'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1315] (364/688)

MUS-MUS
1315
General navigability. —The whole of Khor Musa Proper is navigable for large vessels,
and the Khor Qanaqeh branch is also navigable for a distance of 7 miles at least. The
only difficulty is that already remarked on, which arises from the invisibility of the
edges of the channel except at low water; and it should be added that Khor
Qanaqeh becomes, after a few miles, too narrow for a long ship to be turned in.
At the places most suitable for anchorage in Khors Musa and Qanaqeh the tidal stream
runs not less than 2 knots an hour at springs.
Land approaches. —So far as examination has yet been carried, the navigable portions
of Khor Musa and its branches appear to be difficult of access from terra firma, being as a
rule separated from the same by wide stretches of soft mud or treacherous saline soil
which are sometimes miles in extent.
The ground in the neighbourhood of Ma'shur village has been carefully explored; and the
result has been to show that the channel, where it is deep enough for European vessels,
is unapproachable on that side by animals or even by foot-passengers. The tract
called Zangi which adjoins the northern bank of Khor Ma'shur above the mouth of Khor
Doraq appears to consist to a large extent of labyrinthine creeks containing liquid mud ;
so ne of these are ramifications of an inlet, called Ju-i-Jangi, from Khor Ma'shur. Even
the route from Ma'shur village to Sif, the place already mentioned where native sailing
vessels discharge their cargoes, is sometimes impassable by caravans. For one mile it
lies across a bare plain of saline soil which is swampy in winter and almost untraversable
after rain. It then crosses a drainage hollow leading from the desert west of Ma'shur
village to Khor Ma'shur ; this hollow is liable to floods after rain, and even in ordinary
weather the tide runs up it to within a mile of Ma'shur village. The remaining 1J miles
of the way are sandy going and somewhat firmer than the first mile; but this section
also is said to become deep and difficult in wet weather. At S f itself is a patch of really
firm sand.
The only other point at which it is certain that access to Khor Musa exists by land is on
the north-eastern bank of its Khor Doraq branch, at the point nearest to Imamzadeh
'Abdul Hasan which is on the direct route between Ma'shur and Buziyeh. The distance
of the bank from the Imamzadeh is several, perhaps 10, miles and the ground, especially
in the neighbourhood of the Khor, is fairly high and firm ; but for part of the way it is
somewhat cut up by the canals of the Shatut tract. The depth of the Khor at this place
has not been reported, but it has been ascertained that the water in the Khor does not
ordinarily rise to within less than 3 feet of the top of the bank. Both abo . e and below
this particular spot, however, the north-eastern bank of Khor Doraq is stated to be low
and marshy. '
It is possible that the Qanaqeh branch of Khor Musa may be easily approachable
by land from certain directions, but this point has not as yet been specifically investi-
Naval advantages and disadvantages of Khor Mvsa. —The principal anchorages of Khor
Musa are completely protected from all winds and could be easily defended against
attack from the open sea whether by bombardment or by torpedoes. Fresh water
could perhaps be brought from the Jarrahi river, which is not far distant; and the
climate is probably less trying than in some other parts of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . The near
ness of the place to the mouth of the Shatt-al- 'Arab and to the valley of the Karun is
also an important consideration.
On the other hand, it is not certain that the navigable portions of Khor Musa could be
made approachable, at least without inordinate expense, from the landward side ; the
chief natural anchorages might require adaptation in order to form good harbours ; and
the bar at the seaward entrance must be dredged to enable the Khor to be entered by
ships in all states of the tide,
MUSAGH—
A sub-division of the A1 Shibil, one of the rural tribes of 'Iraq {q. v:).
MUSAGHIB (H as)—•
A small headland on the Yemen coast of the Red Sea, situated some 33 nautical miles
northward from Lahlyah.
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