Page 55 - History of Portuguese in the Gulf_Neat
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24 THE TRAVELS OF PEDRO TEIXE1RA. JOURNEY FROM INDIA TO ITALY. 25
King of Persia, on whose shore it stands, and is well cannot see it. Two deep rivers of fresh water have their i
garrisoned. mouths hereabouts, at Rexel and Regh Ceyfadin.1
Further north is Regh Ceyfadin1 (that is, the sand or Hence we sailed westward ; losing sight of land, though
strand of Ceyfadin), inhabited, like most part of this coast near, for that it is low ; being in charge of a Moorish pilot
of Persia, by Arabs, tributary to its Shah, or King; and that we took aboard in Karg. This fellow, though reputed
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some of them recognise the Portuguese, taking their the best in those narrow seas, nearly put us high and dry
cartazcs, or passaportes,2 without which they would sail in 1 at a pass which the Moors call Karab, that is, “ broken”
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peril of the Portuguese fustas, cruising commonly in those or “ruined.”2 They say that there was a great city,
narrow seas. The men of Regh Ceyfadin were then on that was overflowed by reason of its low position. This
ill terms with the Portuguese, by reason of grievances channel is about four leagues wide, with many banks ; and
before mentioned ; and therefore, and for fear of four is always passed with the lead overboard and a boat
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galcotas that sailed with us, the people had clean deserted ahead, by reason of the varying depth; three fathoms at
the isle of Karg, lying over against this, three leagues to best. Once through it, we found more water, and land on
seaward, and little more than two in compass. It affords both hands ; and running up the Persian coast we cast • !
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good shelter from the north-west wind, and is mountainous anchor, on the 1st of August, in the channel of the Xat-cl ■ I
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and stony, with good water, some palm-orchards, sheep Arab. This means “ the River of the Arabs,” who call a '
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and goats. Here is grown store of onions, whereof great famous river xat, and the lesser kor, or wed; whence are
cargoes are taken to Ba^ora and other ports ; the folk are named in Spain the Wedclquebir, Wedelager, Wedyana, I
mostly Arabs.3 Here we anchored on the 25th of July, and others.
and lay four days wind-bound. Up to this place the high This river, whereof men draw the fresh water in the !
lands of Persia are near the sea and in sight, but from this narrows three leagues away from it, is formed of the two
on they trend inland,4 and pass out of sight of navigators ; famous rivers Tigris and Euphrates, which unite at Corna,
and the land is so low that, even at a little distance, you the last point of Mesopotamia that lies between them,
three days’ journey above Basord. Here have the Turks a
fortress called Corna, that is “the Point,” commanding
1 « Bandar Rig” (not “Righ”), in Persian, does mean “ Sandy Bay,” both channels.3 Here they unite to discharge their waters,
and probably, from its position, this is “ Regh Ceyfadin.” Who
4‘ Ceyfadin” (Saif u'd Dm) was, is not clear. But it has not been an
uncommon title in Persia, nor in Musalman India ; and we shall find
several chiefs of Hormuz so styled below. But in 1665, when Thevenot 1 The “ river” of “ Rexel ” is “ Khor Sultani, a large creek with a
embarked here for Basra, it had no name for him, but “ Bender Righ shallow bar.” at Bushire. Bandar Rig has “a small khor” (Persian
or Rik;” which he translates aright. He puts it next after the “ River Gulf Pilot). The R. G. S. map has a showy-looking “Shahpur River,”
of Boschavir,” and “a day's sailing from Bender Rischer” {Travels half-way between them.
into the Levant, Lovell's Translation, London, Pt. II, chap. viii). 2 Khardb. The translation is sound in Persian and Arabic. Our
familiar Hindustani khardb, meaning simply “bad,” is of later use.
2 I have thought that these two words might be of more interest in The place lately retained the name, but it has now disappeared from
the original Spanish. |
our own charts and the Persian Gulf Pilot.
1 This is Kharag, described in similar terms in the Persian Gulf 3 “ Kurnah,” “ Kornah,” “ Kurnd,” of modern maps. Perhaps ji
Pilot, which mentions “ some vegetables ” as obtainable. rightly Kama, = a horn, and so, by metaphor, a point if) The term ! :
* So also the Persian Gulf Pilot. is as common in Asiatic Geography on shore as at sea, if not more so.
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