Page 183 - Records of Bahrain (1) (i)_Neat

The second Gulf Survey, 1857-1860 173

44 MEMOIR ON BAIIREYN.

centre; at high water, during the prevalence of a N.W1'* the serf
■washes into the basin or reservoir and taints it; but at other times,
the water thus collected, is perfectly fresh. Proceeding to the north-
cast we conic to two springs, on the reef between the Islet of Khasaefi
and the shore : these arc only exposed at low water; further cast again,
arc two more throwing jets through the rocky reef extending off the’
village of Gallali, called Kashash, once protected by a tower or fort-
built on the reef, and called Yredi. Fresh water springs were also
reported "on Boo-Shaheen Islet, to the southward of this, but I had not
opportunity of visiting them.
Near Maharrag fort is a spring with the walls of a fort or guard­
house, still standing, close to it. It is called lloo-muhur; and the water,
which is quite warm, is obtained by means of a bamboo with a hose
attached to it. This spring is always covered at all times of tide.
There is another spring on the Khaur-fasht, having three feet over it
at low water spring-tides, from which I obtained seven hundred (700)
gallons of water in one day to fill up the vessel under my command.
Having procured a bum or boom (a large llat-bottomcd boat for
cargo), with a large wooden tank in it, at Bahreyn, I proceeded in the
Mahi with it in tow to the Khaur-fasht, where I anchored within five
hundred yards of the spring. I next got a large copper funnel, and
after securing a pump hose to the neck of it, I placed it, inverted, over'
the spring, and blocked up all other means of escape with swabs. By-
this means the water was forced up through the hose into new canvas
bags, with which I filled the tank in the bum. I tried also a spirit
pump shipped on to the neck of the funnel, which answered extremely
well, till the tide rising obliged me to have recourse to the former
expedient. The water I procured was perfectly fresh, and all pro-,
nounccd it to be far better than that supplied to the vessel at Baliroyn.
• This spring is situated Gj or G*25 miles from the nearest land. Portu­
guese fort and Manvaddi, dry sand in one, form a transit over the posi­
tion of the spring, as also centre of Jibbul Dukhan on with a pyramidal-
tope of trees (which I called “transit tree”), but it is very dillicult to
find at high water if the sea surface is troubled at all.
I was told the following story in explanation of the numerous fresh
water springs on and around the Island of Bahreyn. My informant
commenced by telling me, that there were, at one time, no less than •
six hundred and sixty-six villages or towns on the island—and then
proceeded to account for the springs as follows ;—