'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎214] (233/622)

214
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
The survey of the south-eastern coast of Arabia by Captain
Haines, between the years 1833-37, which was discontirjued
owing to that officer being required to conduct the negotiations
for the acquisition of Aden, was resumed in the year 1844,
when Commander J. P. Sanders, who had been assistant to
Captain Haines, was despatched in the 6 Palinurus' to continue
the survey of that portion of the coast between Ras Morbat and
Ras Seger, and between Ras Fartak and the rivers of Mesinah.
Commander Sanders proceeded from Bombay to Muscat, where
he obtained a rate for the chronometers, and, leaving that place
on the 17th of December, arrived at Morbat on the 24th, in
company with the tender 6 Nerbudda.' His Assistant-Surveyor
was Lieutenant Fell, and among his officers were Midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer.
Constable, Ward, James, and Whish, and Assistant-Surgeon H.
J. Carter,* an accomplished geologist and naturalist. Commander
Sanders says if—" In obedience to my instructions, I com
menced a trigonometrical survey at Morbat, surveying four and
a half miles to the eastward of that place, and the bay, on a
large scale ; I then proceeded to the westward, in continuation
of the survey on a scale of 2,040 yards to half an inch. I have
minutely examined the coast and bays between Ras Morbat
and Ras Seger, and between Ras Fartak and Mesinah, making
a total distance of nearly 180 miles, w T ell sounded; the whole
distance is perfectly clear of any shoals which would interfere
with ship navigation, with the exception of one near Ras
Deriah."J
Commander Sanders returned to Bombay, as was customary,
during the south-west monsoon, and, on the 23rd of September,
* Among papers contributed to scientific journals by Dr. Carter, P.E.S., were
an admirable memoir on the Geology of the South-East Coast of Africa, published
in the Journal of the Bombay branch of the Asiatic Society, for 1852; a paper
on the ruins of El Balad, in the district of Dhafar, Yol. XYI. of the "Journal of
the Royal Geographical Society," and other memoirs on Geological subjects.
f " A short Memoir of the Proceedings of the ' Palinurus,' " by J. P. Sanders,
Commander—"Journal of the Royal Geographical Society," vol. xvi., p. 169-
186. The memoir is accompanied with a map.
X Of the dangers incidental to surveying on this open coast, Commander
Sanders says :—" I was much hindered on my first arrival on the coast by the
strong belaat winds which prevail on it, one breeze succeeding another at inter
vals of eight or ten days, always blowing very strong, sometimes a perfect gale,
and constantly varying in gusts from N.NE. to N.NW., rendering it quite unsafe
to send a boat away from the vessel. These belaats never last less than three,
but sometimes seven or even ten days. The belaat is also dangerous to ships
near the shore. Occasionally at night the breeze would die away to a perfect
calm, and remain so for an hour or two ; heavy gusts would then blow down irom
the mountains at intervals of a few minutes (without any warning except the
noise on the water), sufficiently strong to split the sails or carry away the masts
of any ship under sail not prepared for it; these gusts would succeed each other
for five or six hours. In one of these belaats the tender's mainmast was earned
away ; she, however, reached the ' Palinurus,' and, as at that time^ her services
were much required, I jury-rigged and kept her with me. The belaats were suc
ceeded often by strong south-easterly winds, which, bringing with them a very
considerable swell were almost as great a hindrance as that wind."