Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-10-03
Jenson's Travels.


At I;4o p. m. on Wednesday. MAY
18th, 1896, ! continued my voyage from
Colombo, Ccylon, still a passenger on
the steamship Oroya, and we we're now
bound direct Tot Suez, our next port OF
call. The voyage over the upper paft
OF the Indian ocean, the Arabian sea
the Gull Of Aden, the Red sea and the
gulf VI Sucz, was uneventful: The
weather was exceptionally good, and
We only encountered one monsoon hi
the Indian ocean, aud that was of a
mild character and only lasted two days.
Our general course from Colombo To
the mouth Of the Red sea was west
northwest; up the Red sea We went In
more northefly direction.
The first iand We sighted after leaving
Colombo was the island Of Sokotra
which lies off the African coast about
$50 miles from Cape Cuardafui-also
called Ras Asser. which Is the extreme
northeastern point OF Africa. Sokoira
Is a mountainous island eighty.two miles
long and about twenty miles wide, with
an Arabian population under British
protection. We passed this island on
the ist OF June Two days later (Iune
5fd) We passed Alden. in Arabia. within
a distance OF about ten miles. Formerly
the Orient steamers called nj Alden, but
there being only very little business
TO do the ships now steam proudly by.
Alden Is 7ogi miles from Colomi q and
1908 miles from Sutx. This British sea.
port Is sometimes called the Indian
Gibraltar aud consists of peninsula
situated on the southeast coast of
Arabia, about ninety miles from the
entrance 10 the Red sea Ut Bubu \ Man.
DID, In latitude "a a. north and longl.
tude 81 10, east. Originally II termed
part Of the large province of Yemen, in
Arabia Felix, but Tor nearly halt cen.
ury Il has been included IN British
territory under the immediate control Of
the government Of Bombay. The whole
area is estimated At thiuy.hvc square
miles aud the population at least not
less than 10000 souls, exclusive OF the
garrison. Alden Is further described as
n large crater formed Of lofty precipi.
tous bills, Of which the highest peak is
feckoncd al LIS feet. he peninsula
Is connected with the Arabian continent
on the north side by narrow neck OF
land which Is partially covered, at high
spring tides, by the sea. hut n causcEav
and aquadcci, which supplement as Il
were, the natural isthmus, arc always
atove water. The town Of Alden and
part Of the military canionmcnt are
within the crater. Stone and mud
buildings, Of which some are double.
stored, constitute the iormef During
lie inst quarter OF the present century,
England had occasion To demand from
the Arab authorities OF the dry salts
faction for injuries 10 her Indian sub.
iecis; but owing to the failure OF nego-
iiaiions and ueachefous behaviour on
the part OF the Sultan's son, the port
was bomharded aud seized by a com.
hined naval and military force, ana 10
January, 1859, Il became n possession OF
the British crown. As military
station Alden Is no, popular. Its local
attractions arc rather Tor the visitor
than Tor the resident, and is climate Is
trying TO Europeans.
About noon on June SID. the coast Of
Africa was In plain sight ON our leii, and
about y. m. we passed through the
Straits OF Babu I Mandib the Gate OF
Iearsl into the Red sea, with the island
OF Perrin on our right. This little island