Page 156 - The Tigris Expedition

To Dilmun, the Land of Noah

dwindling oil supply as in its geographical location as a convenient
terminal for pipelines from Saudi Arabia, where tankers from all
continents can dock in deep sheltered harbours. The very location
of this island has made it a crossroad for travellers and merchants in
all epochs. Today its airport has become a junction for airliners
from all directions. Even Concorde calls at Bahrain.
We were blinded by floodlights and illuminated modern instal­
lations when late at night we were towed past anchored tankers and
between concrete breakwaters to an enormous mole not yet of­
ficially opened. Popularly known as asry, the Arab Shipbuilding
and Repair Yard, it was the largest drydock in the world, just ready
to accommodate supertankers of up to 450,000 tons. It so happened
that tiny Tigris, with its topmast hardly visible above the lowest
platform of the mole, was the first ship to enter and dock, two days
before the official opening. We tossed our reed fenders outside the
side bundles to save them from friction against the concrete wall
when the tide sent us up or down, and climbed a long iron ladder to
a crowd of official and unofficial spectators admitted through the
police gates to see the reed-ship.
First to stand out snow-white in the floodlight was the long Arab
attire of some cordial and straightforward dignitary who wel­
comed us and wanted to know our verdict on the reed-boat. His
Excellency Tariq Al-Moayycd was the Minister of Information. I
could tell him that we were all exceedingly happy with the body of
the vessel. It was still strong and sturdy in spite of all that had
happened since the day of the crash launching, and floated very
high. But we had failed to solve the problems of the sail. We now
had come in the hope of finding a sail-maker here in Bahrain, and an
Arab or Indian dhow-sailor to join us from here on.
‘Khalifa will help you with that, ’ said the Minister and introduced
us to a young man dressed like himself. ‘But what would you like to
see while you are here?’
I looked up at the outlines of colossal structures of steel and
concrete that rose like obelisks and pyramids against the night sky.
We had hoped to see the remains of the earliest seafarers that had
come to Bahrain. By this remark I had rubbed Aladdin’s Lamp. The
Minister turned his head to someone who now appeared out of the
dark with a broad smile and saluted us by removing the huge
curved pipe that hung from his teeth. I recognised the familiar face
of the famous archaeologist, Geoffrey Bibby. It was this British-
born scientist and his collaborators who had shaken former beliefs
about the beginning of civilisation when they dug up temples and
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