Page 645 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

GULF OF PERSIA. 601

last year was thirty-one thousand dollars, The duties arc about five
per cent, on most articles imported or exported. The imports are arti­
cles of Indian produce, dates, and grain. Supplies are procurable here.
The people are mostly Wahabccs, and the Shaikh is of the Joasmee
Tribe, and nearly related to Sultan bin Suggur, the chief of the tribe,
and were always connected with the pirates. The anchorage, abreast
the town, in six fathoms, is well sheltered in a north-wester, but a chop­
ping sea comes in in a south-easter. There is a basin, dry inside at
low-water, where most of their boats lay up. They are not bigoted,
and the Shaikh appeared a very intelligent man. The place is much
increasing as a trading port.
Koong.
Koong is in lat. 26° 34' 40" N., long. 55° 1' 30" E. It is now in
ruins, but was formerly a flourishing place. The Portuguese had a
factory here when in power in the Gulf. Gtood water is easily procur­
able. Here you lay near the shore in six fathoms.

Bunder Mullim.
Bunder Mullim is in lat. 26° 38' 20" N., long. 55° 9' 20" E. It is a
small town, under Has Showly, and has a trade in salt. It has about
three hundred inhabitants. The bank on the Persian side, forming
the channel into Bassadore, begins to shoal off this place.

Little Tomb.
The centre of the Little Tomb is in lat. 26° 14' 50" N., long. 55° 16'
E. It is moderately elevated, is about a mile and a half in length, and
has irregular soundings from twenty-eight to five fathoms. There is
no danger near it.
Great Tomb.
The north point of the Great Tomb is in lat. 26° 16' 28" N., long.
55° 24' E. The island is of an irregular triangle, the three sides being
about two and a half miles each. The island is well stocked with
antelopes, and there is good water on it. A banian tree stands in about
the centre of the southern side. The anchorage is pretty good to the
south-east and west, but on the northern part a spit runs off about three
quarters of a mile, otherwise that part is steep. To the channel be­
tween it and two and a half fathoms, on the Bassadore flat, is seven
and a quarter miles, but the safe channel is not more than six and a
half, as the bank shoals very suddenly at this part.
A Small Shoal.
A small shoal patch, with six'fathoms on it, bears nearly N. from
the Little Tomb, distant eleven miles, in lat. 26° 25' 30" PL, lon<*. 55°
15' 40"E. °

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