Africa being an accurate description of the regions of Ægypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid, the land of Negroes, Guinee, Æthiopia and the Abyssines : with all the adjacent islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern or Oriental Sea, belonging thereunto : with the several denominations fo their coasts, harbors, creeks, rivers, lakes, cities, towns, castles, and villages, their customs, modes and manners, languages, religions and inexhaustible treasure : with their governments and policy, variety of trade and barter : and also of their wonderful plants, beasts, birds and serpents : collected and translated from most authentick authors and augmented with later observations : illustrated with notes and adorn'd with peculiar maps and proper sculptures / by John Ogilby, Esq. ...

Adel, or Zeila.

THe Kingdom of Adel, * 1.1 so call'd by the Portuguese, but by the Natives Zeila, lying at the Sea-shore, borders in the North at the Beglierbeyat, or Provinces of the Bassa of Suaquen, near the Straits of Meche; in the South at Adea; in the West, upon Fatigar in Abyssinie; and in the East, at the Indian Sea.

Pigafet makes the Southermost Places of this Kingdom to be Meth and Bar∣bosa, together with a part of the Arabian Gulf, and the Cape of Guardafu.

It extends in length from Zeila to the Cape of Guardafu, * 1.2 along the Sea-coast, seventy two Miles; and from Guardafu, along the Eastern Coast, about eight and forty; but in breadth fifty six.

The Chief City of this Kingdom is Ara, situate in nine Degrees North La∣titude, by some call'd Arika Gurrele; but by Marmol, Arat, who places the same eighteen Miles from Zeila; he settles also here the Royal City Adel, and the Towns Orgabra, Migiate, Sequeta, Bali, Mautra, Doara, Komizara, Novecara, and Soceli.

On the Sea-coast Pigafet tells of a small Place nam'd Asuin, or Affion, well stored with Provision, but wanting a Haven, and so consequently little fre∣quented by Merchants. Then follows the Cape of Guardafu, or Guardafuy, by many taken for the Aromata of Ptolomy, lying in twelve Degrees and a half North La∣titude, and very famous, because the Easterly Coast of Africa ends there. It lies almost at the entrance of the Arabian Gulf; so that the Ships which come out of India, and will go to Aden, and Ziden, or to Zeila, and Barbara, Sail close by it. On the Coast of Adel appears a Place call'd Salie, which Sanutus takes for that which Ptolomy denominates Mosilon.

Next to Salir, follows Barbara, and Meth; the first lieth to the North, on the Shore of the Red Sea, eleven Miles from the City Zeila; the latter, according to Sanutus, a small City. Afterwards cometh Zeila, one of the best Places on this Coast, being in eleven Degrees and twenty Minutes North Latitude; six and twenty Miles, saith Marmol, from the Straits of Meche.

This City, though built on a low and Sandy Ground, boasts not onely a large Extent, but a very convenient Haven for Ships. It stands within the Kingdom of Adel, in the Province Baragian, which includes the two other small Jurisdictions of Dalacha, and Malacha, all under the Obedience of the Turks.

The Houses in Zeila are built of Stone, and the Streets curiously Pav'd, and daily frequented with Swarms of People.

The In-land Countreys of Adel lie even and plain, * 1.3 onely here and there some easie and pleasant Ascents.

The Plains yield plentiful Returns to the Labouring and Industrious Hus∣bandman, answering his Expectation in the abundant Product both of Plants and Beasts, having withal the River Haoax, which takes its original out of that vast Range of Mountains on the Borders of Xaoa, and Ogge, and feeds the les∣ser Stream of Mach with Water. Some have not stuck to aver it to be little inferior to the Nile; but nothing near so long, because it overflows not above six thousand Paces: Neither doth it reach, how full of Water so ever

it be, to the Sea; but is quite drank up by the dry and thirsty Earth before it cometh so far.

The City Zeila hath no fresh Water within two days Journey, nor other Ground than Sand; but the Fields at further distance afford such Plenty of all things, that out of this Haven, and that of Barbara on the same Coast, Ships Transport Provisions to feed Adom and Ziden, especially Corn, Beans, Barley, and Oyl, not press'd out of Olives, but extracted from the Seed of a Plant call'd Zerzelin, or Gerzeluin, or Grugioline; but indeed no other than Sesamos.

Beasts breeding here, are Sheep of two sorts; * 1.4 one with Tails of twenty five pound weight, black Necks and Heads, and the remainder of their Bodies white; the other quite white, with Tails as long as a Mans Arm, and crook∣ed as a Vine-Branch. Some of their Cows have Horns like a Stag, black Hair, and wilde; others are red, but with one Horn on their Foreheads, of a Span and a half long, but turning backwards.

The Inhabitants as far as Barbara are Olivaster-colour'd; * 1.5 but from thence more to the North, about Zeila and Barrazan, they grow much blacker; natu∣rally quarrelsom, and apt to make Wars upon any trivial occasion.

They go cover'd from their Navel to their Knees with Cotton; but the upper part of their Bodies remain naked: onely Persons of Quality wear Coats, which in Arabick they call Bernuz.

This Dominion possesses much Gold and Ivory, besides such a liberal Provi∣sion of Victuals, that they feed their Neighbors of several other Countreys. They vend also Clothes, Myrrhe, Pepper, and Slaves.

The Merchants of Cambaya and Arabia carry to Barbara all sorts of Cloth, and Beads which they call Maramugos, Raisins, Dates, and many other things, which they exchange for Gold, Elephants-Teeth, and Slaves: And those of Quiloa, Melinde, Brava, Magadoxo, and Mombaza, barter these Commodities for Arabian-Horse.

The Natives are generally very stout, but badly Arm'd, * 1.6 though continu∣ally furnish'd therewith both from the Turks and Kings of Arabia, and such like Necessaries; for which their Prince returns many great Presents of Slaves taken in the Wars: for, to ingratiate himself with those Mahumetans, he makes continually fierce Wars upon the Christians about him, especially those of Abis∣sinie, for which the Moors esteem him a petty Saint; yet all their soothings can∣not so save him, but that sometimes the Christians send him home soundly beaten, teaching him to keep a more mannerly Distance.

The City of Barbara owns the Dominion of the Great Turk, * 1.7 as do most of all the famous Places upon the Coast of the Red Sea in Africa, to this Kingdom of Adel, where they say his Jurisdiction ends at the Haven of Meth; although some will have the whole Coast of Barnagas and Barrazan, nay all the Places near the Red Sea, stand under his Jurisdiction, without affording the Abyssines one Haven there: So that none can pass out of the Red Sea into Abyssine, but through the Turks Dominions.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Borders.
• * 1.2

  Bigness.
• * 1.3

  The nature of the Soil.
• * 1.4

  Beasts.
• * 1.5

  Nature of the Inhabi∣tants.
• * 1.6

  Arms.
• * 1.7

  Government.