The 25th we went for Assab, where, on the 27th, we found the Trades-increase and the Hector, with eleven sail of junks, or India ships, from various parts. On coming into the road, or harbour of Assab, it is proper to keep the northern shore aboard, leaving a little rock or hummock on the starboard side, when we have twelve, eleven, ten, nine, eight, and seven fathoms, on a sandy bottom. We anchored in seven fathoms, about half a mile from the shore. The 30th, the nakhadas, or Indian ship-masters, requested that such of their goods as we wanted might be sorted immediately, that they might not lose the monsoon for returning to India, offering to bring aboard our ships any packages we pleased, to be there examined, and to carry back what we refused. The 9th May, I caused two large India ships to be measured, which were of the following scantlings:--The Rhemi from stem to stern-port, was 153 feet long, her rake aft from the post being seventeen feet, the top of her sides in breadth forty-two, and her depth thirty-one feet. The Mahamudi was 136 feet long, her rake aft twenty, her breadth forty-one, her depth twenty-nine and a half, and her main-yard 132 feet.
The 15th May, the king of Rahayta, a petty prince on the African coast of the Red Sea, came to Assab to visit Sir Henry and me, riding upon a cow. He had a turban on his head, from which a piece of periwinkle shell hung down on his forehead instead of a jewel. He was entirely naked, except a piece of painted cloth about his loins, and was attended by 150 men, armed with darts, bows and arrows, swords and targets. Sir Henry and I went ashore, taking with us a guard of 100 men, shot and pikes, to prevent treachery, lest the Turks might have planned any trick through his means, under cover of courtesy, and we were loth to let him go back without an interview, lest we might lose his friendship, and the refreshments we procured at the port of Assab, which is in his dominions. We gave him several presents, and, at his particular entreaty, gave him his fill of aquavitae, so that he could hardly stand. These people are Mahometans, being black and hard-favoured, with crisp hair. The king presented us with five bullocks, and promised every assistance in his power.
This day I got a note of the prices of commodities, as lately bought and sold at Surat, of the following tenor:--Broad-cloth of twenty pounds each piece, of several colours, twenty mahmudies the conido, of thirty-five inches; five mahmudies being equal to one rial of eight, or Spanish dollar. Kersies, eighty-four mahmudies the piece, being less than ours cost in England. Lead; the great maund, of thirty-three pounds, seven one-third mahmudies. Tin, the small maund, of twenty-five pounds, five and a half dollars. At Dabul, iron sold for twenty-one dollars the bahar, of 360 pounds. Damasked pieces,[418] from twelve to eighteen dollars each. Elephants teeth, sixty-five mahmudies the great maund, of thirty-three pounds. Indigo cirkesa,[419] three sorts, the best at fourteen rupees, each worth half a dollar; the second sort, twelve rupees, and the third, eight rupees for the great maund, of thirty-three pounds. Three sorts of Lahore indigo, being the best of all, the best, thirty-six, the second, thirty, and the third, twenty-four rupees for a maund weighing fifty-five pounds. Charges of bringing it to the water-side, ten in the 100 for the cirkesa, and twenty in the 100 custom for the lahore indigo.
[Footnote 418: Perhaps these were damasked gun-barrels.--E.]
[Footnote 419: Cirkesa, by others named Serkes and Sherkes, is a village near Ahmedabab, the capital of Cambaya, or Guzerat, where indigo is made.--Astl. 466. d.]
The 23d May, the Thomas, having forty-nine men all in health, set sail for Socotora for aloes, and to go thence for Priaman and Tekoo in Sumatra, for pepper. The 8th August the Hector sailed for Priaman and Tekoo, having eighty-eight Englishmen aboard in perfect health, the monsoon being now favourable. The 10th and 11th all reckonings were cleared between us and the junks Hassani, Caderi, Mahmudi, Rehemi, and Salameti. Our whole cargo, including commodities and dollars, bartered for at this place, did not exceed 46,174 dollars. The two following acquittances on this occasion will enable the reader the better to understand the nature of the dealings at this place, in this forced trade with the India ships.[420]
[Footnote 420: These appear to have been translated by or for Purchas, the former from Arabic, and the latter from Malabar, as the one has a subscription and seal in Arabic, and the other a subscription in some Indian character, yet considerably different from that formerly inserted in Purchas under the name of Banian.--E.]
In Mokha Roads, in the Red Sea, 10th August, 1612.
Be it remembered, that I, Mahomed Hassan Comal Adin Ashen, captain of the Hassani of Surat, have bartered and sold to Captain John Saris, general of the eighth voyage to the East Indies, for the sum of 7400-11/48 rials of eight, in the following goods, viz.
Indigos of all sorts, 86 bales, amounting, with profit,
to rials 3046-7/48
Cambaya cloth, 316 corges, 7-1/2 pieces, amount, &c. 4136
Three carpets, valued at 20
Two cotton quilts, at 80 rials a corge, 8
Rice, butter, ginger, and sugar, amount 53-7/24
For 18 yds. broad cloth, received back in account, 96
Four bales gum-lac, with profit 40-10/24
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Sum total of merchandise sold, Rials 7400-11/48
And I have received in payment these following goods,
viz.
Broad cloths, 28-1/2 pieces, amounting, in rials, 4574-30/48
Ten pieces of kersies, 501-1/3
Thirty bahars of lead, 720
Twenty bahars of iron, 480
Four and a half bahars of tin, 679-1/2
Fifteen fowling-pieces, 445
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Sum total of these goods received, Rials 7400-11/48