'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1568] (647/688)

1568 RED SEA
are generally very steop-to. In the Gulf of Suez they are generally only 2 or 3 feet below
the surface, and in summer they occasionally uncover ; the light green tint of the water
on them makes them almost always plainly visible from the masthead, except with the
sun ahead or when the glassiness of the water in a dead calm prevents any reef being seen.
With the slightest ripple these shallow reefs always break on the weather side. Among
the Red Sea reefs unconnected with the shore, several are at some distance from it but
with channels between them and is of sufficient depth to admit of navigation by small
vessels, and binder their lee good anchorage may often be obtained. These reefs are
more numerous on the eastern than on the western shore. There are also many isolated
reefs, but they are not so formidable as might be supposed in consequence of the trans
parency of the water which admits of their being easily seen from aloft. The water
outside the reefs, especially when moved by storms or tidal streams, is often of a milkv
appearance caused by the coral sand then stirred up. This white water frequently indi
cates a shoal, but not always for some reefs show as dark green patches. This is the
case at Jiddah.
Central and Inner Channels. —The existence of the islands and reefs just mentioned
has led to a division of the Red Sea into a central and two inshore channels. The central,
and for all practical purposes, only navigable channel used by full-power steam vess, la
bound through the Red Sea, lies between the outer extremes of the reefs extending from
either shore, and has a depth of over 1,000 fathoms in the centre abreast of Cape Elba
but shoals towards both ends of the Red Sea. The breadth of this channel in its widest
part, near the Sayal island, is about 110 miles ; further southward it decreases to
, 0 m p re than 40 miles, and from thence gradually narrows as the Straits of Bab-
al-Mandab are approached.
The inner channel on the Arabian side is formed partly by small detached reefs and *
sunken rocks, and partly by island and long reefs. The general width of this inner
channel is from - to 3 miles ; the depth is considerable, and the anchorage, except in the
places hereinafter described, is so insecure as to afford but little protection. The
inner channel on the western coast is similar in character to that on the eastern coast,
but much narrower. The harbours, of which there are several, furnish fair anchorage ;
but it is unsafe to anchor on the rocky shelves projecting from the reofs. Both of these
mshore channels are connected with the central channel by openings in the reefs, some
of which, especially tho.e northward of latitude 17° N., are of great width.
Mountains—The land adjacent to the Red Sea, as well as to the Gulf of Aden, is gener-
ally mountainous throughout its whole extent, though the high lands s ldom abut on
the shores, which latter are generally low and sandy ; indeed the Red Sea may be con-
sidered as the lower part of a valley bounded eastward by the high table-land of Arabia
and westward by a range of mountains rising from 4,000 to 0,000 feet in height Be-
^nf ^ Sh0re 18 a leVel district of some g ene rally desti.
Red T, i Tf Pe0ple dwellin g in the villages bordering on the
Red Sea is said to be wretched and degrading in the extreme.
^nZrif 0h ^ l \ 0 Arabia n side of the Red Sea consists of the Turkish prov-
ertl t T" "1 Y T' m the S0 " th - *»»«, is perhaps the most
ina from a r,ok,t 4 ^ J between Turkish and Egyptian territorv eommenc
of -AlTah aT the u 1 of M^hash (just to the north-west
to^a^i thXrl 8"" of that name) extends in almost a straight line
to Kasah on the Mediterranean seaboard. The Sinai pennisula therefore with a lame
extent of territory eastward of the Suez Canal, is Egyptian dominion! '
arf Yanb? JWda^Onn^h^r ■T d0therP0rtS 0n theeastern coast at P^ent
sx iiflEP r'r " - —
prevaVng 8 TL nuX ofn^r > ^ the ra0re Settled co " ditio -
Jiddah, distant from Me<? a ^ Said to avera g e anuall y-
The harbour of Kamaran is also of' imJft 18 P n " cl P al landing place for pilgrims.
the Turkish ports, it is often full of qbin T ? ^ b . ein g the quarantine station for
epidemic. full of shipping during the pilgrim season, or in times of