Note Note 5 — APPENDIX III.

February 1st, Friday. The wind moderating, we continued our course along the coast in very irregular soundings of from 10 to 65 fathoms, rocks and gravel. At 9 A.M. the mosques of Magadosho were seen bearing W.S.W. distant 9 or 10 miles. The late gale has therefore carried us farther to the southward of the reported mouth of the Doara—a mortifying circumstance, and to us a very severe disappointment, for we had promised ourselves much gratification in exploring that river—so interesting, and at the same time so little known. At noon Magadosho bore W.N.W. of the ship two or three miles; here we sounded, but could find no ground with a line of 80 fathoms. The town, which is large and irregular, is situated on an uneven sandy piece of ground close to the beach; the land behind considerably lower than that on either side. The houses resemble those seen in the towns on the coast of Arabia and Persia, and are apparently built of stones and mud, of a low, square form, with small doors and windows, and have all flat roofs. The most conspicuous objects are the mosques already mentioned; 470there are four of them; three of which are placed in the town, the other among some straggling buildings, a little to the northward. The land both to the N.E. and S.W. is of a reddish colour, thickly covered with black spots, and upon them some low-spreading trees, which have a very uncommon appearance. About ten miles to the southward is a remarkable white sandy hill, which, with the red hills already mentioned, are excellent marks in approaching Magadosho. The sea-shore immediately opposite the town is sandy and guarded by a reef, which, running from the rocks on the N.E. to the S.W. end of the town, extends to about a quarter of a mile from the beach; within the anchorage is said to be excellent. To the S.W., as to the N.E., the shore is in many places low and rocky, forming what has been described as islands (Note 5). We were doubtful of this, but did not go near enough to ascertain. We observed a large village on the northernmost of these supposed islands, a few miles south of Magadosho. Having determined the position of the town, we were in hopes that we might at last be enabled to anchor, and pursue at leisure the inquiries we proposed to make here concerning some of the objects of our search, but our bad fortune continued to attend us, for the wind began again to blow very fresh, with an exceedingly heavy swell setting in towards the shore. Under these circumstances, we did not think it prudent to trust ourselves at anchor in an open unprotected roadstead with a reef of rocks under our lee; we therefore bore away along the coast to the S.W. of Magadosho till the evening, when we stood out to sea and passed a night more tempestuous than any we had hitherto experienced. The weather still damp, with heavy dews at night, thermometer 471at 78°. Lat. observed at noon 2° 4′ N.; long. by chron. at noon 45° 46′ E. According to us, Magadosho is situated in N. lat. 2° 3′,[94] and in long. by chron. 42° 43′ E.