"دليل الجزيرة العربية المجلد II" [‎١‎١‎٨‎٦] (٦٨٨/٢٣٥)

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MAS—MAS
a dangerous sunken rock, with only 2 feet water and steep-to, from which Jabal Kairan
bears S. f E. and Jabal Safaij is in line with the southern point at Jazirat Shagha.
Kalban is a small village close to the shore, about 5 miles from the southern point of
the island.
Western shore of Maslrah channel. —For the first 13 or 14 miles from Has Mishayu,
its southern extreme, this shore is low and rocky with intermediate sandy patches when
within 11 miles of Jazirat Maawal it becomes sandy, and so remains as far as and beyond
Has Shanna.
Baiyat Dimna. —Is a very extensive reef, the greater part of which dries at low water;
commencing from the shore about 10 miles north-eastward of B,as Mishayu, it gradually
increases in width until abreast of Ras Shanna, where it extends nearly 6 miles
from the shore, and dries miles out into the Masirah channeL Abreast of Ras Shanna
the reef ends but shallows of 1J, 2 and 3 fathoms extend almost across to the northern
end of Masirah island.
From the head or north-eastern end of Baiyat Dimna a sandbank with from 1^ to 2|
fathoms water, extends southward as far as the Oyster islets, forming the western side
of the navigable portion of the Masirah channel; from thence it turns sharply back
towards the mainland and rejoins the shore about where Baiyat Dimna shoal commences.
A small reef of rocks, covered at high water lies about 2 miles offshore on this inner part
of the sandbank.
Rds Shanna. —(Latitude 20° 45' N., Longitude 58° 44' E.) is the low sandy point form
ing the western portion of the northern entrance to the Masirah channel. It bears
north-north-west 8| miles from Ras Hilf on Masirah island, the eastern point of entrance.
At 3 miKs southward of Ras Shanna is JazTrat Maawal, a low wooded islet connected
with the mainland at half-ebb; a eroek in the reef, open from the northward, and navigable
for boats, leads up to it.
Tides. —It is high water, full and change, at the village of Umm Rasas at lOh;
springs rise 10 feet. The flood stream sets westward round the northern end of the island,
and south-westward down the channel; round the southern and the flood stream sets
west-north-west, and from thence north-north-eastward up the channel, the two streams
maeting about off Umm Rasas village. The ebb streams part at about the same
place an d set the contrary way to the flood streams. The rate of the streams varies
from 1| to 2\ miles an hour.
MASIRAH (Gulf of)—
The extensive bight, in the south coast of Arabia, which is included between Ras
Madrakh {q.v.) and Masirah Island (q.v.). The whole coast of this gulf is desolate and
but thinly inhabited by Jannabah settlors who subsist largely on fish.
MASIRAK (W adi)—
One of the tributary valleys of Wadi B'shah. It is crossed by the route from Abba
to Taif and Mecca at a distance of 65 miles from the former town. See Wadi Dawasir.
MASKARI—
The singular form of Masakirah fa.v.).
MASQAT (Bay and Town)*—
This is the established spelling of the name, but educated inhabitants of the given place
state that it is frequently pronounced and sometimes written Muscat; the latter is the
form given by Niebuhr.
Situation. Masqat is the capital of the 'Oman Sultanate and the usual residence of
the Sultan : it is situated in the Masqat District on the southern shore of the Gulf of
Oman rather less than J of the way from Ras-al-Hadd, the eastern point of Arabia, to
Ras Musandam which marks the entrance to the Persian Gulf. It stands in the centre
of an outcrop of volcanic rock which extends 10 miles along the coast from Darsait to
Bandar Jissah and has a depth inland of about 3 miles; the town is at the bottom of
Ja S T o Th 2372-286 r 9 MaSqat t0Wn iS and MatraJl (Survey of Illdia . 1904-05); the chart, which contain view,