Page 586 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

542 NAVIGATION OF THE

trade of the Gulf, and have a number of boats thus employed, of from
two hundred to forty tons. They trade to Bombay and the’ Malabar
Coast during the north-east monsoon, and to the Red Sea; they also take
a large share in the pearl fishing.
To the ESE. of the old town are situated the date
groves, among
which are several towers. The former chief, now a dependent of the
Shaikh of Shargah, resides here, as Shaikh of the village of Huatial
Faal. Wells of indifferent water are found scattered about among the
date groves. In front of the town is a bank, with only seven or eight
feet water on it, and within it two and a quarter and two and a half fa­
thoms. A ship in anchoring here should do so with the creek open, in
four and a half or five fathoms. Supplies of cattle, poultry, and other
refreshments are to be had here, at reasonable rates. The town was
completely destroyed by the Honorable Company’s Marine, and parties
from the military, when the force was removed to the opposite coast in
1820; and so effectually was this done, that it is now difficult to tell
what might have been the form of the houses. This was done in the
height of the hot weather, and cost several officers and many valuable
men their lives, from fever brought on by the exposure. It is high-
water here at llh. full and change, rise and fall seven feet.

Jazeerat al Hamra.
Jazeerat al Hamra, a small island with a backwater, joined to the
main at low-water, with a town, was, prior to the expedition in 1819,
fortified with a few towers, and is now inhabited by about one hundred
and fifty or two hundred of the Zaal Tribe ; they are principally
employed in the pearl fishery ; they have also two or three small trad­
ing boats. It is in lat. 25° 43' N., and long. 56° 55' 10" E. The back­
water is shallow, and only capable of holding middle-sized boats. The
Shaikh is a dependent of the Shaikh of Shargah. There is very little
water here, and that quite brackish ; trifling supplies are procurable.
The coast between this and Ras-ool-Khyma is low, with soundings from
two fathoms inshore, to five and seven at two and two and a half miles
distant; bottom sand and broken rock.
Amulgavine.
Amulgavine, in lat. 25° 35' 12" N., long. 55° 41' 38" E., is situated
on the outer point of a very extensive backwater, which runs inland se­
veral miles in different branches, and has seven fathoms water in some
extensive reef.
parts within, but the entrance is blocked up by a very
There are ten or eleven feet on the bar at high-water full and change,
and the rise of tide, as on most parts of this coast, is seven feet. e
town of Amulgavine, now in ruins, appears to have been of some con
It bears from Al Hamra S. 57P W., distant sixteen miles.
sequence.