Page 13 - Journl (Royal Geographical Society)_Neat

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'2 SO On the Eastern Shores of the Persian nlf.
rlmred with the following bearings: mosque on Augstr, S. ~a° W. •
exliemes of Angar, S. N. to N. t>4° N. The southern point
of Kislim, S. 40° E. Good water may be obtained from the
tanks, which are close to the landing-place, and easily approached.
jNearchus left Angar with his fleet early in the morning; but
was attacked so furiously by a sudden storm, that three of his
ships were forced among the shallows, and the rest with much
difficulty escaped and got safe into deep water. The shoal thus
adverted to is called the Bassadore Bank; it is very extensive, and
many pai ls are dry at low water. We got on shore ourselves Oil
litis shoal, in the Clive, in two and a quarter fathoms water, and
it was a long time before we got off again. Our bearings, when
aground, were as follows : extremes of Kishm, N.N.E. ^ E. to
S. K. £ E.; Cape Bestian, E. £ N.; Bassadore flag-staff, N.N.E.
Thence Nearchus proceeded 400 stadia faither, and then
arrived at another small island SCO stadia distant from the mam
land, where the fleet harboured. There are here two small islands
nearly close together, called the Great and Little Tombs; it was
at the former that Nearchus anchored: they are situated off the
western extremity of Kishm, and about twenty-five miles dis­
tant; they are low' and flat, the larger being about four or five
miles in circumference, and the smaller about two or three. They
are both uninhabited and uncultivated, the small one being desti­
tute of everything, but the larger having a little grass on the plain
and a large banian-tree about the centre. It abounds also in ante­
lopes, and the officers of the different vessels lying at Bassadore
iiequentlv make excursions to this island, and remain two or three
days, coursing and shooting these animals, This is excellent
sport; they are coursed with the Arab greyhounds, which are of
small size, but very fleet, and generally cream-coloured.
Thence departing early in the morning, and leaving a small
desolate island, called Pylora, now known by the name of Polior,
on the left hand, Nearchus arrived at Sidoddne, a small town,
destitute of all necessaries but fish and fiesh water; “ wherefore,”
says lie, “ necessity makes the inhabitants ichthvophagi, or fish-
eaters, seeing that they live in a country wholly unproductive.”
fI he town which Nearchus here calls Sidoddne is a small fishing
village, now known by the name of Mogoo, situated iu a bay of
the same name ; and the country is still, as lie describes it, per­
fectly destitute of vegetation, the natives continuing to live entirely
on fish and dales. Departing hence, the Greeks proceeded three
hundred stadia, and came to M arsius, a promontory which runs far
out into the sea (now called Cape Certes*); it is high, rugged,
Curies scums to be a name of Kuropean invention. Rjis Jerd is the Arab name
given in Mr. hrucks s excellent chart, aud it is cunlirined by thu accurate Niebulu's
K.is-cl-jerd, i.e. Bald head.—ii.
*
Oil l, .At stern Shores of the J'ersian Gulf '2*1
;iiul of :i reddish colour. Ncim lius sailing thence three hundred
stadia more, arrived al an island barren and rocky, which was said
to he sacred to Mercury and Venus, i Jere, lie says, that sheep
and goals were annually brought by the inhabitants of the adja­
cent parts, as offerings to the god and goddess thereof. It is now
called Kcim,* and is next in importance to K is Inn on this coast.
N carditis describes it as barren; but it is not so now, being
covered with trees of a dwarfish stature, something resembling
the thorn, and thick with foliage; the plains arc also cultivated
with wheat; and Persian tobacco is likewise grown here, but in
small quantities. The island has rather a pretty appearance from
the sea, and a small town is situated near the western entrance, the
only one it can boast of, though some scattered huts arc also
found on it here and there. It once possessed a flourishing com­
merce, but that has long since ceased. It can still, however,
supply ships with refreshments, chiefly goats, sheep, and some
vegetables. Water may be also had at it, but the quality is indif­
ferent; it is obtained by digging a hole four or five feet deep in
the sand, a short way fioni the beach. A vessel may be sheltered
here from all westerly winds, two or three miles to the south of
the town, and about one mile from the shore, in eight fathoms
rocky bottom; the passage between it and the main is safe, and
may be attempted without danger, taking care to keep nearly in
mid-channel: with proper attention, this may even be run through
at night.
Nearchus with his fleet sailed hence four hundred stadia, and
came to a place called Has, on the shores of Persia, opposite to
which is an island called Caioandsur, forming a haven. The pl-.ce
of which Nearchus here speaks is a small town or fishing village,
called Chiroo, and the island is Inderabia.f It is situated four or
live miles from the main land ; and there is a small town on the
northern side, where a vessel may get supplied with goats, sheep,
and some vegetables. The island is, however, almost unculti­
vated, the natives merely growing corn and vegetables for llieir
own consumption. \\ e anchored ofl this island in the Elphiu-
stone, in six and a quarter fathoms, two miles from the main land.
The harbour is safe and commodious, and a vessel is well sheltered
in it from a north-west wind ; the water is deep close to the laud,
and we had nine fathoms soft mud just outside of us; but the
channel between it and the main laud is rather dangerous, and
on ght to be avoided, as there is no object to gain by going
through.
Nearchus next arrived at an inhabited island,J now called Bu-
° Or KeVs, vulgarly pronounced Gweis, as appears Horn Mr. Brucks’s chart.—K.#
f Hinder'd)! or Ilindcrabiyuh.—K.
; The name of which is nut given by him.