Page 179 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883

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residency and muscat political agency for 1880-81. 11
U'amllark, n vessel of similar class. Her Majesty's Ships Beacon ami
Ucmhf have boeuou the station. The latter has left and been replaced
by tlie Dryad.

Slave Trafpic.
Reports having reached that British Indiau subjects on the Pirate
coast have, notwithstanding the often repeated warnings, ventured to
buy and sell slaves, inquiry was instituted, and a case brought home to
one trader, who was punished by fine and imprisonment. It is thought
this will suffice to put a stop to such offences in future.

Observatory.
Four complete years have elapsed since the establishment of an
Observatory at Bushire, in connection with the Government of India,
Meteorological Department, and the last year's observations are summa­
rized in Tables 1,2,8, and (4 Appendix A). i:
Some indications of the temperature at .the Telegraph Stations of
Borazjoon, Kazcroon, Shiraz, Dchbced and Abadah are giveu in Table 4,
kindly supplied by the Superintendent of Shiraz.
On the coast the summer heats and winter and spring rains are
the prominent points of interest. The perceptible heat is much in­
fluenced by the direction and force of the summer winds, and especially
by the species of monsoon known as the “ Barih” or “ Shcm&l," the former
being the Arabic term for the scorching northerly wind (or “ Samoom"),
which prevails in Arabia during part of the summer, the latter meaning
a northerly wind, as being from the left-hand side of one facing the
east. The Arabian “ Barib" is said in the Arabian Almanacs to blow
from the end of May to the 10th July. The same wind blows across
the Gulf to the Persian Coast, and, losing its extreme heat in doing so,
serves to temper the climate of Busbire and the Persian Coast just as
the heat becomes most severe. By English and Indian sailors the
" Barih” has been turned into the “ Burra” (“Great") Sbcm&l, which is
appropriate enough. Natives believe that failure of this wind is followed
by failure of the winter rainfall, and it will be observed from previous
years' reports that this occurred in two consecutive years. In the
summer of 1880, however, the “ Barih'' or Shemal blew strongly from
20th May to July with short intermissions, and a plentiful season of
rain following, so far bears out the native theory. The summer of 1880
was at Bushire a comparatively mild one.
The autumn, winter and spring rains were unusually plentiful and
very seasonable. No better season seems to be remembered.
No such severe cold was experienced on the coast os in the preced­
ing winter, when a fall of snow occurred which destroyed many flocks.
The barometer observations show a remarkable uniformity of
pressure and variation throughout the two recorded years.