Page 198 - The Tigris Expedition

We Gain Control of Tigris
between some oil platforms, just as our navigators had predicted.
The rolling throughout the night had been terrific and we had to let
down canvas in front of the port side cabin opening because the
spray was whipping in over the side bundles. Rashad shouted, as the
dhow ventured up to us after sunrise, that they now had a problem
even with the rudder. We wanted him to return to us, but he was
keen on sticking it out.
As the sun passed the zenith at noon, Norman and Detlcf
predicted that Sirri island would soon be within sight. Shortly after
that Norman climbed the mast ladder and after a moment we heard
his triumphant yell from the swinging mast-head: Sirri was to
starboard of our bow! There was plenty of room for leeway.
Slowly a rather low but hilly island rose into view. It was a
triumph for our navigators and for the reed-ship that had passed its
first severe test in navigation. In the afternoon the island grew big.
We saw off-shore rocks rising like castle ruins stormed by frothing
white seas. We even saw some low land with big trees, and, less
attractive for us, some enormous buildings and oil installations
ashore.
By this time the dhow had come up alongside and informed us
that there was the island! It began to rain. We prepared our new
anchor and agreed to sail into the harbour facing us and wait for the
dhow to be repaired. Said again took the lead, speeding up on a long
cruise ahead of us. Then he came full speed back, with Rashad
shouting: ‘This is not Sir island! This is the Persian island of Surri!
Said told you all the time that you were heading too far north!’
Complete confusion. Further map-reading on Tigris in the pour­
ing rain. Spelling shouted back and forth in Arab, English and
German. Surri island? There was no such island. This was certainly
Sirri island, and it did belong to Iran. But with Said’s and Rashad’s
new pronunciation and controlled spelling it appeared that Captain
Said had wanted to go to Sir island, not Sirri. And there was an
island mapped as Sir Abu Nu’air in a completely different direction,
quite near the coast of Oman. Said recognised that full name, and
stressed that that was where he had wanted to go.

23. Mountain-climber Carlo preparing extra ropes for the bow as
the flexible reed-ship sails along the dangerous cliffs of Oman,
aiming for the narrow exit from the gulf.
24. Turning into shelter outside the traffic-filled Hormuz Strait, we
arc waiting for Rashad, then turn to sail southwards along the
Arabian peninsula.
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