Page 667 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

GULF OF PERSIA. 623

is strong, they generally run with it, but when it is light, and near calm,
the tide prevails, although irregular, more particularly after you get out
of the influence of the in-draught and out-set of the Gulf. It is a coast
that should only be navigated where there is an object for it, for though
attended with little or no danger, yet in calms the great depth of water
and bad ground render it bad and inconvenient for anchorage, if
found driving towards the shore ; consequently a mid-channel course,
or more towards the Persian Coast, is by far the best when running for
or from the Gulf.

COAST OF BATINAH.
Dibbaii.
Dibbab, the first town on the Batinah Coast, is in lat. 25° 37' 25" N.,
long. 56° 20' 20" E. From Ras Laoote to the town of Dibbah, and
from it to Ras Dibbah, the coast forms a deep bay, with regular sound­
ings of from twenty to three fathoms, sandy bottom. The coast now
gets low, and is covered with date groves, and at this place we found
good water, and the finest cattle I have met with in the Gulf; and, for
the season, fair supplies of vegetables. The inhabitants have a few
trading boats here, and supply some of the Bedouin Tribes with grain.
The place belongs to the Imaum of Muskat, whose nominal revenue
from it is about four thousand German crowns; but it is not always
paid. A fort named Jilla Ilirshee is situated about two-thirds of a mile
to the northward.
Ras Dibbah.
Ras Dibbah is in lat. 25° 35' 40" N., long. 56° 25' 50" E. It is a
rocky point, forming the south-east extreme of Dibbah Bay. There is a
small rocky islet a quarter of a mile off it : between them is a boat
channel. One mile to the westward, within the bay, is a remarkable
white patch in the rocks forming the cape ; the soundings near it arc
five to ten fathoms. Two miles to the southward of Ras Dibbah is the
fort and village of Rual; a mile and a half further Reema ; six miles to
the southward of which is a similar place, called Chunum; between
which and Khore Fukaun are the villages of Beddya and Zebana,
between which villages there is a rocky islet half a mile offshore. The
soundings from Ras Dibbah to Khore Fukaun are regular, eight
fathoms, about a mile off shore.
Khore Fukaun.
The town of Khore Fukaun is situated in a small bay, formed by the
Ras of that name. It is in lat. 25° 20' 45" N., long. 56° 25' 40" E. It
is a place of some trade, and has a Khore, or boat harbour, secure from