'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎454] (485/582)

ANCHORAGE NEAR THE ISLANDS OF BAHREIN.
anchored to the south-east of the islands, having the fort of Maha-
rag to bear north-west, and the northern extreme of Arad Island
north by west, where she was well sheltered from north-west
winds. The Company's cruisers, however, usually anchor on the
north-west side of the islands, with the following bearings: the
town of Semahee, east half-north ; the central village on Arad, east
by south half-south; Maharag town, south-east half-east; Mina-
wah, on Bahrein, south half-east; and an old Portuguese fort,
on a rising ground, on the same island, south-west. This ancho
rage is in three and a-half fathoms water on a sandy bottom,
and is about three miles off shore ; but though well sheltered
here from all but north-west winds, it is dangerous by its expo
sure to them, as that is the prevailing quarter from which they
blow throughout the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and there is then an ex
tensive coral shoal, not more than a quarter of a mile to the
south-east of the anchorage, which presents a lee shore to vessels
riding here. The high land of Kateef, as seen from hence, bears
west by north half-north, at a considerable distance. There
is, however, a much more secure, convenient, and in every respect
better anchorage than either of these two, within half a mile of
the town of Minawah, where the dows and country vessels all
lie in three and a-half and four fathoms water: the fort in
the centre of the town bearing south-south-east; a patch of coral
shoal without, north-north-west; the Portuguese fort on Bahrein,
about west by north ; and the centre of the town of Maharag, east.
The pearl fishery, of which these islands form the centre, is
calculated to yield annually about twenty lacks of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. worth
for exportation, the greatest portion of which find their way to
India, and the remainder are dispersed throughout the Persian
and Turkish empires, by way of Bushire, Bussorah, and Bagdad,
and from thence to Constantinople, Syria, Egypt, and even as
far as the great capitals of Europe. The bank on which this
fishery is carried on, extends from Bahrein, nearly to Ras-el-
Khyma; and the finest of the pearls are found among the group