'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎65r] (134/180)

119
A small littoral district at the base of the Qatar peninsula upon the east side - 'AQAL*
it is bounded by Khor-al -'Odaid on the north-west and by Dohat-an-Nakhalah [pp- 88-9]
on the south -east, the distance between which in a direct line is nearly 35 miles.
Inland the depth of the district is on the average about 20 miles. On the landward
side 'Aqal is enclosed by Mijan on the east, by the Jafurah desert on the south
and south -west, and by Qatar on the north-west.
The coast of 'Aqal is embayed by a great opening, Khor-adh-Dhuwaihin,
which is 20 miles deep and, being about 16 miles wide at its entrance, occupies
nearly a half of the whole sea frontage of 'Aqal; this inlet is rather nearer to the
Khor -al -'Odaid end of the district than to the other. The depth of the bay varies
over the greater part of its extent from 4 to 10 fathoms, but in different parts of
it there are shoals.
The soil of 'Aqal in the proximity of the sea is fairly firm, and the land rises
in steps to a height of several feet; behind the ridges thus formed, which are of a
reddish colour, lies a tract of heavy dark sand with hillocks of light-coloured sand
occurring at intervals.
The principal camping grounds in the district are the following:—
Name.
Position.
Remarks.
Dhuwaihin
About 10 miles inland, south-
westwards, from the foot of
Dohat-adh-Dhuwaihin.
The principal camping place in the
district. There is 1 well about 2
fathoms deep, surrounded by 10
smaller ones each a fathom deep:
the water of all is good.
Nakhalah ('Aqalat-an-)
5 to 10 miles inland, south-south-
westwards, from the foot of
Dohat-an-Nakhalah. The spot
lies among sand hills.
Good water occurs near the surface
over a considerable area. The
place is frequented by the Manasir
and A1 Morrah.
Nathil (Saudah)
20 to 25 miles inland, westwards,
from the foot of Khor-al-
'Odaid.
Wells yield good water at 1 fathom.
'Odaid
On the south shore of Khor-al-
'Odaid, at a little way from the
entrance.
See article Khor-al -'Odaid.
Rims ('Aqalat-ar-)
5 to 10 miles inland, westwards,
from the foot of Khor-al-
'Odaid.
Water is good, in wells 1 fathom deep.
The Bedouins do not regard 'Aqal as geographically included in Oman,
which in their view is terminated on the west by the Sabakhat Matti; but the
district has been recognised by the British Government as forming part of the
territories of the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi and it must therefore be considered to
belong, in the political sense, to Trucial 'Oman. T . _ . , , x
Singular 'Amiri. A large Arab tribe of 'Oman, by race Nizariyah, but now 'AWAMIR
in politics Hinawiyah. About one-third of them are Bedouins ranging the borders [pp. m-S]
of the Ruba'-al-Khali from Trucial 'Oman in the north, which they occasionally
visit in small numbers, to the district of Dhufar on the southern coast ot Arabia.
The other two-thirds are now settled, chiefly in 'Oman Proper where t ey
possess the villages of 'Aqil, Qal 'at-al-'Awamir, Falaj, Hamaidhan, Qunyatain,
Qarut, Khurmah, Shafa', Saiyahi and Suq -al-Qadim and are found at Nizwa:
they occur also at Masqat Town, Bait-al-Falaj and Ruwi in the Masqat Dis nc ,
at Ghallah and Sad in Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Boshar; at Hail A1 'Umair, Sib and Mabilah in
Batinah; at Kh5dh in Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Samail and at Khubar and Luwiz in Daghmar. In
'Oman Proper the settled 'Awamir number about 2,500 souls and are dmded into
the following sections: Ahmad (Aulad), '^Ali-bin -Hamad (Aulad), Jf * ",
(Aulad), Amir (Aulad), Haramilah, Ja'afarah, Ja id
Muhammad, Musa (Aulad), Rakhbah, Rashid (Aulad), Saba (Aulad),^
Salim (Aulad), Sand (Aulad), Sarahin, Sarahin-al -Muwailah and Shiraz (Aulad),
* The information, contained in the article was suppHed by Captain F.B.
Agent in Bahrain. His map may be consulted {Map of Jafurah, etc.),
Trucial 'Oman.
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