'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1517] (590/688)

QATIF
1517
own, and these are divided from one another and from the main oasis by intervals of 2 or
3 miles. The intervals are occupied partly by sandhills, but partly also by the marshes
already mentioned. -,,.11
Throughout Qatif generally the atmosphere is denser and heavier, the heat more
oppressive, and the vegetation ranker and more luxuriant than in the twin oasis of Hasa.
The climate of Qatif is damp and unhealthy, and the results of malarial fever are manifest
in the sallow complexin and poor physique of the inhabitants.
Population and inhabited places. —The settled population of the Qatif Oasis is not
large ; it may be reckoned at 26,000 souls in all, viz., 5,000 in the town proper of Qatif,
6,000 more in the suburbs of the same, and 16,000 in the remaining villages of the oasis,
which are 17 in number. Except some non-nomadic Bani Khalid chiefly at Umm-as-
Sahak and a few Huwalah at Qatif Town — who are Sunnis — the peolple of the oasis
are by race nearly all Baharinah and by religion Shi'ahs. There are some negroes, both
enslaved and free, who have been included for statistical purposes in the communities
with whom they live or by whom they are owned ; in religion the great majority of these
are Shi'ahs. The 'Utub, who a century ago dominated the district along with the rest of
the coast on both sides of it and later were displaced by the Wahhabis, have now entirely
disappeared. In addition, to the sedentary population some Bedouins, chiefly of the
Bani Haiir, Bani Khalid and 'Awazim tribes, frequent the oasis and ars held m fear by
the timid Baharinah. It is reported that nearly every male adult in the villages of the
oasis possesses a rifle. • • , , . . ,
The following, given in alphabetical order, are the principal places at present or for
merly inhabited in the oasis :
Name.
Position.
Nature
and
inhabitants.
R emarks.
'Anik
On the coast, 4
miles south-south-
east of Qatif Town.
A walled hamlet of 20
permanent houses
forming a quarter
which is called
Fariq-al-'A1 a i w a t
after the family of
the Baharinah by
whom it is inhabited.
During 3 months in
the hot weather the
population is great
ly increased by an
influx of Bedouins,
chiefly of Bani
Khalid from the
interior and from
M u s a 11 a miy a h
island and of Bani
Hajir, but among
them are a few Al
Morrah and 'Aj-
man: these visitors
occupy tents and
huts arranged in
Farqan or quarters
of their own and
may be regarded as
semi-permanent re
sidents.
The name is generally
pronounced 'Anich.
The Bedouins who
flock in during the
summer tend date
planations which
they own here and
work on the pearl
banks. There is a
fort at 'Anik, upon
the sea.