'File 3/4 BOOKS ETC: ROUTES IN OMAN' [‎24r] (47/72)

SHARJAH
Tiiere i& now no town wall ; and the fortified res
idence of the Snaiich and a series of !aud towers
v.Jiicn coiaiUAnd tde plain between the town and the date
plantations Constitute at Dhe present time the sole
defences. Good masonry buildings are numerous, but
the bulic of the town is built of date branches.
Population about Ib/JOO souls. There are about kiOO
sno±,s. Water is from wells and io moderately good.
Fuel and fodder are plentiful ; and in the way of
supplies there are dates and liyestocK vhich latter
consists of oOO camels, £350 doniceys, 150 cattle, and
id,200 sheep. There are also 22 horses.
There are 5 baghlahs, 15 sambuics, 165 pearl boats,
ana a similar number of fishing boats.
DHAIJ) 50 miles.
The first part of this stage lies over bare, sandy
desert by the wells of ZIPAIR, miles, and TAMIL,
mi 1 e s"p ym 'WjJWrr At 25 miles, however,
the desert begins to change to a shingly plain which
fairly well covered with trees and vegetation.
DHAID village contains a four-towerea fort and
about 700 inhabitants. The water supply is very
good and abundant from a stream with a strong flow.
There are no supplies beyond dates, a little wheat,
ana a few domestic animals.
MURAIR 50 miles.
At 5£ miles, the well of WUSHAH, after vhich the
route continues across the MADAM plain for some
miles. The track then enters the hills and ascends
by easy gradients, the AL ZAKIR API ridge. This cros
sed, the track follows the bed of the WADI A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. AL QOR
which slopes down somewhat steeply to the coast ,
the valley joining the sea at BU BAQAIRAH.
At about 55 miles, the settlement of RAHA is passed!
at 57^ miles, FASHRAH ; at 58 miles, NUSLAH, near
vhich the TADI SPAI joins the main valley ; and at
41 miles, ASWAD.