'Southern Arabia, by Theodore Bent, F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Author of 'The Ruined Cities of Mashonaland' 'The Sacred City of the Ethiopians' 'The Cyclades, Or Life Among the Insular Greeks' etc. and Mrs Theodore Bent' [‎14] (49/552)

14
SOUTHERN ARABIA
he owes his throne entirely to British protection, he and
his family will probably continue to reign as long as the
English are virtual owners of the Gulf, if they are willing to
submit to the English protectorate.
We got a photograph of a group of them resting on
their guns, and with their kanjars or sickle-shaped daggers
at their waists. We took Prince Mohamed, the heir-
apparent, and the stout Seid bin Omar, the prime minister
of Bahrein. But Sheikh Esau refused to place his august
person within reach of our camera.
During our visit we were seated on high arm-chairs of
the kind so much used in India, and the only kind used here.
They were white and hoary with old age and long estrange
ment from furniture polish. For our sins we had to drink
the bitterest black coffee imaginable, which tasted like
varnish from the bitter seeds infused in it; this was followed
by cups of sweet syrup flavoured with cinnamon, a disagree
able custom to those accustomed to take their coffee and
sugar together.
Moharek is aristocratic, being the seat of government;
Manamah is essentially commercial, and between them in
the sea is a huge dismantled Portuguese fort, now used as
Sheikh Esau's stables.
The town of Moharek gets its water supply from a curious
source, springing up from under the sea. At high tide there is
about a fathom of salt water over the spring, and water is
brought up either by divers who go down with skins, or by
pushing a hollow bamboo down into it. At low tide there is
very little water over it, and women with large amphorae and
goat-skins wade out and fetch what water they require ; they
tell me that the spring comes up with such force that it
drives back the salt water and never gets impregnated. All
I can answer for is that the water is excellent to drink.
This source is called Bir Mahab, and there are several