Page 141 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

FORTIFICATIONS—PIRATICAL PORTS. 99

FORTIFICATIONS.
A square fori, with flanking round lowers, built of rough stone and
coarse lime, capable of containing, in case of siege, from four to six
hundred men; with detached round lowers for the defence of the
creek and landing-place, and to cover the wells that supply the inhabit­
ants with water* (situated usually at some short distance), make up
the general features of Arab fortifications. The town consists of cadjan
huts, constructed of date sticks and mats, around the fort on every
side. Stone dwelling-houses are rare, and Shargah and Ras-ool-Khy-
ma can alone boast of them.

PIRATICAL PORTS.
The Piratical Ports one and all have their sites near a backwater, oil
the spit of land formed by it and the sea.
Ras Reccan to Cassaab.
These backwaters afford perfect security to their largest boats (un­
laden) during the stormy season. The line of coast on which they are
situated possesses no harbour of any description, and is, moreover,
uniformly exposed to the prevailing winds, which blow from the
north-west. The anchorage, too, is bad.
From Ras Reccan to Aboolhabce is crowded with shoals, and other
obstacles to safe navigation.
A steamer may anchor off the several ports at a very short distance
from the shore, from three-quarters to a quarter of a mile, but a sailing
vessel could not take up such a position without considerable risk.
Aboothabee.
At Aboothabse it was ascertained by sounding that the Hugh
Lindsay (in July 1839) could have lain within pistol-shot of the shore.
Amulgavine.
The Hugh Lindsay, during the same cruise, anchored at Amulgavine
in six and a half fathoms, sand, three-quarters of a mile off the western •
tower, south-western rocky point bearing SSE.; town fort south.
Appears quite safe, having six, five and a half, five, and four and a half
fathoms in shore of the vessel. The best anchorage is with the fort SSE.,
in five fathoms, as from thence a vessel may slip or weigh, and stand
to the northward or southward, with a beaming wind. The sounding s

* The water of the wells throughout the line of coast, with very few exceptions, is exceed­
ingly brackish, and unpalatable.

___________________