣other, with their Cattell. Not onely doe they abhor Lawes and Ordinances, but also the Sutes and Differences that arise amongst them, they will not haue them iudged by any Custome, and they are content that their Xeque doe determine them as he list; their dwelling is in Caues and Holes, and other such like habitations, but the greatest part doe helpe themselues with Tents [ 60] and Boothes; their colour is very blacke, their language the Arabian, the rest of their Custome and Life, I omit.
The tenth of May, by day, we weighed anchor from the Port of Igidid. An houre before Sun set we fastned on a Shoald, which stood about foure leagues from Farate toward the South. In