Page 262 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 6 -10

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3. ‘Oqair (frequently pronounced ‘Ojair). 04 miles 8. by W. of
Qatif town, and 24 miles YV’SYV. of the S. end of Bahrein Island.
It lies on the SW. shore of a bay, with an entrance 200-300 yards
wide, and a channel of 3-4 fathoms. There is, strictly speaking, no
town of 'Oqair, the place consisting of a fort and a large khan close
together. The latter is an enclosure of 150 by SO yards, surrounded
by a wall 10 feet high, with sheds along three sides in the interior;
it contains three shops, and all travellers to and from the port
take up their lodging within its walls. Under Turkish rule there
were practically no inhabitants other than the detachment of
soldiers in the fort, some police, the customs and port officers, and
v.. . :• • •-
a few agents representing merchants in the Hasa oasis. Water is
obtained in the sandpits at Abu Zalimul, a short distance SW. of
the fort, but that from the well of Sinead in the surrounding tract
of Biyadh is of better quality.

The port serves the Hasa oasis, and, to a great extent, S. Nejd,
to which it imports rice, piece-goods, coffee, sugar, and hardware,
chiefly coming through Bahrein. The neighbouring Arabs are
Ahl Hurrah, Ajman, and Beni Hajar.

3. Other Tracis oj Hasa

i. Zdr cl-Audhdn, from Jebel Manlfah to Musallamlyah Bay, and
inland to the marshy depression of Sabkhat el-Mutaya. The tract,
which is without settlements, has an extension on an average less
than 20 miles. Its wells are poor : that of Rmcdqlyah is on the
coast half-way between Ras el-Ghar and Ras el-Museinah ; that
called Sudah is about 3 miles inland from the NW. side of Musalla-
mlyah Bay.
ii. Iduzwm, S. of the above, extending 25 miles to the foot of
Dohat ed-Dafi; the wells of Mistannah (see Route No. 13) are on its
W. boundary. The soil is sandy, bearing the vxarkh tree, with
shrubs and grasses. Wells average 6 ft. in depth. That named
*. . Nuqurlyah is in the base of the promontory point of Musallamlyah
.••• • Bay ; that of Mulcuja is 3 miles SW. of the foot of the same bay.
There is no settled population, but the tract is frequented by the
Beni Khalid and Ajman.
iii. Biyadh, the largest of the Hasa tracts, S. of Huzum, extending
about 130 miles from opposite Abu Ali Island to Ras es-Sufeirah
opposite the S. end of Zaklmunlyah Island, with a maximum breadth
of about 50 miles. The soil is sandy, with many low white sand-hills
(naqiydn) ; grasses and scrub grow in profusion, and water is
obtainable everywhere by digging a few feet beneath the surface.