'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎77v] (159/180)

144
up their summer quarters near Dohah in the Qatar peninsula. These Bedouins
are reputed to possess altogether about 100 horses, 600 camels, 1 000 sheen and
1,000 goats. P
Subdivisions of the Nairn of Bahrain and Qatar. —The main tribal divisions of
the Na'im are the same here as in the south, namely, the A1 Bu Kharaiban and
the A1 B0 Shamis; but the prominent sections appear to be entirely different
They are—
Al Bu Kharaiban.
Jifafalah
Khaluwi
Matawa'ah
AI Bu Shamis.
Fahad (Al)
Haiyi (Al)
Hutum
Jabar (Al)
Miza'idah
and
Qahatin
Jima'an (Al)
Ramadhan (Al)
and
Suwawarah
These sections, and even the two main divisions, are here much intermingled*
but all the tribesmen in Bahrain and ()atar are followers of one of two Shaikhs
who belong to the Al Haiyi and Al Ramadhan sections respectively. The
Muraikhat of Bahrain are sometimes regarded as a section of the Al Bu Shamis
division of the Na'im, with whom they are at least intimately connected; but it
appears preferable to treat them as a separate tribe. The Na'im of Bahrain speak
of the Shaikh of 'Ajman as a Jaffali, and it is therefore possible that the Jifafalah
section among the Na'im of the north corresponds to the Qaratisah section among
those of the south.
Political position of the Nairn in Bahrain and Qatar.—The Na'im of Bahrain
and Qatar are now completely detached from the main body of the tribe in 'Oman
and maintain no relations with the latter. They believe that their ancestors
immigrated from 'Oman several generations ago a_t the invitation of the 'Utub,
then in Qatar, for the purpose of expelling the Al Musallam. Some of these
northern Na'im have become pearl divers, but the majority are still pastoral and
depend for subsistence upon their livestock. The Bedouins of the northern Na'im
are retained as mercenaries both by the Shaikh of Bahrain and by the Al Thani
Shaikhs of D5hah, and the protection of those Shaikhdoms is considered to devolve
pnnapaHy upon them during the absence from home of the pearl fleets. Their
efficiency and trustworthiness are not however beyond doubt, and their presence
in Bahrain in summer is a source of annoyance to the peaceable agriculturists of
other tribes. In Bahrain and Qatar the Na'im are Maliki Sunnis.
/^ hoi P at ^ . In A ngl il h . kn 9 wn . as ''.^hore Alladeid. ,, An inlet or creek on the
r " 7 , coast of the Abu Dhabi Principality at its extreme western end: it lies about 180 miles,
IPP- ] almost due west, from the town of Abu Dhabi. The boundary of Qatar is either
at, or a short distance to the north of, the inlet.
The Khor consists of a winding channel, 6 miles long, which runs inland in
a south-westerly direction; within it opens out into a lagoon 6 miles long from
n0r '. nor ^"C as ^ south-south-west and 3 miles broad. The lagoon contains
soundings Measurements of the depth of a body of water. of as much as 6 fathoms; but ordinary vessels, on account of reefs,
1 ^ lthin , 3 miles of the entrance of the Khor. A ridge of stony
^ tK S u - a 011 I t SOUth Slde of the ^trance, is called Jabal-al-'Odaid;
al Maharaf 11 S 0 ^ ie cr eek, overlooking it, are sand hills known as Niqa-
d * Thei V re n ^ w no P^manent inhabitants at 'Odaid, and it is not visited by
win* 0111 ^J nteri0 n' ^ fishermen from Abu Dhabi spend some months
from Ah r*h t- 1 ^ n e m uliet are caught by them. A village occupied by seceders
ntT^rir^c r ' 0 xi! 9i aiS ^ sectio11 of th e Bani Yas, has existed at 'Odaid
f S ' Tu vlIla Se was situated on the south side of the creek at a
H vp H hv fie? fr om the entrance and consisted of about 100 houses: the inhabitants
thnn ^ f 0 ^ tain e d ] h eir drinking water from 4 wells which were less
.nrLp tL Ti P l Ce an contain ed brackish water at 2 fathoms below the
0 u r cultlvati on. Prior to 1856 the defences of this
blockhnnses nmt 0 f a Wlt n tW S- tow e rs » of 7 other detached towers, and of
blockhouses protecting the wells. The settlement was finally abandoned in 1880,