'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎222] (395/524)

092
/W
REPORT ON THE LINE OF TELEGRAPH
date trees recommence : the Southern end of the gio\e is called Salial.
One mile South of this, a new fort called Gata is being built: the road
is bad as far as Sahal date grove, when it becomes firm, and continues
so as far as Zein : very little embankment wanted. Two miles North-
ward of Sahal is a small fort called Tawa, with a spire tomb about
a mile North of it. Zein fort is hidden in the date grove, which is here
at least a mile through. After passing Zein, the desert on the left
hand presents a singular appearance ; it is a mass of mounds for miles,
the remains of ancient cultivation.
Zein to Abu Al Khasib Date Grove, 10 or 11 m/es.—First half of
the road good ; passing at one mile beyond Zein a domed tomb standing
in the desert about } of a mile from the trees, and at 2 miles further
2 tombs, one domed, the other with a spire, about a mile apart, at
the same distance from the river. Opposite these latter there are only
a few scattered date trees for a space of a mile along the river bank,
to Westward of which gap extensive date groves commence, and extend
without interruption all the way to Basrah, with a width of 2 to 21 -
miles from the river. Broad navigable canals intersect them at short
distances apart: the one at Abu al Khasib is 50 or 60 yards wide.
For 5 miles before reaching Abu al Khasib plantations, the road becomes
swampy, and continues so till that place is reached. The fort and
large tovra are 2 to 3 miles, following the winding of the road from the
inland edge of the plantations. There are many forts and villages on
either side of this place, and as far as Basrah; but none of them are
visible when passing along inland of the trees, or from the river.
Abu al Khasib Grove to Basrah, about 10 miles. —Road good
nearly the whole way along old embankments ; little trouble would be
required to make it permanently so. At 1 to \\ miles from the gate,
the road enters the groves, passing along the top of an old embankment
to the Babaz Zobeir, or SW. gate of the town.
The site of the station in Basrah is a subject that has yet to he
decided on.
I have now to refer to one or two points which were omitted in the
first part of this report.
Bottom Temperature. —The temperature of the sea-water at the
bottom was repeatedly observed, but did not differ materially from that