'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1180] (229/688)

1180
MAS—MAS
MASHNIYAH—
A halting place on the Yemen Hajj route and situated 86 miles south-east fromTaif*
MASHRAB—
A Bedouin camping ground in the interior of Qatar {q.v.), eastern Arabia.
MASHRIF ( W ADI)—
As valley is northern 'Asir ; it appears to have its origin in the highlands some 80
or 100 miles east-north-east from Qunfidah and to reach the sea a little to the south of
that town.
MASIMAH—
One of the Qasrs composing the Saih {q.v.) group of villages, in the Aflaj district of
Xajd.
MASlNAH (J abal)—
A small sandstone hill in Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Maifa {q.v.) in the Hadramaut, half way between Balhaf
and Naqab-al-Hajar.
MARIRAH*—
The only large and important island now inclnded in the Sultanate of 'Oman ; it is
situated off the south-eastern coast of 'Oman and begins about 140 miles below Ras-al-
- Hadd. Maslrah is of irregular oblong form, about 40 miles in length from north-north
east to south-south-west and lies parallel to the coast, from which it is distant about 10
miles. Constricted in the middle to about 4 miles in breadth, the island widens out
above and below this point to 10 miles and again tapers towards each extremitv. The
eastern or " outward " side of the island is called Dhahiriyah and the western or
" channel " side Khorlyah. The sound which divides Masirah from the mainland is so
shallow that the greater part of it is dry at low water ; it is navigable only on the side
towards Masirah. The channel is used by native vessels of about 40 tons.
A chain of hills traverses Masirah longitudinally from end to end sending ridges down
to all the principal capes, while shorter spurs protrude in different directions over the
island. The highest summit, Jabal Madhrub near the north-east comer, attains an
altitude of 620 feet; hardly any of the peaks in the southern half exceed 300 feet and in
the narrow waist of the island the hills are low and undulating. Flat land is'almost
confined to the west side of the island, where it occuTs in the shape of sandy plains that
extends from the base of the hills to the sea and are raised only a few feet above sea
level. The rocks of Masirah are chiefly igneous, of euphotide and diorite with here
and there small tracts of limestone raised upon them. Copper is found in man V places
mostly among green earthy dioritos and in low trap hills ; it occurs also as malachite'
both disseminated and in veins. Traces exist in some localities of ancient workings and
smelting furnaces. In the northern half of the island is a tabular bed of limestone 2
miles long by £ a mile broad, which rests upon greenstone and is elevated about 400
feet above the level of the sea ; both in horisontality and in colour it forms a marked
contrast with the dark, rugged igneous rocks around and beneath it On the inner side
trbSow\e to e»Atf ddIe ' ^ Water 18 0bt '* inable ">™ghout the year at a few
Masirah is almost destitute of vegetation. On the mountains onlya few small herbs
grow, and on the plams stunted Sidar and Samar trees, some herdaeeous shrubs
aadgrass m matted tufts. Dates are few and poor and are not found at many places'
Wdd animals are gazelles and grey rabbits resembling the English rabbit bnt onlt
half the size. Wild asses are found in tho hills ; and ediblo turtle, called Hamas abound
in the sea, which also yields seer-fish, grey mullet, sharks and porpoises. The swm
whale is common, and cuttle-fish and other cephalopods are in rJ 1
hyamas or jackals. The climate is not unheafthvTS tbl IL 7 4 Jhere are no
ist monsoon ranges from 68° to 78° F Unllea,thy ' and the thermometer in the north-
♦For Masirah Island see Chart No. 2369—10c. ~
tThe geology ol Masirah is discussed by Carter in the Bombay Asiatic Society'g Journal for
1844-7, pages 40tf.