Note 268 — Chapter V

In 1838, the author, then a young man in command of the Olive Branch, a barque of four hundred tons, sailed along the whole of this coast, frequently following the route which Nearchus had taken, and sometimes obliged to anchor on account of the intricacy of the navigation, as Nearchus had done, overnight. He can, therefore, confirm the accuracy of Heeren’s condensed description of the voyage in its difficulties and dangers; and can testify to the abundance of the dates, which formed a portion of the author’s return cargo to Bombay; and also, he may add, to the “robbers” by whom he was attacked when conveying, from an inland town in the vicinity of Bushire, some treasure which was destined for his ship.