Page 179 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)

1(J0 SURVEY OF THE [on.

large masses of coral arc imbedded in the
lower portion.

It is destitute of water, and with the ex­
ception of a few fishermen, may be described
as uninhabited. In antiquity, this island was
sacred to Isis, and, with others of the same
group, after being lost for some centuries,
was restored to geographers by Mr. Irwin,
who has, nevertheless, fixed them very in­
accurately. A party from the ship, sleep­
ing on shore, had their slumbers disturbed

by hyaenas, although none were seen on the
Arabian side. Here they probably subsist
on fish thrown up on the beach, or entangled
in the rocks, and drinking the rain water left
in the hollows. Naphtha, with which the
Arab mariners “ pay” their boats, is procured
in considerable quantities from this island.
Zenafer, the adjoining island, is of moder­
ate elevation, (about one hundred and fifty
feet) and of a circular form ; it has otherwise
nothing remarkable in its appearance. On
the western side it recedes into a deep bay,
affording excellent anchorage, and much
frequented by native vessels, proceeding be­
tween the Arabian coast and Ras Mohammed.