'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.' [‎469] (500/582)

SIDODONE.—PULORA, OR FROOR.
469
It is among the towns opposite to this, on the Persian coast, that
the Sidodone of Nearchus is to be sought for, the place where he
watered his fleet, after their coming from their anchorage at the
island of the Great Tomb. It is as likely to have been Shenaz as
any of the others; for at this they might procure good water, and
fish at least, and this it seems was all they could obtain. This,
too, would correspond more accurately than either of the others
with the course of the route, and the distances given. The pas
sage of the journal is, 4 In the morning they weighed again (from
the Great Tomb), and keeping an island, named Pulora, on their
left, they proceeded to a town on the continent, called Sidodone,
or Sisidone: it was a poor place, which could afford no supply but
fish and water ; for the inhabitants here also were Ikhthuophagi,
and had no means of support but what they derived from their
fishery.' # Dr. Vincent had great difficulty in fixing on this
town, from the discordant testimonies of different voyagers along
the coast; and it must be confessed, that a comparison of the
names and positions of the authorities he has quoted, would be
alone sufficient to discourage a man of less perseverance than the
learned Dean from the tedious and often unsatisfactory task of
endeavouring to reconcile and harmonize them.
This island of Froor, though upwards of two leagues in length,
and more than one in breadth, is not inhabited, nor was it known
to any of whom I could enquire on board, whether it possessed
water or vegetation. Its appearance was favourable to the con
jecture that it had both; but this is always liable to error.
There can remain no doubt of this island being the Pulora which
Nearchus is described to have had on his left hand, when sailing
from the desert one of the Great Tomb, where the fleet had an
chored, to the town of Sidodone, where it procured water. It
seems singular, in this instance, that the ancient Greek and modern
English name should so nearly resemble each other in their varia-
* Vincent's Nearchus, 37, vol. 1, p. 59.