Red Sea

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

The Red-Sea, Lat. Mare Rubrum, Erythraeum, Azanium and Arabicus Sinus, is a Branch of the Indian or Aethiopian Ocean which parts Arabia from Africa and Egypt, running from N. to S. above 1200 miles. The Arabians call this Sea Buthiel Calzem, the Sea of Calzem, from a City of that name; towards the North it is not above eight or nine miles over, as M. Thevenot observes, who travell'd on its Shoars five days. It is narrow and full of Rocks, therefore dangerous to Sailors, for which and other reasons now not much frequented, since the way to the Indies was discovered by the Ocean. This Sea will be famous to all Ages upon the account of the Children of Israel's passing it dry-foot when they went up out of Egypt. * The Red-Sea is like a River, and full of Rocks and Sands, some of which appear, and others are covered by the Waters. The distance between the Red and Mediterranean Seas is seven Days Journey. The Ships which sail on the Red-Sea are built at Calzem, and are all Flat-bottoms. That part of the Red-Sea that lies between Bugie in Egypt and Giodda the Port of Meccha is 24 hours sail, full of Flatts and Rocks, and has some Islets, which in the Winter have no Inhabitants, except Neaman or Noman, which is always inhabited. There is another called Sameri, which is inhabited by Samaritan Jews. The distance between Egypt and Arabia is in some places 90 miles, and in others not above eight. At (Babel-Mandel) this Sea joins with the Indian Ocean, and from thence it runs N. W. on the E. it has Tehama and Hagiaz, two Provinces of Arabia foelix, Aladian, Ailan, and Taran, three Cities of Arabia Petraea; at the bottom of it is Calzem (Sues) on the W. lies Egypt and then Aethiopia. Its whole length is 1400 miles, and it hath fifteen Islands in all. M. Pory, the Translator of Leo Africanus, a learned Man observes, That the middle of this Sea is safely Navigable by Day or Night, it being clear, and 25 or 50 Fathoms deep, but the Eastern and Western Shoars are so full of Rocks, Shoals, &c. that it is impossible to pass them but by Day-light, and with most expert Pilots, which are taken in at the Isle of Babel-Mandel. He saith also, This Sea hath few Fish, and the Shoars have no green Grass, Herbs or Weeds, in which he is contradicted by others. The ancient Kings of Egypt barred the Enterance of this Sea against the Africans, by drawing a Chain from Arabia to Babel-Mandel, and from the West side of that Island again to Egypt, as he observes out of Strabo. And that the Turks, at this day, do not willingly suffer any Ship to pass upon this Sea but their own, the Portuguese having provoked them by their Depredations. The Hebrews call this Sea Jamsuph, and Exodus 15.22. it is called Mare Algosum. Its Waves are agitated by great Ebbs and Flows, whence some have had the Impudence to say, the Israelites pass'd at Low-water, and that the Egyptians were drowned by the return of the Tide. Hornius Ant. Geo. p. 11.