Report No.67 of 1863 detailing the tribes, trades and resources of the Gulf Littoral [‎10v] (20/58)

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centred at Eias near Daryal i, has an advanced Fort Beymer, astride the North
Eastern portion ot Arabia midway between Eas-ul-khyma and the Towns of Musnt
And as the Ameer of'Nejd is, himself, a tributary of Turkey, it follows that all
the Arab Maritime Chiefs are quasi sub-Feudatories of the Sultan, althouo-h they
do not acknowledge his Suzerainty, unless, as on one or two occasions has been
the case with Bahrein, it suits their convenience. Bahrein once hoisted in succes
sion Turkish, 1 ersian and English flags. It is even added, she has been known
to hoist all three at once.
107. These Maritime Tribes are located along the West Coast of the Gulf
Eas-nl-Khyma. fiom Eas-ul-khymah to Bahrein, both inclusive.
Shargah. They may be distinguished into Chiefdoms headed
Amulgavine. along the so-called Birate Coast, and separated by
SayT a long reach of barren shore and desert, from the
Aboothabee, properly Boozabee. Im, f . norfc \ e . rl y Sheikhdom of the island of Bahrein.
with its subject district of Guttur, on the main.
Joasmees. i ^ \ s unnecess ^ r y to trace the intricate
Eeni Yas. and lengthened genealogies of these tribes: suffice
Uttoobees. it to note that as at present found they are named
as per margin.
109. Their settlements are mainly dependant for subsistence upon the
proceeds of their Bearl divings. They possess little territory, and perhaps even
less real authority beyond their own immediate suburbs, and date troves • the
lattei, 1 ,00, are scant. As to the Bearl banks, these are held in common bv the
* Sheikh of Bahrein. The gross yieldings tribes > ancl thousands^ of boats collect
Sheikh of Ras-ul-khyma. are given in margin of theie during the Diving season, from
Seikh of Debaye. paragraph 117. They April to September. The revenues of
Sheikh of Amnlga- may be for Bahrein itself these banks are somewhat as per mar-
Sheikh of Aboothabee. the other Ports 8 400,000 ^ An English vessel of war usually
Sheikh of Ejmaun. Dollars. ' cruizes on the banks during the Diving
+ -\t oa t> ti* t -o ^ ^ ^ ^ season, to keep the peace; but I have
[ o. o9 Political Department of 2nd February i /• i . t ,
1863. } 111 a . lormer letterf reported more in
detail, on these banks, and their present
circumstances. 1
, r 11 1 0 - Th 0 Maritime Arabs trade also with Zanzibar, and the Malabar Coast •
Mangalore being their favorite port, I hear, on the latter. They export dried
nsn;^ and import from Malabar, rice, and some teakwood; and from Africa, masts
id their boats, (for which a capital kind of wood of great strength and pliability
is found iip the Bangany river, on the hill-land of Tangaty, and, I believe
further northward, in Usumbarah), cloves of which Zanzibar grows enough for
the VVond s consumption; and rice, which was expelled the island of Zanzibar (to
legieat improvement of its salubrity) to make room for cloves; but which is
s i i giown of good quality on the opposite African mainland. It is worthy of
lemark, however, that, although rice may be grown to a practically unlimited
ex ent on portions of the Gulf districts, yet, that the Indian rice is imported, and
is piefeiied to all others: the explanation seems to be that Indian rice is lighter
an swells more in the boiling; hence it is more filling at the price, and takes longer
0 ! < ^ e c S ", a efficiently nutritive substance being granted, the essentials of a poor
man s ood are, tne greatest possible bulk, at a minimum cost. Cocoanuts are also
roug it to some extent from Zanzibar and Bembeh; but the market for these, and
there is a rapidly increasing one, is towards Marseilles and Hambro. It is possible
indeed, that cocoanuts may soon replace the clove plantations. At present the
rm eaves Zanzibar, m pulp, dried. It is obvious, however, that, if circumstances
should favor the expression of the oil on the spot, a larger quantity of oil mi "li t
+i Q + aiov ! n int ° t l ie European markets, from a reduced tonnage. It is surmised
that a salad and olive oil of good repute is refined from the Zanzibar cocoanuts.
. ien 151 llca suspected the salt-fish trade with Arabia to be a ruse for run-
imi^a return cargo of slaves; it is possible some of Her Majesty's Naval Officers
still think so. The salt-fish trade is, however, a bonafide one; "and not only so.