"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" [ظ‎‎٥] (١٤/١٠)

b F elly $ Visit to Ling a!Kishm, and Bunder Abbass.
T'hG other side of the ditch forrns the apex ot the town, which
stretched in an irregular triangular form along either coast-line,
and till it reached a range of hills, forming at once the base of the
triangle, and a natural wall of defence. The length of the per
pendicular from the fort ditch to these hills may be about a mile
and a half, while two towers, still standing, at either extremity of
the base immediately above the beach, and marking the limits of
the town, may be about two miles apart. The western of these
towers still bears the name of Urgazee, and the eastern one that of
Meshshateh. Outside the latter, and stretching south-eastward,
seem to have been suburbs parallel with the shore-line, and leading-
down to a pier distant three or four miles. This pier and suburb,
which bear the name of Trompuk, are alleged to be still standing'
but I had not the leisure to visit them.
It is impossible to guess what may have been the greatest extent
of the city of Hormuz at any one time. Tradition of course
asserts that it covered the entire extent above defined, but I infer
rather that the original Persian settlements may have been those
which now bear the above ancient names 5 that afterwards, perhaps,
the Arabs on taking possession had their Bunder at Trompuk j
and that, finally, the Portuguese preferred the point where their
fort now stands, because it was at once naturally protected, the
nearest position to the old landing-place on the mainland, which
stood near the present Bunder Abbass;* and because, thirdly, it
admitted of the closest approach of vessels of tonnage, and at all
times afforded shelter on either one or the other side of the fort.
Immediately opposite the Hormuz Fort on the mainland, and
about four miles to the eastward of the present Bunder Abbass
are the traces of a small ancient creek, now silted upt some
masonry work is still visible. It is at this spot that goods are said
to have been shipped for, or landed from, ancient Hormuz, There
are many traces of other small creeks along the shore-line, one in
particular close to Bunder Abbass, and which has silted up in the
memory of man. It was probably the presence of this latter creek
which caused the present Bunder to be placed where it is, otherwise
it would have been obviously much better placed some miles to the
westward beyond Seroor, where a spit of land and the Kishm
^ give much greater protection against the prevailing winds.
I he description which old writers hand down to us of the
splendour of Hormuz should, I think, be accepted with consider-
stently caved away by the sea. Near the fort of Eeshire the section of «ml u ; a
and. 6 to riemh ^ ach " cliffs s ^ lo y s t J e de ' bris of pottery for a considerable distance,
ana to a depth or 5, o, or / feet. Some wells caved in still hano- their vnuktm.,.
apertures over the cliffs and absolutely overhang the sea at high-water. feandSt0nt
tour miles east of Bunder Abbass. 0