'History of the imâms and seyyids of 'Omân by Salîl-ibn-Razîk, from A.D. 661-1856; translated from the original Arabic, and edited with notes, appendices, and an introduction, continuing the history down to 1870, by George Percy Badger, F.R.G.S., late chaplain in the Presidency of Bombay.' [‎418] (579/612)

418
postscript.
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distances between localities east and west of Siraf, as given by old
Arabian travellers and geographers. To do that satisfactorily
would necessitate the identification of such places with those
bearing modern names which now occupy the ancient sites,—a
task beyond the scope of this paper, but one full of antiquarian
interest, and deserving more attention than has hitherto been
bestowed upon it. Dean Vincent merits the highest praise for
his researches in this line, in connection with the Voyage of
Nearchus, but with the superior charts of the coast and other
materials which we possess, a much more complete work on the
comparative geography of the northern shores of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
might be elaborated.
With regard to el-Kishm, it is obvious from the preceding in
quiry that to confound that island with el-Kais is a mistake. I
have now no hesitation in identifying it with the Ibn-Kawanof the
old Arabian geographers. Abulfeda writes : " Ibn-Haukal says
that the island of the Benu-Kawan is the island of Laft, [still
the name of the principal village on the island], and has a town.
The Sherif el-Idrisy states that the island of Ibn-Kawan is fifty-
two miles long and nine miles wide, and that the inhabitants are
schismatics. It has buildings, and cultivation, and date-trees,
and so forth. The mountains of Yemen ['Oman] are visible
therefrom." 1 The passage from el-Idrisy here referred to is as
follows: "... the island of Ibn-Kawan is fifty-two miles from
Kish, [el-Kais or Kenn], that is, half a day's run. The length of
the island of Ibn-Kawan is fifty-two miles, and its width nine
miles, [the island is fifty-four miles long, thirty-two wide in the
broadest part, and nine in the narrowest]. Its inhabitants are
schismatics of the Ibadhiyah sect." 2 In another place the same
author writes : " The island of Ibn-Kawan, the capital of which
is dependent on the province of Ardeshir, is in the Persian Sea,
not far from the island of Awal, where there is a town, a mosque,
and markets. These two islands are both situated at a short
distance from the continent." 3
I)-'
1 Takwtm-el-Bulddn, p. 208.
2 Oiographie d'Edrisi, vol. i. p. 158.
3 Id., p. 398.