studded with islands, and full of coves, indentures, and rocky
shallows, which render the approach exceedingly difficult. The
principal tribes are the Jawâsimi, the Menasir, Beni As, and
Mahâma, who number 19,65g1 males, and have at least 1500
vessels, varying in size from 10 to 400 tons, with which, during
the intervals between the pearl seasons, they at one time
infested the southern frontier of Arabia and the northern
shores of India, generally putting to death the crews of vessels
which fell into their hands. The existence, in the fourth century
of the Hijra, of pirates carrying on their depredations
systematically, not only along the coast, but often far out at
sea, is mentioned by Ibn Haukal,8 and also by Edrisi.3 But
in later times this evil became more formidable, by the union
of the piratical tribes with a part of the Wahhabi people; the
latter transferring their hostility to mankind, from the deserts
to the ocean surrounding them. This state of things continued
till the stronghold of Râs-el-Khaïmah (Cape Tent) was
captured and rased to the ground in 1819. The port then
contained 63 large vessels and many smaller ; but since the
treaty made at that time with the Jawasimi by Major-General
Sir Keir Grant, Abuthabbee, about 120 miles to the southwest,
has been their principal seat. The Company’s cruisers
in the gulf have, however, been sufficient to keep down their
latent but strong predilection for their old occupation.
The inhabitants of this coast consider themselves superior
to the other people of the country, even to the Bedawin, from
whom they differ by having a taller and more athletic frame,
with a darker complexion. They are supposed to derive their
origin from Ham : their deep colour seems, however, to be the
result of a recent mixture of African blood; Slaves from Africa
having, in consequence of their fidelity, been frequently enfranchised
and incorporated with their families.
Opposite the western termination of the pirate coast, in the
middle of the bay of Bahreïn, is the principal island of the
same name, otherwise called Aval, which extends 27J miles
1 Abdallah Ben Ghudder, Makhoda.
8 Ouseley’s translation, pp. 85, 88.
3 Ed. Jaubert, tome V., pp. 62, 152, Recueil de Voyages et Mémoires, &c.
in length from the northern to the southern extremity; here
it narrows very much, but elsewhere the width across generally
approaches 10 miles. The shores about it are very low, and
it is surrounded by shoals, which are partly dry at low water.
A range of moderately high hills runs through the centre of
the island, which is fertile and has numerous springs of good
water, with plantations chiefly of date-trees; but it is only
partially cultivated. There are on the island 15 villages ol
various sizes, and two towns. Ruffin, the smaller of these, is
built round a fort on the ruins of a former town, and it is
situated on a hill seven miles southward of the capital.
Manama, the chief town, and the most respectable in the
Persian Gulf, is at the north-eastern extremity of the island;
it contains good buildings, a well supplied bazar, and about
40,000 inhabitants. Independently of from 2500 to 3000
small craft belonging to the pearl fishery, there are upwards
of 140 vessels, of various sizes, employed in trading. To the
north of Manama there is a good harbour, which is however
exposed to north-west winds; and there is one smaller and
safer to the south-east: both of them are partly formed by the
island of Arad.
The latter, the second of the group, is situated to the northward
of Bahrein ; it lies very low, and is nearly divided into
two by the sea at high water. At the south-western extremity
is Maharag, a town enclosed by a loop-holed wall; it is situated
about a mile westward of Manama, but it is not so populous as
the latter place.
These islands were known to ancient geographers under the
names of Tyrus and Aradus, and Pliny mentions the pearl-
fishery in connexion with the former.1
Pearl oysters are to be found along the greater part of the
Arabian coast, also in the Red Sea, and at almost every island
in the Persian Gulf. Those of Kharrack and Borgo are the
finest, but the depth of water at those places causes a great
difficulty in procuring them ; the banks near Bahrein are by
far the most productive, and the pearls are not greatly inferior