Page 592 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

548 NAVIGATION OF THE

two hundred and fifty yards off shore, a vessel not
requiring more than
twelve or thirteen feet water may lie well sheltered in smooth water
but a pilot must be procured to take her in. There is another anchorage’
in a gap of the reef to the northward or the town ; this place also in­
quires a pilot to take you in. A ship anchoring in these roads should
do so with the Gliurce or square house SB. to ESE., in five or five anrl
a half fathoms.
The present Chief, Shaikh Talnioon, is a fine looking man, possess­
ing much of that open and hospitable frankness generally attributed to
the Arab, and is, I think, attached to the English, both from inclination
as well as interest. He is a firm ally of the Imaum of Muskat, and by
far the best of the Shaikhs on this coast. Ilis tribe, the Beniyas, is one
of the principal in Arabia, and is an independent race. From Dcbaye
to this place the coast has no fixed inhabitants, but during the fishing
season temporary villages are erected near the backwaters. Numbers
of the Alonasir Tribe wander about, and care should be taken in land-
ing, to prevent surprise, as they are generally at enmity with the settled
tribes, and not to be trusted. Fronting Aboothabee the ground is all
rocky, with several patches of reef.
General Remarks relative to the Navigation, Sfc. between Debaye and
Aboothabee.—Between these two places the coast is low, and in many
parts swampy, with a continued chain of backwaters from Gonada to
Aboothabee, shoal at the entrances, but some of them deep within.
This part of the coast is destitute of inhabitants, or fresh water, except
some few wells, nearly salt. At times, a few straggling Bedouins
wander about near the coast. During the fishing season temporary
villages are erected on the coast by the fishermen. The whole coast,
after passing Gebil Ali, is unsafe to approach under six fathoms, and
the ground is hard rock, covered with a thin coat of sand, and so
smooth that an anchor will at times hold with difficulty. After passing
Ras-ool-Grab in six or seven fathoms, you may haul in towards
Aboolhabee, until you get into five fathoms, when do not come under
that depth until you get the fort SE. by E., when anchor in any conve­
nient depth from four and a half to six fathoms. From Gonada to Ras
Ellora the coast is fronted by a reef, having from one and a half to three
and a half fathoms on it, to the distance of three miles off shore in some
places, but following the above directions you will be quite clear of it.
General Remarks as to the Appearance of the Coast from Ras Mus-
seldom to Aboothabee.—From Musseldom to Shaam the coast is high and
mountainous, with a little beach. In some places, at the foot of the hills,
after passing Shaam, the hills begin to break off inland, and the coast
becomes low and flat, with a sandy soil. Here and timre, n^e
towns, you find a few date groves : this continues with little