Page 213 - Records of Bahrain (2)(ii)_Neat

Topography and archaeology, 1878-1879 539

No. lC t, dated Bushin}, 1st May 1870.
From—Lieut.-Col. E. C. Ross, II. B. M.'s Political Resident in the Persian Gulf,
To—A. C. Lyall, Esq., Secretary to the Govt, of India, Foreign Dept.
I have the honor to transmit, for disposal as His Excellency the Viceroy
in Council may ho pleased to decide, notes drawn up by Captain E. L. Durand,
1st Assistant llcsidcnt, on tho islands of Bahrain and its antiquities, aceom-
panied by illustrative drawings.
2. I am not awaro that the remarkable ancient necropolis, observed and
described by Captain Durand, has been previously noticed either in official
reports or other writings, and tho mounds havq^ecn excavated. The subject
may, therefore, be one of considerable interest to tho scientific public, aud access
to Captain Durand’s report would no doubt be appreciated.
3. I have indeed already received a telegram to tho effect that tho Trustees
of tho British Museum arc much interested in Captain Durand’s researches, and
have authorized an expenditure of ono hundred pounds on further excavations.
4. If tho notes arc printed by direction of the Government, I shall be
much obliged for a dozen spare copies.

NOTES ON THE ISLANDS OF BAHRAIN AND ANTIQUITIES, BY CAPTAIN
E. L. DURAND, 1st ASSISTANT RESIDENT, PERSIAN GULF.
1. Descriptive. These Islands, from which the Portuguese were expelled
by a British Beet, aiding Shah Abhass in 1022 A.D., and whose advantages
were tersely put to me by a Native the other day in the words “ tho island is
silver and the sea is pearl,” arc situated in latitude 20° and longitude 50° 51',
the position of the Portuguese fort on the larger island being given as bearing
latitude 2G° 13' 53" N. longitude 50° 31' <15" E.
2. They aro surrounded by shoal water on every side, which greatly adds
to the beauty of tho place.
3. On looking out to sea on tho morning of a clear sky and a fresh nor-
wester, it would seem as if nature, at all times lavish of effect, had here,
however, exhausted every tint of living green in her paint box; and then
wearying of the effort, had splashed an angry streak of purple iuto the fore­
ground.
4*. The water itself is so clear, that you can see far down into tho coral
broken depths, and possesses springs of fresh water that bubble up through-the
brine, both near the entrance of the harbour, and at several other places round
the line of the coast.
5. Local historians maintain that in the time of Merwan, a Chief called Ibn
Hakim, came from ICatif, wishing to marry a lovely daughter of the Bahrain
Chief. Titles, or money must, however, have been wauting, as the siory goes
fhat his proposals were treated with contempt. On this he began warlike
operations by depriving tho thirsty Bahrainccs of their accustomed drink, lie
seized three wells, one at Ali, one in tho Bilad-i-JCadim, aud ono close to
Bahrain called Daraz. "When these were filled in, the guardian deity of the
island was good enough to make them break out iu tho places still marked by
the springs opposito to Muharrak. The invader was eventually defeated, aud
rotircd to tho mainland.
6. Though these shallow seas aro undeniably a beautiful feature in tho
• I taw nmrtccii u.. imvwt u„c „f ^ndscapo, they arc also somewhat of a danger, for
•nrvry, mill went of north In my they llUVO UCVCi* bOCll properly* SUrVCVCd, 111 lact CX-
'NnVy*t0 ccl}t to thc nortJl an(1 north-cast of the islands, they
" are practically unknowu, except'in so far that all the
u’c pil°fs agreo that theso waters aro dangerous. No ono of them, however,
Urlu; Vlavo questioned, has agreed with any other in his cstimato of tho number
0 fathoms that may be relied upon.
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