'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.' [‎649] (748/905)

CHAP. XXIV.]
EL KHATIF,
649
The divers are exceedingly expert, and it may not be out of Skiifuiness of
place to mention that the Honourable Company's sloops of the divers "
war, Elphinstone and Coote, had their copper cleaned by these
individuals in 1835; the task was speedily accomplished by
means of 50 divers employed for this purpose on each side of
the ship.
The north-western extremity of Bahrein is barely 10 miles
from the Arabian coast, and there intervenes, but nearer to
Bahrein than to the coast, an uninhabited island, called Jeb-
el-Hussein. An extensive flat, called Teignmouth Shoal,
extends at least 10 miles northward of Bahrein; and some
miles farther towards the north-west is the Island of Tirhoot,
or Taroot, which is 10 miles long from N.W. to S.E.; it is
well watered and thickly covered with date groves ; l and on
the mainland, just opposite, is El Khatif. This is the prin- Town of ei
cipal town of the district of the same name; it is situated on
low ground amidst gardens, and contains some good houses,
which are surrounded by walls and defended by a citadel. The
population is about 6000 souls; to which Yebrin and the 15
other surrounding villages give an addition of 19,000 souls. 8
There is some trade with India, particularly with Surat, but
the principal commerce is with Bahrein. The district pro
duces an abundance of rice, also wheat, barley, dates and other
fruits, among which are musk and water melons, the latter
weighing from 35 to 40 lbs. ; 3 and the revenue of the district of
Khatif, independent of the pearls, is 86,000 German crowns. 4
A little way westward of the town are some remains which
are supposed to mark the site of ancient Gerrha, the Regio
Macina of the Greeks. 5
The desert district of Debenah succeeds, and stretches north- District of
westward of El Ah'sa, along the Gulf, near the upper extremity De ena '
of which is Grane, or Quade, a considerable town situated on
a kind of peninsula at the southern side of a fine bay, forming
an extensive harbour. The entrance, which is on the eastern
side, is in a great degree sheltered by the islands of Pheliche;
1 Captain Sadleir's Journey, vol. III., p- 456, of the Bombay Lit. Trans.
2 Ibid., p. 458. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid,
» Strabo, lib. XVI., p. 765