Page 280 - Records of Bahrain (2)(ii)_Neat

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606 Records of Bahrain

T1IE ISLANDS OF DAIIllEIN. 225

future poets and historians, but few of which survived to
later times. In the following list indeed, preserved by Yacid,
it is only the first four names which were generally known to
the geographers. 1. El-Khalt jail! ; 2. El Kali/ <—;

3. Al-Arrat ; 4. Hajar js?*; 5. Binunat ; G. Az-
Zdrat S;Vpl; 7. Jowatlia ^=r'; 8. ; 9.Darin
and 10. Al-Ghabct AjUII.1 1. Khatt was the lino
of sea-coast opposite to Bahrein, the 'Arra of Ptolemy,
and in all probability emigrants from hence colonized the
island of Keis, which in Alexander’s time was named Karcua,
and was, like Bahrein, sacred to Mercury and Venus. There
was a great trade between this part of the coast and India
during the early ages of Islam, insomuch that the spears
used throughout Arabia, being formed of Indian bamboos
landed on these shores, werg known as Rdmah-cl-Khaltiych.2
2.. Kctlif\ the port of Al-Alisa, must always have been an
ancient sito, but tho name affords no cluo to its identity.
3. Al-Arrat, as I have said before, is the modern Arad, on
the island of Maharrak, and tho ancient Arathus. 4. Hajar
was a name used almost indifferently with Bahrein both for
the district, for tho larger island, and for the capital of that
island, marked by tho ruins of Bilad Kadiin. Of the remain­
ing towns, Sabur, or Sabun as it is often written, and Darin

1 The capital of Ilajar is further said by Yacht, quoting from some anonymous
author, to be As-Sojd and Mmhakkar, a sort of douhlo city, which is thus
described: “ El-Mushakkar is a very strong fort of tho Abd-ul-Kais in Dahrein,
used by them as a place of defence. They had also another fortress called A?-
$afd in front of tho city of Hajar. Tho Jdmi mosquo was in Mushakkar, and
botween tho two forts there flowed a river whidh was called Id-'Ain, and which
went to tho city of Muhammed Ibu-El-Ghimr, etc.” I know nothing of
theso places, and, in fact, have never met with tho names except in Yacht’s great
Dictionary. Ibn-IIowkal gives tho names of the cities of Dahrein as Hajar,
El- Kalif\ lil- Uqciv, Bishch, and El-Kharj, while ho describes Anal ns tho
name ol tho Island, bcionging to Abu-Su’fd and Suliman lbn-Kl-Hassan, tho
famous Cnrmathian leaders, who levied nu enormous tributo from tho ships which
• traded thoro.
2 Yacdt, quoting from Abu-Mansur, says that tho coast of ’Onifui was
throughout called Al-Khali, tho chief places on tho coast being El-Ka(!f,
El- Uqcir, and Ka(ar, and then adds, on his own part, ** All these places belong to
tho sea-const of Dahrein nnd’Omfin; thoy used to bring hero bamboo spears
from India, which wero afterwards exported and sold to tho Arabs; n and so in
Dabylouiau times thoy brought teak-wood from India to Mayan, and used it in
building temples and palaces under tho uamo of
D.M.I. vol. iii. p. 28, 1. 38.