Page 104 - Arabian Studies (I)

90 Arabian Studies I
practically impossible because of this inaccuracy, and in the accom­
panying chart I have produced the basic shape from the information
of Sulainian and added Ibn Majid’s information wherever possible.
An example of this can be seen in the two positions of Ra’s HafunT.
These could be explained by magnetic variation: a variation of
9-14° E. from Sulaimfm’s position would cover the same features
adequately. However the same variation would not cover Ibn Majid’s
alternative bearings in the rest of the Gulf—not even from Ra’s
Failak nearby. We are of course lucky to be able to verify or compare
Ibn Majid’s information in this poem with that given by Sulaiman
al-Mahri for the same area, a comparison which is not possible in the
case of the Persian Gulf poem.
Generally in the navigational texts, detail of the south coast of
Arabia is fairly evenly spread and places are fairly accurately placed.
This applies as far as KhurTya MurTya islands. From KhurTya MurTya
to Ra’s al-Hadd the descriptions vary and no clear picture can be
obtained of the coast. The coast of Oman however is clearer and
detailed but the accuracy is spoiled by the variations given for Pole
star altitudes.
The main ports for the India trade were Aden, Shihr, Zafar and
Maskat with Mishqas and Qalhat as subsidiary ports, and aroused these
the information is centred. Hormuz in Persia was also important for
the description of the Oman coast which was essential for the
approach to this port. Ships leaving Aden and Shihr sailed up the
coast to Fartak before they followed the latitude line to India.
Similarly from Hormuz and Oman and the Persian Gulf they would
sail from the vicinity of Ra’s al-Hadd, also along the latitude line.
Between these limits the coast was known by coastal traffic and by
ships returning from India — but there was one route to India
keeping to the coast to somewhere past KhurTya MurTya and then
turning directly E. by N. towards Cape Madwara (Diu) in India.
From Zafar they sailed SE. to the latitude of Fartak and then due
East for India. Between Bab al-Mandam and Fartak there were quite
a few places which had sailing connexions with Somalia or Soqotra,
such as HairTj, Barum, and al-‘Ain, hence direct courses across the
Gulf or to Soqotra are mentioned.
There seems to be no doubt from the texts in general that Aden
was the most important port of Arabia for navigation generally. Not
only did it have a vast amount of trade with India and Africa itself
but it controlled the trade which entered and left the Red Sea. No
doubt Zaila‘ could also be used as an intermediate port. One of the
main mooring places today in Aden harbour, TawahT is named from
the root used by Ibn Majid (tawwah) for being held up by the