Page 12 - Journl (Royal Geographical Society)_Neat

278 On the Eastern Shores of the Persian Gulf. Oil am Eastern Shores of llm Persian Gulf. <2~i)

population is about two hundred inhabitants. We anchored about ; brain-fever, lew get over it, ami if they do, their intellects are for
a mile from the town, with the following bearingsextremes of v ever impaired. Men and olliecrs have alike a misciahlc life during
Kishm, N. 6l° N. to S. 5° W.; Sheikh’s house, S. 15° W.; light- that season—they merely exist ; the extreme hardships and priva­
house on Ormuz, N. 53° E.; Ldrak Peak, 22° E. . tions they undergo are almost beyond belief : there is 110 society,
Left* is a small town, containing about six hundred inhabitant^ except among brother officers; the face of a European female is
and is situated on the northern side of the bland close to a' %-lS®rafc never seen, and it is but seldom that a glimpse is obtained even of
small channel formed bj a low wooded bland thirty miles from*- an Arab or Persian one, they arc all so completely veiled and
the town of Kishm. It was once a piratical port, where the Jo«* ^ kept so close: they are not allowed to speak or uncover their faces
w&simee pirates had one of their strongest holds before the ekpe^vi-X^^HHj in the presence of any man but their own masters; it would be
dition sent against them from Bombay in 1809. The town considered as a sacrilege if they did so, and life would be the
then completely destroyed, and-has since remained in the habd$ forfeiture if they transgressed in any way. L have occasionally
of the Imdm of Maskat The channel b scarcely a quarter seen them, however, when passing in the streets and no Persian
a mile wide, but there is safe anchorage in it: for a large vessel was near, lift their veils so that we could have a slight view of
four and a half fathoms, where she. may be perfectly shelterejjj^^^^f their brunette faces, coral lips, jet-black eyes, and hair flowing
and completely land-locked. The tide is very.rapid throughout luxuriantly in tresses around their face and neck; one would not
the whole of the Kishm-channel, snd runs three or four miles ah imagine that this horrid country could boast of such female beauty.
hour; it is thus impossible to go through unless with a very 3trong The cold season in the Gulf is rather pleasant; it is the only
breeze blowing from the eastward^ aiid even then it'b.with some time when one can possibly have any sort of recreation.
difficulty during the spring-tide^; Bassadore is situated at the . The Portuguese had also once possession of Bassadore, and
western extremity of the island, and is the priucipal station for the remains of their fort and town are still visible. There is good
the vessels of the Indian navy, when employed in the Persian anchorage in the roads, where a vessel may lie in six or seven
Gulf, under the orders of the Britbh resident at Bushire. The fathoms hard mud, about a quarter of a mile from the shore.
commander of the squadron resides here, and hobts his flag on > n The port is rather difficult to enter, there being many shoals; and
board a small vessel of twelve guns, which lies as guard-ship. :VS*$ a ship ought not to attempt coming in, unless in charge of a com­
There is no town, but there are a few scattered huts and a small ii . petent pilot. 'Phe channel is narrow and intricate, but the
baz&r which provides the seamen of the different vessels with the ,Vv*^K' soundings may be depended on, and the vessels in the harbour, or
articles they chiefly require: the only good houses in the place the beacon, if seen, will be sufficient guides.
were built by officers belonging to the Bombay array, who were Nearchus, having sailed from Kishm about two hundred stadia,
arrived at a small island, which was said to be sacred to Neptune;
stationed here when the expedition was sent up the Gulf against fff
Kds-al-Khaymah and other piratical forts. The captains of the ;!’?$ this is now called Angur or Angara :* it is five or six miles in
different vessels now reside in these houses : there is a pretty good circumference, and is situated south of Kishm, about thirty miles
hospital, built at the expense of the Company, for sick seamen, also :■ J 1 cast from Bassadore, and nearly opposite the town of Left. It is
a billiard-room and racket-court, built by subscription among the . uninhabited, nearly destitute of vegetation, though formerly peo­
officers of the Indian navy, being their only sources of amusement pled, as the remains of a town and reservoir are still visible on the
at this wretched place. No one but those who have actually been northern side. Wild goats abound here; they live on a small
in the Persian Gulf can imagine the extreme barrenness and /.'! illgSl shrub and some grass, which grow in the ravines and recesses of
sterility of its coasts. Sun-burnt and sandy regions lie on all \*y^p§§i the rocks. The island appears to be of volcanic origin, lava
sides; not even a blade of grass relieves the aching eye-balls from .: • having been picked up on many parts of it; and several small
.1 craters may be seen about the centre, one of which L descended
the intense glare of the sand; the hot season, which continues ...5^ :!
for five months, is intolerable; existence is then almost insupport- .. to some depth ; it was just large enough to admit my body. Some
able; the sun is so powerful during the day, that it is almost cer- ; of the hills rise to the height of three or four hundred feet. There
is good anchorage in the sound, about a mile from the island, iu
tainly fatal to expose oneself, in the least, to its influence. I have.^y| five fathoms : it may also be approached with safety. We an-
seen men die in the utmost agony and raving mad, from exposure
to the sun, after a few hoars’ illness. When attacked with this
* More properly Uiujam or Hanjim. But the Persians substituted g for j, and
m say Hangara.—E.
* un, or Ldfet,—Sir W. Otueloy's Traveli, vol/L p. 163.—E.
m