Page 200 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 6 -10

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DISTRICTS 277

of coast, nearly 450 miles in length, backed by the Great Desert,
and it possesses no place of importance with the exception of
Mahot. It is traversed by Routo No. 69 (see vol. ii, pp. 310 ff.),
which runs from Makalla on the Hadhramaut coast to Lashkharah.
Such villages as exist are small and inhabited by migratory fisher-
folk, many of whom have no boats and put to sea on inflated skins.
They dispose of shark-fins to passing vessels in exchange for dates,
grain, and cloth. The principal features of the country are described
in tho following subsections, the first of which deals with the coast­
line as far as Ras Nus, and tho second with the region of Dhofar.
:•

1. The Coa-st between Ja'lan and Has Nus.

The chief features of the coast from NE. to SW. are the following.
To the S. of Lashkharah it continues low, sandy, and desolate.
A stretch of nearly 100 miles, from Ras Jibsh to RasJVIishayu, is
known as Batein and is inhabited by Jannabah and A1 Wahlbah.
This is bounded on the S. by the Barr el-Hikmdn, a blunt promon­
tory 18 miles broad and only 12 miles long, the domain of the
Hikman tribe. It is low and sandy, and contains a large salt-water
lagoon called Khbr el-Milh, divided from the sea by a narrow ridge
of sand. The Hikman Arabs and the inhabitants of Mahot and of
the island of Masirah (see p. 278) resort to the khor to fish and
make salt; and boats from Sur load salt here for their own town
and for India. To the W. of the promontory is a large bay, Ghubbah
! Hashish, some 8 miles broad and 10 long, with soundings decreasing
from 6 fathoms in the middle of the entrance, and with a low and
sandy shore. Near its head are two islands, Abb and Mahot, joined
by a mud-bank 4 miles long, which dries at low water. On the
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latter is the village of Mahot, the principal trade centre for this part
of the Oman coast (see p. 278).
The section of the coast from Ghubbah Hashish to Ras Madrakah
is known as Bahr el-Hadri. Here hills once more make an appear­
ance, and for nearly a third of its length, towards its southern end,
a line of bold cliffs of light-coloured limestone fronts the sea. The
Jannabah..frequent the region for some miles to the N. of Ras
Madrakah, which is 450 ft. high. Sauqirah Bay ex tends from Ras
Madrakah to Ras Sauqirah, a prominent bluff rising 600 ft. above
the sea. To this barren region a few Jannabah and Mahrahs come
in winter to fish and graze their cattle; they camp under the sails
of their boats and attack strangers if unarmed. Near its southern
end is Jazir, a favourite winter camping-ground. This is the only
point where the land route from Oman to Dhofar strikes the coast
4.