"دليل الجزيرة العربية المجلد II" [‎١‎٠‎٧‎٩] (٦٨٨/١١٦)

KUW—KUW
1079
KD A toot to the Salahiyah NShiyah ot th. ShSmyah Qxdha (?. ».) of the Baghdad Wilayat
KUV !t'^ Intercourse, in Yemen, which reaches the coast 'some 16 or 18 miles south of
the anthem entrance to Khor Ghulaifakah and is crossed by the route between Bart-al-
Faqih and Zabid at a point 6 or 7 miles south of the former village.
KUWAIT BAY and TOWN—
This name is the diminutive of Kut and means a small fort: it sviffieiently indicates
the insignificant origin of the thriving town of Kuwait, the capital of the Arab Shaikhdom
or principality which now shares its name. In old English records and books Kuwait i
generally called " Graine " or " Grane," doubtless from the island of Quram a short
distance to the west of it. The town, which is about 80 miles south and slightly east of
Basrah almost 180 miles west by north of Bushehr and nearly 280 miles north-north-
west of Bahrain, faces the north-west and is situated on the southern shore of Kuwait
Bay about one-third of the way from its entrance at Ras-al-Ardh to its foot at Jahrah.
Coast, harbour and anchorages.— The bay itself is a large inlet of remarkable form
leading out of the north-west corner of the Persian Gulf, with an extreme length east and
west oi over 20 miles and a maximum breadth north and south of about 10 miles,
shape it approaches a crescent with the convex side to the north and one of the boms
pointing to the south-west. The bay proper is an indentation in the true Arabian coast
fine which is represented northwards by the western shore of Khor-as-^abiyah and
southwards by the coast below Ras-al-Ardh ; but its shore line is prolonged on the side
next the mouth of the Shatt-al-'Arab by a mud-flat, extending 20 miles south-east from
the mouth of Khor-as- Sabiyah, on which stands the island of Failakah. The entrance
of the bay, between this mud-flat and Ras-al-Ardh, is about 4 miles wide and open to
the south west and south-south-west. In the southern shore of the bay, within there are
three coves; the easternmost, between Ras-al-Ardh and Ras A]uzah is_shallow and
vessels are recommended not to enter it; the middle cove, between Ras A] uzah and Ras
' 'Ashairij, contains Kuwait Town on its eastern side, a dead coral reef covered with mud
and sand and known as 'Akaz in the centre, the island of Qurain or Shuwaikh on the
southern margin of 'Akaz, and the island of Umm -an-Namal near_Ras Ashainj ; the
watermost cove, D5hat Kadhamah between Ras 'Ashairij and Ras Kadhamah, forms
the innermost recess of the whole bay, and near the foot of it stands the village of
Ja The land surrounding the bay is low except on the north side where the Zor hills,
parallel to the shore, attain a height of 150 to 400 feet. A flat of soft mut extends for
some distance off shore on the northern side of the bay making communication diflicu
at low water between sea and land. j , v • i
In most parts of the bay the water is of suitable depth for anchorage and t'leic is goo
holding-ground : the soundings are 14 fathoms off Ras-al-Ardh and 6 to 10 fathoms o x
Ras 'Aiuzah, shoaling to 6 fathoms at the entrance of Dohat Kadhamah. Ihere is a
rocky 2-fathoms shoal, called Fasht-al-Hadibah, 2*- miles north of the town.
The anchorage for large vessels is called Bandar Tawainah ; it lies a mile and a half to
the north of the town inside Fasht-al-Hadibah. In a Shamal a considerable sea rises
in the south part of the bay, not enough however to distress a large vessel; but in a Qaus
vessels anchoring outside the Hadibah shoal, or with the town south by west to south
west, might not be sufficiently sheltered. , , . .
Shoal water extends off the town of Kuwait for about 8 cables, and landing at low
tide is inconvenient as the beach dries out to a considerable distance ; but a,t high water
the sea washes up almost to the houses. In front of the town are several tidal har wurs,
called Niqa'ahs of considerable size, formed by piers and breakwaters or burs ot loose
coral blocks ; these arc often breached in a Shamal, but are easily repaired. Un the
beach proper lie in winter, drawn up above the highwater line, many of the pearling
and other vessels on which the prosperity of the town depends : in places these extend,
almost touching each others' side, for hundreds of yards, and when launched they must
form an imposing fleet. The boat harbour of Bandar-ash-Shuwaikh near the town is
described in the article on Qarain island, and the bay and promontory of Kadhaman
are dealt with in the article under their own name. -