8vo. vi, 202 pp., maps, 25 plates, 4 figures reproducing the original drawings of Admiral Castro, publisher’s original wrappers, lightly faded and worn at spine, Unopened, index, few pencil underling on first few pages, otherwise copy in very good condition, Librairie Orientaliste Paul Geuthner, Paris, 1936.

Synopsis

This work is based on a Portuguese manuscript of the 16th century kept at the British Museum. It is a description of the Red Sea as it was seen by leading Portuguese explorer D. Joan de Castro, who led a fleet of 60 ships with orders from Vasco de Gama to attack the Turks in the Red Sea area and control their possession in trade. The expedition succeeded in occupying Aden, Socotra, Bab el-Mandeb, Assab, Masawi’h, Suwakim, Port Sudan and Tour Sinai. The translator introduced this early work with historical notes regarding the Portuguese presence in the Red Sea.