'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎647] (746/905)

CHAP. XXIV.]
BAHREIN.
647
in length from the northern to the southern extremity; here island of
it narrows very much, but elsewhere the width across generally a - rein *
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 of
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 Town of
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , 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 north- island of Arad.
ward 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 Pearl oysters.
Arabian coast, also in the Red Sea, and at almost every island
in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . 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
1 Lib. VI., cap. xxviii.