Page 256 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

XII.] COAST OF ARABIA. 237

numerous sunken rocks, reefs, and sandbanks
lying off the shore, that it is not probable
they can be made available for any useful

purpose. The high land at the back presents
nothing remarkable in its appearance.

Sherm TJb-hur, or Charles Inlet, is about
eight miles in length, varying in breadth
from a quarter of a mile to one hundred and
fifty yards. Its Extremity is connected with
a marsh which extends, by the report of the
Arab, several miles into the interior. The
river Betius of Ptolemy is marked in D’An-

ville’s map as having its outlet in this bay.
We explored its termination, but there is no­
thing which would induce us to suppose it
receives any other supply of fresh water than
an occasional torrent from the interior. The
anchorage is upon the northern bank, about
half a mile from the entrance, and about two
hundred yards inside a rocky point, which
should be rounded as near as the patch run­

ning off it will admit. With the exception of
this point, the extremity of which may be
easily discerned, the passage inside, as well
as the coast about the entrance, is free from
dangers.