'Persian Gulf Gazetteer Part II, Geographical and Descriptive Materials, Section II Western Side of the Gulf' [‎63v] (129/286)

28
ABDULLAH (AL).—The branch of the ruling Khalifah family of Bahrein
to which JSTasir -hin-Mubarak belonged.
ABOOKARA.—A tribe of Bahrein.
ADHARI.—Principal spring on Bahrein Island. See Bahrein.
AGARRIA.—Place in Bahrein where Turkish Mutasarrif halted on way
from Katar to Katif.
ALT.—Small tumble- down village, about one hour's ride from Manama
in the centre of Bahrein Island. Apparently connected with Manama by
remains of an ancient made road. Immediately outside of it are 25 or 30
large tumuli from 40 to 50 feet high and 40 to 50 yards in diameter at base.
These are adjoined by chains and groups of innumerable smaller tumuli
extending to the south and west of the village. One large and one small tumu
lus was opened by Durand in 1879 and the same by Bent in 1889. Ivory
fragments found in the interior of Bent's larger tumulus where pronounced
by an expert to be of Phoenician workmanship. Pottery is made here.
ALI (AL BIN).—Tribe called by Douglas one of the largest sections of
the Bahreinis.
AMAMERAH.—A Bahrein tribe.
ARAD—Peninsula forming part of Muharrak Island, from the south of
which it projects into the horseshoe bay formed by the island on that side. On
it are a date grove and laige double fort. From Buckingham it would appear
that the whole of Muharrak Island was formerly called Arad.
ARAD FAMOIIAY.—Mentioned at page 560 of Bombay Records XXIV
as an island of the Bahrein group.
ARZA.—Islet, situated on reef, f mile north-east of Kalali. Has remains
of a building and two fresh-water springs near it.
ASKER.—Fishing village on east coast of Bahrein Island about east-north
east from Jebel Dukhan.
AWAL.—Niebuhr gives this name to Bahrein Island. Palgrove ridicules
Niebuhr, declaring that Awwal means " shark " and is not the name of any
island in the Gulf. Zwemer says that the name Owal still lingers.
BAHREIN.—Group of islands formiug a principality. Includes the islands
of Bahrein (or Awal ?), Muharrak (or Arad ?), Sitra and (?) Umm Nahsan,
which arc described under their own names, (i) The Government of India
have decided that the Sheikh of Bahrein has no territorial possessions on the
mainland though ho owns rights of pasture, etc., there. The boundary of
Bahrein in every direction is therefore the surrounding sea. From Ritter it
would appear that a tract extending along a considerable portion of the east
side of the Gulf once bore the name of Bahrein and was the abode of the
Carmathians. (2) No information as to sub-divisions. (3) The physical char
acteristics of the separate islands are described under their names. The principal
features of the group are the lowness and levelness of the land and the shallowness
of the surrounding sea. The whole Gulf of Bahrein is a mass of reefs and shoals
fromRas Rakkinto lias Tanura,a distance of 70 miles, except for one clear and
fairly wido channel running north and south, off the east side of Muharrak
Island. The most extensive obstacles to navigation are the Fasht-ad-Dibal, 5
miles long from north to south by 2i broad, between Muharrak Island and Ras
Rakkin ; and the Fasht-al-Yarim or Teignmouth Shoal, 13 miles in length from
north to south by 8 miles in breadth towards its north end. The latter'protects
the Manama anchorage from the north and west. The shallow waters of Bahrein
may be considered to extend to the Rennie Shoal, over 50 miles north of the
island. There is a passage from Bahrein to Katif south of the Fasht-al-Yarim
available for vessels drawing not more than 15 feet: it is called the Kbor-al-Bab.
Many of the reefs dry in patches at low water, and the island of Muharrak is