Page 584 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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540 NAVIGATION OF TIIF.

these were mostly cut down by the pirates ; but now
(1827) they are
getting thick again, and will no doubt resume their former state. Be­
tween this and Shaam Point arc
ll10 villages of Fudthra, Rumpthra
and Tibbat, inhabited by fishermen, partly of the Shehaheenand partly
of the Tannagee Tribe, in all about two hundred and fifty souls. The
soundings about here are seven fathoms near the beach, to forty fathoms
at two miles distant, sand and rocks.
S ii a am Point.
The land about here is high ; there are three small bights, with sandy
beaches, between this and Bokha, from which it bears S. 32° 20' W.
distant seven miles nearly.
SIIA AM.
Shaam is a considerable village, in lat. 26° 1' 53" N., long. 56° 11' 14*
E. (the fort), two miles to the southward of Shaam Point, and is inha­
bited by about two hundred and fifty of the Tannagee Tribe, with nearly
as many strangers of mixed tribes; they are principally fishermen.
A short distance from this place is a remarkable white patch in the
high land that .forms the Point of Shaam, and when the sun shines on
it, it is seen at a considerable distance. The Shaikh of the village is
also governor of the small district of the same name, and has altogether
about nine hundred persons under his government, of the tribes above
mentioned. This is the boundary of the dominions of the Imaum of
Muskat. They suffered much during the predominance of the pirates,
but are now recovering from it. Inland there is, towards the hills, a
considerable tract of cultivated ground. In the date groves were
found some good wells of water. Small supplies of cattle, poultry,
&c. are procurable, and the Shaikh and people were quite civil. The
range of hills runs from here southerly to some distance beyond Ras-
ool-Khyma, where they take a south-easterly direction, and are soon
lost sight of from the coast; the hills about here are about twelve
hundred feet high. Here the bank commences with regular soundings
from three fathoms near the beach to twenty fathoms two and a half or
three miles off shore, The inhabitants here, as well as at those places
before described, are Mahomedans of the Soonee faith, although some
few Wahabees may be found among them.
Ramse.
Ramse was a town of some consideration, belonging to the pirates.
It is situated on the side of a creek capable of receiving large boats at
high-water, but small ones have a difficulty in getting in at low-water,
the entrance then being nearly dry. This town is now in ruin&,
i
and is in lat. 25° 53' N., long. 56° 8' 20" E. Prior to the last expedition
under Hussein bin All,
this place was rising into some importance i
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