Page 216 - Records of Bahrain (2)(ii)_Neat

542 Records of Bahrain

northern e« near tho villngo of Sirabo, which arc only some out of very many
groups, aro all more or los-i worthy of notico. I shall bavo to recur agaiu to
these monuments later on.
25. Salt in considorablo quantity is Raid to bo obtainable at tho southern end
And PHnj—hotur. built of " foil i.IL" QutrJ. ?f U‘° 1 l°W. °n ll«c Oil-
rock-Mitr orwbiu»eomip or » b«rd lort of cUy jaccnt mainland). (Compare Strabo s nc-
SSTmU)* nahrm,B',fhkh *■ Imprryn«l«l COunt of tllO llOUSCS built of Salt ill tllCSO
M •' parts and monded with salt-water douches.)
On this'subject an Arab from tho mainland assured mo that in ono place, where
thoy now quarry Balt, tho roinnins of old buildings and pillars aro ofton scon.
20. Trees and Plants.—Foremost amongst the trees is of course tho date,
and somo of tho datc-gardons arc oxtremoly fine. Many however aro going and
gono to ruin,tho result of bad Govornmont, aud indeed in somo places that were
onco nourishing gardons not a bearing treo remains.
27. Tho almond with its broad and coloured leaves grows well, and is
seen to great offcct amongst tho palm.
28. Tho citron grows well in a garden now under Sheikh Ahmed. I saw
many acres of theso trees all bending with such masses of golden fruit that they
Some 20 lnehc« and uoro in clrcura* SCCIUCd Scarcely ablo to boar tllO Weight. TllCSO
fertnco* wero interspersed amongst palms, peach, and almoud
trees, and thcmaclvoo worn covered with soon tod blossom ns well as fruit.
29. Tlio tamarind flourishes, having probably been imported from India.
Dnto Pnlm. l’orocgrnnstc. Tnmnrind. 30. I givo a gcucral list in
Vine. Almond. Citron. Mulberry. the margin, but perhaps not quite
Bnir.
Fig- I’cnch. Apricot.
a full one.
31. Tho castor oil plant, that hardy invader of every Eastern soil, flowishes
hero ns elsewhere.
32. Lucerne grass is very largely cultivated and (with dates) is about the only
food supply grown or used for tho animals of this island. Were tho least atten­
tion given to this branch of agriculture, almost every kuown vegetable could
bo produced hero, as the climnto is good for at loast six months out of the twelve,
and water is abundant.
33. Animals.—The list of animals is not a large one. Camels, horses, cows,
and donkeys (with the inevitable Eastern dog) arc to bo found in different parts
of tho island. All these feed principally upon lucerne, supplemented with dates.
34. Tho camels aro mostly from Arabia, though they arc now bred here in
the marshes. A few good ones for riding purposes arc owned by tho Sheikhs.
These feed even when going at a sharp trot giving tho unaccustomed rider an
odd fcoliug of helplessness, ns tho long neck disappears in front aud tho head
becomes mixed up with tho animal’s logs; this feeling is soon replaced by one of
implicit confidence when you get accustomed to the acrobatic performance, and
find that no harm comes of it.
35. Tho horses, all rejoicing in somo high-sounding tribal or family name,
appear to mo, with tho oxception of s<w roo old brood maros, to havo been crossed
with an inferior breed. They stand, unused and unclothed and uncarcd for, in
summer and winter in tho samo placo, and cat their dates and luccrno con-
tontcdly. Breeding is carried on from tho most unsound and helpless cripples,
6omo of whom can barely stand from disease, and as tho colts got littlo or no
oxcrciso, tho result of tho breeding arrangements cannot be very satisfactory.
30. Tho Sheikhs arO of courso tho only owners, and consider their mis­
shapen cripples to bo of enormous value. It is not worth while to undeceive
them, as no ono in his senses would think of buying one.
37. The cows were famed and aro still good, but the race is dying out ns no
poor man or cultivator can keep them.
88. Tho whito donkeys wero famed, but aro few and far between now, except
thoso owned by tho Sheikhs and a few big men. They aro not so fino as those
I havo scon in Persia, and a much higher price is asked for them. The ordinary
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