Page 174 - Records of Bahrain (1) (i)_Neat

164 Records of Bahrain

128 SURVEY OF PERSIAN GULF.

rises to n hilly ridge throughout the greatest
portion of its length.*

It cannot have escaped the attention of those
who have turned their inquiries and observations
towards these interesting’regions, that the Ara­
bian geographers, and those following their ex­
ample of a more recent date, have laid down a
river flowing from the interior, and discharging
its waters on the coast opposite the island of
Bahrain.
Whether search was made for this by the sur­
veying vessels, and whether it be not one of
those numerous streams which, as in other parts
of Arabia, have but an ephemeral existence,
being merely flooded during the rains and sub­
siding immediately afterwards, I know not.
Captain Sadler, again, in his memorable journey
across the Arabian continent, makes no mention
of it, nor does it appear in the survey charts. I
yet am unwilling to wholly put aside the autho­
rity of the Arabian geographical writers, the
more so that fresh water is perceived to abound
in this district, and there is a curious phenome­
non connected with this subject which deserves
attention ; it is, that in the vicinity of Bahrain
• As I propose giving all tho latitudes and longitudes in a tabu­
lar form of the vurious places mentioned in the volumes, in the
Appendix, I forbear to interrupt the courso of tho narrative by
their insertion in tho text.