Page 639 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence
P. 639
GULF OF PERSIA. 595
end. The outer parts of the island are rocky, and loose stones, except
at the western end, which contains good soil. The centre is a valley,
with good soil, and cultivated. The inhabitants are civil, but great
cheats. Good water, and some few supplies, are procurable, The
anchorage off the east end is well sheltered from north-westers, and that
at the north-east part from both north-westers and south-easters; but
the ground is bad, and it will always be prudent to lay with a long
scope of cable out.
SlIITWAR, OR ClIITWAR.
Shitwar, or Chitwar, is a small island, separated from Busheab by a
narrow channel, having three or four fathoms in it. The passage is
about one-third over from Shitwar, but as the spit from Busheab runs
some distance out past the island, it is not considered safe, unless
to persons who have been through it before, as the reef does not always
show, and the soundings have little or no change until you are upon it.
The west point of Shitwar is in lat. 26° 47' 19" N., long. 53° 16' 54" E.
Straits of Busiieab.
The Straits of Busheab are formed by the islands of Busheab and Shit
war and the main. They arc nearly nine miles wide at the western part,
and five and a half between the spit off the north-east of Busheab and
Nakhceloo, its narrowest part; they arc fourteen miles in length, and
have soundings from thirty-two to five fathoms ; in mid-channel the
soundings are from thirty-two to sixteen fathoms. The soundings at
the distance of one mile from the shore are quite regular, and in no part
is there danger outside of five fathoms, which is outside the small bank
that runs along the side of Busheab. On the tail of the spit running off
the north-east end of Busheab there are four fathoms water, and it shoals
gradually on it, until you near the shore to two-thirds of a mile, when
it shoals to two fathoms. No other danger exists in this fine channel,
which until this time has been little known to Europeans.
Jezzar.
Jezzar is a considerable village, containing about two hundred men,
of the Albubalal Tribe, and is subject to Nakheeloo. It is in lat. 26° 50'
N., long. 53° 26' 45" E.
Island of Inderabia.
The village on the north side of the island of Inderabia is in lat. 26°
4V 49" N., long. 53° 31" 18" E. The island is low, and about ten miles
in circumference. It has about one hundred inhabitants, of the Abadaly
Tribe, and is subject to Cheroo.
Strait of Inderabia.
The Strait of Inderabia is formed by the island and the main. It has
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