'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1026] (63/688)

1026
KHA-KHA
KHAlMx^H ( R as-ai .) TOWN— * en - t.
This town, the capital of the district ^g^fie^nort^eLToVsL^jah Town
OP^ Side of the ,0lIian Pr0m0nt0r y'
cvvi harbour. -The town stands upon
^ J, Zstlv Longing to the tract oaUed Sir, begins opposite the town and
^xtenS'a eoSderiblo distanee inland, eontinuing northwards « ^ ; "^ 9
a line of r f a T^ tt c l reeWnclosed between the spit and the
Ram Tc . exists on this shore of the creek. Apart from the entrance at Ilas-al-
Khaimah t )wn, the creek is connected with the sea by a backwater 4 miles long,
which has its opening on the coast U miles south of Rams. The creek foims an
excellent and well sheltered anchorage for native boats ; but, though 9 feet deep inside,
it has only 2 feet of water at the entrance at low tide : the approach, however,
probably be somewhat improved by dredging. The anchorage for large vessels is at
sea, 2| to 3 miles north-west of the town.
Defences —A dilapidated wall crosses the isthmus to the south-west of the town, and
there is a fort in the town itself. Neither is of any modern value.
Inhabitants. —There are altogether about 1,000 houses in Ras-al-Khaimah, of which
half are built of stone and gypsum mortar, while the remainder are huts of date leaves.
The largest section of the inhabitants are a mongrel race, known as Ahl Ras-al-Khaimah
formed "by the fusion of various Arab tribes; these may number 400 houses. The other
main elements of the population are Maharah (250 houses), Al 'Ali (150 houses ) and A1
Ba Mahair (120 houses). There are also a few Na'im of the Darawishah section of the
Al Bu Shamis division. In the town are found also 10 families of Baluchis from the
Bashakard district of Persia who live by working in the date gardens of Sir. There are
here no resident Hindu traders; but 33 Khojahs, British subjects, are settled in the place.
Resources. —Drinking water is scanty and indifferent. The date plantations belong-
inrr to the town are estimated to contain about 15,600 trees, and the inhabitants possess
in^addition livestock to the number of 20 horses, 130 camels, 175 donkeys, 150 cattle
and 800 goats. About 33 pearl boats and 15 other sea-going vessels, of which 7 are
Baghlahs and the rest Sambuks, belong to this port; 10 of the pearl boats belong to
Ma'airldh and are of small size. There are also about 120 fishing boats.
Trade and manufactures. —The trade resembles that of other places on the coast of
Trucial 'Oman. Of the local merchants 7 are Khojahs. The only manufacture is of
daggers, which find a sale in the other towns of the coast.
Administration. —Ras-al-Khaimah town is the seat of the Deputy Governor of the
district of the same name. He is at present a son of the Shaikh of Sharjah and has
under his orders a force of 70 'askars or armed retainers to man the towers and other
wise defend the place if required. There are said to be several hundreds of rifles in the
town also, the owners of which would participate in repelling an attack from outside.
KHAIMAH (A hl R as-al)—
One of the most important tribes of the Ras-al-Khaimah district {q.v.) of Trucial
'Oman.
KHAIR-UD-DIN—
A small tract in the Karbala Qadha (q.v.) in 'Iraq.
KHAIRAN—
A hamlet in Widyan Dawasir {q.v.).