He
Desired Likewise To Know The Price Of Several Of Our Commodities, With
Pretensions That They Could Supply Indigo, Olibanum, Myrrh, And Various
Other Things.
Before this answer came back, our ships had been driven by
the current so far beyond the point to the west of Aden, that we could
not get again eastwards in sight of the town, and had to anchor abreast
of a bay to the south-west.
[Footnote 355: Mir is a contraction of Amir or Emir, much used by the
Persians. From Amir comes our Admiral, first used by the Europeans
during the crusades. - Astl. I. 396. c.
The origin of Admiral is probably from Amir-al-bahr, lord of the sea,
or sea-commander; corrupted in Spanish into Almirante, and changed in
French and English into Admiral. - E.]
We saw several people fishing in the bay, and many people of
fashion[356] on the hill. On this the general went ashore to enquire
when the current would change, so that we might get back. The
deputy-governor seemed very angry, pretending that our coming was not
with any good intent, but merely to discover their strength, insomuch
that John Williams was in doubt they would have detained him: but the
governor, who was now present, seemed not so rigorous, dissembling with
fair words, and promised to give a pilot for Mokha, yet desired that one
of our ships might stay for their supply; saying, that by the misconduct
of former governors, the town had lost its trade, which he now wished to
restore, and hoped we would make a beginning.
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