'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.' [‎464] (495/582)

464
ISLANDS NEAR THE BAY OF GRAINS.
for that the name in Arabic implies. This is thought to bear
about south-east, from the southern point of Grain e harbour or
bay, at a distance of fourteen miles. The name of the second
is Umm-el-Maradam, and this lies south-south-east, distant about
twenty-one miles from the same point of Graine harbour. The
name of the third is Gharroo, which lies from the same place
about south-east, distant twenty-five miles.
The name of the three islands that form the northern group,
beginning from the northward, are Moochan, Feliche, and Ukhar.
They lie in a direction of south-south-east from each other at
intervals of four or five miles apart, and cover the mouth of the
entrance to the bay of Graine, for which they serve as sailing
marks. These are all small; and Feliche, the largest, is not more
than seven miles in circumference. As far as I could learn, they
were in general barren, and at present uninhabited; but as they
are said to possess fresh water, they might not always have been so.
Notwithstanding this long digression, a word deserves to be
devoted to these islands, for the illustration of Ancient Geo
graphy. Arrian, in recording the design which Alexander the
Great entertained of invading Arabia by sea, enters into a descrip
tion of that part of it which borders on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , be
ginning from the Euphrates. The extent of Arabia, along the
sea-coast, according to the information given of it to Alexander,
was, says his historian, not less than India; and many islands
lay not far off it. There were also sundry creeks and other
places there, fit for the reception of a navy ; and divers convenient
places to build cities, which in time might become rich and
populous. Two islands were particularly reported to lie in the
sea, over against the mouth of the Euphrates, one of which was
not above one hundred and twenty stadia distant from the mouth
of that river and the sea-shore. This was the lesser of the two,
covered with thick woods, and had a temple on it dedicated
to Diana; the inhabitants had their dwellings round the temple.
The report was that harts and goats, and other animals, strayed