Page 97 - The Pirate Coast (By Sir Charles Belgrave)

instead of rags, home-made models of aeroplanes arc often used
as weathercocks.
Muharraq was defended by a fort on a headland jutting into the
sea, which became an island at high tide; in later years it was used
as a quarantine station. In deep water, near the fort, was one of
the freshwater submarine springs, described by so many travellers
in Bahrain. Men dived down to the source and filled leather
waterskins with fresh water, holding them tightly closed as they
rose through the sea to the surface. This spring, under the sea,
provided the main supply of drinking water for Muharraq and
for ships in the harbour. Some years ago, the Government tried
to control some of the submarine springs, to bring fresh water to
the surface in pipes, but this proved impossible, and quantities of
fresh water still flows to waste in the sea. Another large fort
stood on the shore a mile or two north of the town, which was
built by the Muscatis in 1799, when they had a garrison in
Muharraq for a few months.
Manama, from the sea, was less showy than Muharraq. The
town was on flat ground, a few feet above sea level, consisting
mostly of barastis, those along the dirty, muddy beach screening
the buildings behind them. At the western end of the town, on
the shore, was a group of large fortified buildings occupied by
the Amir of Manama. About a mile inland, stood a solid square
fort, with towers at each corner, which is now the police head­
quarters. In most of the Gulf towns, the main fortress stood
a little way back from the town. Along the coast towards
the west, gardens and date groves extended down to the sea
shore.
The Manama bazaar was the usual labyrinth of narrow lanes,
roofed with matting, containing little shops, some built of stone,
others of barasti type. The coffee shops and caravansarais were
in a square in the centre of the bazaar. But in spite of its rather
dingy appearance, Manama had a quiet and peaceful air, and was
filled with a gaily dressed, cosmopolitan crowd of Arabs from
all parts of the Gulf, as well as Persians, Hindus, and a few Jews
from Baghdad.
Some time during January or February, a report had reached
Bruce, the Resident in Bushire, that: ‘a European Lady and her
niece, with her attendants, had been captured and taken to Bah­
rain, and were there publicly exposed for sale as slaves.’ The
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