three leagues to windward of Mokha, and about four
miles off shore, in eight fathoms water. The 3d
we set sail with the ebb-tide, working to windward;
but in the afternoon I spent my two topsails, and
before we got other two to the yard we were half-seas
over towards the Abyssinian coast, and anchored in
sixteen fathoms. Towards morning the wind increased,
with dark cloudy weather and a rough sea, when we
lost sight of the Trades-increase, at which time she
had broke an anchor and drove, and let fall another
anchor, which not holding, she drifted into six fathoms,
when they were forced to cut their cable, and stand
off into deeper water. The 4th, when preparing
to weigh anchor, I saw the Trades-increase standing
over for Mokha, while Mr Pemberton in the Darling
was riding in a good road, to which I would gladly
have gone, but not knowing what need our great ship
might have of my carpenters, her own being prisoners
at Mokha, I stood after her, and carrying too much
sail in rigorous weather, we split both our new topsails,
which had been sewed with rotten twine, as indeed most
of our sails were. Owing to this, it was night
before I got into Mokha road, where I learnt the Trades-increase
had lost two anchors, on which I sent my carpenters
aboard to stock some others for her.
From that to the 18th we continued in Mokha roads
with little ease, and to the material injury of our
cables. From the 6th to the 11th canoes came
every day from the town with letters from the carpenters,
containing a variety of forged news communicated by
the aga, who permitted them to send off chiefly for
the sake of wine and beer, with which they gratified
the Turks; and were sometimes allowed to send off
some little fresh provisions. The 12th the Darling
came into the road, saluting me with three guns in
token of good news. Mr Pemberton came immediately
aboard, and told me, to my great comfort, that he had
found an easy road and a good watering place, and
had recovered his cable and anchor. The 18th
some persons came off to us from Mokha, bringing us
two bullocks, two goats, a few hens and eggs, and
some fruit, but no news of our general. That
afternoon we set sail for the good road on the Abyssinian
coast, and anchored at night three leagues short of
it, under an island which we named Crab island,
owing to the great abundance of crabs we found there.
The 19th we weighed again, and anchored under another
island, smaller than the former; and on the 20th we
stood farther into the bay, anchoring in eight fathoms,
half a mile from shore, right opposite the watering
place.