'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎78v] (161/180)

146
subject to their influence; but in Arabic it has no general name. Amons the
subjects of the 'Oman Sultanate the whole is known as Shamal, either on account
of its position with reference to their own country or because of its exposure to
the north-west wind; and in Eastern Arabia, further to the northward, the part
adjoining Abu Dhabi Town seems to be spoken of as 'Oman-ash-Shamali because
it is the northernmost part of 'Oman; but neither of these terms is in common
use among the inhabitants of the regions which they used to describe. The
nearest approach to a recognised general designation is apparently Sahil 'Oman
or Coast of 'Oman; but this expression, though not unknown to the people of
the country, is wanting in precision and distinctiveness and is far from beins
universally understood. In English official literature a part of the shore line has
long been familiar under the name of " The Pirate Coast "; but the term is not
sufficiently comprehensive, and, at the present day, is obsolete and even misleading
inasmuch as the state of affairs which it once accurately connoted has lon^ since
passed away. Regard being had to a perpetual maritime truce which regulates
the relations of the rulers to one another and to the British Government the
pentarchy in question may be styled, not inappropriately, Trucial 'Oman*- but it
must be remembered that the trucial obligations of the Shaikhs do not extend to
the interior of their dominions.
The component principalities of Trucial 'Oman are fully described elsewhere
under their own names; and the function of the present article is accordingly to
correlate them, to describe the country and its inhabitants as a whole and to
dispose ot certain matters (such as communications) which could not be dealt with
piecemeal under the names of the separate principalities.
Upon the coast, Trucial 'Oman extends in the Gulf of 'Oman from
Khoi Kalba to Dibah, and in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. from Sha'am to Khor-al -'Odaid
the places named being all included in it; in other words its boundary between
t lese two sets of points is the sea. Inland, its frontiers are more difficult to define-
but it covers a considerable portion of the interior of the 'Oman Promontory.'
On one side there it is bounded by a line of uncertain course which runs from a
spot between the contiguous villages of Dibah and Bai'ah on the east coast to Ras
yw 111 \ We 5 C r aSt ' ar ; d S0 divides i 1 from the Ruus-al-Jibal district of the
Oman Sultanate to the north; on another by a line, even more indeterminate
which leaves the Gulf between Khor Kalba and Murair and, after partially crossing
he promontory m such a way as to exclude the Mahadhah and Jau districts to
Tmrf^ 'nm- eVentU t a t y in Khatam ' Westwards of Khatam the inland limit of
irucial Oman is at the commencement of the Ruba'-al-Khali and Jafiirah deserts.
Fhysicpl divisions ^r Leaving out of consideration for the present the artificial
kk'na! of J ni ^ al " 0 ! 11 ? n ' we find that it consists of a maritime belt (or
Jfoceed to Ascribe P ; and of a n 10 ™ 131 '" system: these we now
vvash^v'Th/rnfr-r L sk '" ds °f Trucial 'O/mm.-The eastern coast-that
al'jibal in i thP ii ■ 0m . a "~ is hold somewhat resembling the coast of Ruiis-
coasf fha? wlt ^n h p P. lace s come down to the water's edge. The western
latter is d1ve™'fipri hi 311 ^ and mono tonous. In the north the
between "• groV ?' es P eciaIl y ^ those of the Sir tract
and we^t trpp« l: n „rcL ^ l ,' n, w T '" vn - but as the coa st trends away to south
which nenr Rfll nf™ • ""h x Abu ( , Dhabi the y cease altogether. The hills, too,
Mand and a^e ."onn W? a t Town r f ° rm a Phasing background, rapidly recede
south west Silt I Vle u °, m seaward as the coast is followed to the
Khaimah Tnwn n~nH rTvf S t aboun f d A O n thi s coast, and the lagoons at Ras-al-
vct there ire nn inlpfc ' c e '. ovvn 0 ' ^hu Dhabi have a considerable superficies;
form backwater. r0 ,m P ort a"ce. The creeks sometimes unite inland to
only from the cmst- anH^ 0 ^ SX | ar "P s ' which are separated by a short distance
are created in this manner xi!'" k sorn ?times inhabited and sometimes not,
between Rams and R qc oi Vh • e ^ est T Tl ins tances of such islands are Qurmah
bv Khor<d^airlhih^rip';ii ^| ,a,ma ^ the island formed
site common to the villa a 'r'Uii- T""' the not altogether insulated
and last but^not leathe^ f K1 ? an and t0 the Lai yah suburb of Sharjah Town;
and, last but not least, the tract of country in which stands the town of Abu Dhabi.
Arabic or English.T^appclfrTtefbe^tt* F - B ' Pride \ UX ' aild the "'her, either
suitable for adoption. convenient, (he most descriptive, and generally the most