Page 641 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

GULF OF PERSIA. 597

has three villages : one on the north-east side, catted Dace, is exactly
one mile west of our latitude and longitude station. The island has
plenty of good water, and many of the wells arc near the beach, The
fleet composing the expedition against the pirates in 1820 watered here,
and it was found fully competent to supply a much larger demand. The
soil is good, but in consequence of there having been no rain the last
season there is at this time little verdure. Barley and vegetables are
cultivated, and o(T the island abundance of very fine fish is caught.
The island is twenty-one miles in circumference, and safe to approach
to eight fathoms all round. A reef projects off the island nearly all
round, having from five to one and a half fathoms water. On the outer
edge you have eight fathoms, soft ground', and immediately shoal to
five fathoms, so that no vessel ought to come nearer than eight fathoms.
It extends furthest off the west end, the outer part being one mile
offshore; at no other part does it extend beyond half a mile, ancl
the soundings are regular towards it. The variation at this place was
3° 40' W. (February 5lh, 1827.)
Charrak Hill.
Charrak Hill, in lat. 26° 3.3' 7" N.., long. 54° 9'54" E. (a small
hillock on the centre), is a remarkable round hill, situated within the
range of hills nearest the coast,, and is a well known landmark.
Channel between Kenn and the Main.
The channel between Kenn and the Main is seven miles wide, in its
narrowest part, with soundings of from thirty-six to five fathoms. In
working through it, ten fathoms towards the island, and fourteen or
fifteen fathoms towards the main, will be good guides in the night; in
the day you may stand in close to the shore on the main, and to seven
or eight fathoms towards the island. There is no danger on the main
but a small spit near Gella Abade, which does not extend above three
quarters of a mile off shore*

Tawoona.
Tawoona, in lat. 26° 42' 15" N., long. 54° 15' E., is a small town.at
the entrance of Charrak Bay, situated round the fort, which is built
on a rock near the beach, and is inhabited by about one hundred and
eighty men, of the Beni Baphar Tribe. It has a few trading boats, and
was, during the time the pirates were in power, in alliance with them.
Charrak.
Charrak, in lat. 26° 42' 52" N., long. 54° 11' 16" E., is situated at
the bottom of the bay of the same name. It is a place of some trade,
and has six Buggalows, from sixty to one hundred and twenty tons, and
twenty smaller trading vessels, belonging to it. It contains about nine