human habitation and extremely dry lies between, extending to the
distance of a ten days' journey; moreover the Palm Groves themselves are
by no means worth anything, and Abochorabus only gave the form of a
gift, and the emperor accepted it with full knowledge of the fact. So
much then for the Palm Groves. Adjoining this people there are other
Saracens in possession of the coast, who are called Maddeni and who are
subjects of the Homeritae. These Homeritae dwell in the land on the
farther side of them on the shore of the sea. And beyond them many other
nations are said to be settled as far as the man-eating Saracens. Beyond
these are the nations of India. But regarding these matters let each one
speak as he may wish.

About opposite the Homeritae on the opposite mainland dwell the
Aethiopians who are called Auxomitae, because their king resides in the
city of Auxomis. And the expanse of sea which lies between is crossed in
a voyage of five days and nights, when a moderately favouring wind
blows. For here they are accustomed to navigate by night also, since
there are no shoals at all in these parts; this portion of the sea has
been called the Red Sea by some. For the sea which one traverses beyond
this point as far as the shore and the city of Aelas has received the
name of the Arabian Gulf, inasmuch as the country which extends from
here to the limits of the city of Gaza used to be called in olden times
Arabia, since the king of the Arabs had his palace in early times in the
city of Petrae. Now the harbour of the Homeritae from which they are
accustomed to put to sea for the voyage to Aethiopia is called Bulicas;
and at the end of the sail across the sea they always put in at the
harbour of the Adulitae. But the city of Adulis is removed from the
harbour a distance of twenty stades (for it lacks only so much of being
on the sea), while from the city of Auxomis it is a journey of twelve
days.