"زيارة إلى لنجة وقشم وبندر عباس قام بها المقدم لويس بيلي، مقال مطبوع لتقريرٍ تمت قراءته أمام الجمعية الجغرافية الملكية بلندن بتاريخ 27 يونيو 1864" [ظ‎‎٤] (١٤/٨)

4 Felly V Visit to Liny ah, Kishrn, and Bunder Ahbass.
the general formation of sandstone and blue lias is at once resumed.
The valleys run parallel with the coast-line, and the strata rise on
either hand in almost perpendicular scarps to the height of 100,
200, or 300 feet, topped with overhanging ledges of grit. It seems,
indeed, as though the island had originally been a continuous table
land, which the scouririgs of the scanty rain, and prolonged expo
sure to the wind and atmosphere, had gradually broken into a
series of gulleys and eventual valleys. The appearance of this
side of the island is parched and barren as that of the Persian
coast in general.
Passing along one of these valleys for about 6 miles, and about
3 miles before reaching the village of Saleek, a little inland, lie the
naphtha-springs. I collected two bottles of the liquid in the
stream, and it seems of average burning quality. The springs are,
however, scant, and I should think of little value to trade.
Returning to Bassidore, I embarked again on the schooner and
passed down the Clarence Straits through the narrow Kishm
Channel. After a few miles the strait contracts to a breadth of a
hundred yards or so, and winds for a distance of about 21 miles
between low islands and banks covered with babool, and fringed
below the water-line with mangrove. A creek then turns abruptly
to the right and leads up to the small town of Luft. This township
lies close to the shore at the foot of a scarped slope, the scarps being
strengthened at their crests by curtains and flanking works. At
the furthermost side of the town is a square fort, with circular
towers at the angles pierced for guns. The present inhabitants
seem entirely ignorant of the history of these fortifications; but
from their construction and masonry I suppose them to be
European.
Like the rest of the island of Kishm, Luft is farmed by the
Sultan of Maskat, and is sublet to a Sheikh for about 1500 rupees
per annum. It may contain 400 or 500 inhabitants, who seem
entirely dependent for trade on the wood, which they collect on the
neighbouring islands and re-export to all points round the Gulf,
for whose firewood consumption the shores of the Clarence Straits
form the natural store. Here, as at Bassidore, drinking-water is
principally obtained from vaulted rain-water tanks. These tanks
all along the coast-line seem of one construction, being oblong or
circular vaulted masonry reservoirs cut in the soil at the foot of
slopes. At Luit fort, however, there are also several wells cut
deep through the sandstone, and from which water is obtainable
when the tanks are dry.
Leaving Luft I crossed the Straits for Khurneer to visit the
sulphur-mines, which are dug in a hill about & fur sac inland from
that township. The works are some height up the seaward
face of the mountain, and pierce into the strata in long irre-