"رحلات في آشور، ميديا، وبلاد فارس، بما في ذلك رحلة من بغداد مروراً بجبل زاغروس وصولاً إلى حمدان، في أكباتانا القديمة، والبحوث في أصفهان وأطلال برسبوليس، ورحلة منها مروراً بشيراز وشابور وصولاً إلى ساحل البحر. وصف البصرة، بوشهر، البحرين، هرمز، ومسقط، وسرد لحملة ضد قراصنة الخليج العربي، مع رسومات توضيحية لرحلة بحرية لنيرتشوس، والمرور ببحر العرب إلى بومباي. [‎٥‎٣‎٥] (٥٨٢/٥٦٦)

THE GULF OF BOMBAY. 535
D ec . 15th. — Being now completely under the lee of the Gu-
zerat coast, we had smoother water than we had yet found, with
the winds steady from the north-north-east, so as to admit of our
steering east by south, with the fore-topmast studding-sail set.
The weather being fine, we sent up the royal-masts and yards, and
bent the light sails again; and as the prospect of a speedy termi
nation to our voyage brightened every hour, the crew were restored
to their full allowance of provisions and water.
At noon we observed in latitude 19° 24,' north, and were in
longitude 70 30 east, when we hove to, and obtained soundings
in forty-five fathoms on the Bombay bank. A yellow sea-snake
had been already seen by one of the officers, the sure mark of our
approach to shoaler water; and the colour of the sea was of a
greener cast than in the deep ocean. At sun-set we had the same
soundings as at noon, on fine grey sand; and, with a fine breeze
from the north-north-east, and smooth water, we stood on east
throughout the night.
D ec . 16th. — As we opened the Gulf of Bombay, we had the
wind from out of it in a more northerly direction, which enabled
us to set all the flying-sails and keep the ship free. At midnight
we had forty fathoms, at four a.m . thirty-nine, and at sun-rise
thirty-eight, the water now of a pale dull green. At seven a.m . the
land was reported from the mast-head; and at nine we made it
distinctly from the deck, the Peak of Bassein then bearing east
by north, distant fifty or sixty miles, and soundings in twenty-five
fathoms on fine sand.
We now bore up east by south half-south, and having a com
manding breeze, with all sail set, we rose the land rapidly. After
the high land of Bassein, and its remarkable peak, being the summit
of a conical mountain of the Mahratta country, was seen, we next
distinguished the piece of land called the Neat's Tongue, a portion
of the island of Salsette, so named from a supposed resemblance
to a tongue; though a wedge would be an equally illustrative com-