Say again?

An excerpt from my latest book club book, "The Enchantress of Florence", by Salman Rushdie:

"As the Sc'athach made her way past the Horn of Africa and the isle of Socotra, and while she took on supplies at Maskat and then left the Persian coast to port and, blown along by the monsoon wind, headed southeast toward the Portuguese haven of Diu on the southern shore of the place Dr. Hawkins called "Guzerat," so Lord Hauksbank of That Ilk slumbered peacefully on, "a sleep so calm, praise God," according to the helpless Hawkins, "that is proves his conscience is clear and so his soul, at least, is in good health, ready to meet its Maker at any time."

WTF??

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