'File 7/4 Aviation and Air Force Matters' [‎157r] (322/506)

P^e 3. ^STJ
curate» and there is no necessity for me to repeat it.
6. We examined the castle he describest and found
it a very humble ruin round one of the wells# with the remains
of a tower in one corner. Apart from this there are no ruins»
and though on leaving we climbed to 3000 feet we could Be? no
signs of other ruinst so that if Gerra is anywhere in this vi
cinity it must be where Chceseman places it» namely in the
s
field of ruin# behind JBfcxxx Ofair. We returned up the coat
to the islands of A1 Hawar without seeing any trace of human
habitation> but were able hile fJying high at Salwa bay to
see the Khor al Odaid in the distance. From the AlHawar islands
we returned to Bahrain. *
7. They were busy on the machine on the I4th and on
the 15th we left for Abu Dhabi. I had been unable# since the
R.A.F* were uncertain of their movements, to tell Shaikh Ab
dullah of ^atar exactly when I hould be visiting him and so
we stopped for a few minutes on the way out to leave a mes age
for him* I was told that he was hunting a long way out and
would hardly be back by Sunday the I7th f which was the day we
hoped to see him.
8. After Wakra we saw no real sign of habitation un-
s
til we ar ived at Abu Dhabi# though a very few fihing boats
were seen between Sila and Jebel Thanni opposite Yas Island#
Sila itself appears to be a solitary well with numerous camel
tracks leading to it, and signs of a well and a hut or two were
seen at Mirfa# and another well due south of the island of
Abul Abyadh. It is not surprising that ships have been reluc
tant to venture into this area for it is seen from the air to
be a veritable stoneyard, deep water giving place to a reef
in the space of a few yards.
9. On Arrival at 'bu Dhabi the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent sent
his clerk off to meet me and met me on the beach and took us
h-
to a house on the shore which the Shaikh had lent him. He
told me that he had been doing his best to persuade the Shaikh
(the last
Shakhboot to agree to a petrol tank at Yas forTsix days, but
that he tod no success# and he asked my help. Later the