'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎447] (478/582)

THE KARMANIANS. 447
would promise them better supplies of food and water than they
could hope to obtain from the main coast.
This lofty and barren mountain is the Charrack of the charts,
and is the sea-mark for approaching Kaeese; for, when this bears
north -north-east, it has the island in one with it, which cannot
then be distinguished from the main. The island is at present
inhabited by about fifty families, and produces sufficient suste
nance for them only ; though ships may obtain good water there,
according to the account of our visitors. Its modern name of
Kaeese sufficiently corresponds with the ancient one of Kataia, and
its position and local features can leave no doubt of their identity.
'At Kataia,' says Arrian, 4 ends the province of Karmania,
along the coast of which they had sailed three thousand seven
hundred stadia.—The Karmanians,' he adds, 4 resemble the Per
sians in their manner of living, their armour and military array
are the same, and, as adjoining provinces, the customs and habits
of both assimilate.'^ The opinion of Dr. Vincent, that this boun
dary line is not an imaginary one, but to be sought for in the
Hill of Charrack, is reasonable, and supported by the appearance
of this being, as he conjectured, the termination of a range, run-
ning inland, and forming a natural boundary. The fact related
by Arrian of the Karmanians resembling the Persians in their
manner of living, is as true at the present period as then. The
physiognomy of most of these that I had had an opportunity of
seeing on other occasions, was perfectly Arab ; and the Arabic
language was as familiar to them as the Persian ; but every thing
else, in their dress, their manners, and their character, was more
nearly allied to Persian habits, and seemed to point out an Arabic
origin. ,
At sun-set, having gone fifteen miles on a true course of south
east, the Persian coast still in sight, Charrack Hill bearing north
by west, an island was seen from the mast-head, near the Arabian
shore, bearing south by west, and our soundings Measurements of the depth of a body of water. in thirty-five
fathoms. This was probably the island of Zara, mentioned as
* Voyage of Nearchus, p. 38.