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'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎44] (59/1050)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (523 folios). It was created in 1917. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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44
ADEN
BURAIMl—
Who border on the south Zuraiki territory for a short distance near the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Adins
consist of some four sections in all not exceeding 150 men, but, as with the Julaidi,
there are several small tribes or clans. " Ra'aya" or subjects of theirs, although
practically independent at the present time, who inhabit country as far west as J. 'Akkar
about 25 miles east of Mokha, but the northernmost clans have fallen under the influenca
of the Mokha authorities.
The Buraimi proper live at Dar Mujaba and a few near Umm Fajra, the Khulaifi
division of the Buraimi living at Umm Fajra itself, a small village with a tower, a few
huts and a good well, at which the 1 neighbouring nomads water their flocks. The
country to the south consists of rolling sand hills, to the norths the range of hills of J.
Musinna and Masna, and to the west between Umm Fajra and the* Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Adim, is an
undulating, stony plain with many accacia thorn trees.
The Bushbushi section live at the hamlet of 'Ali ba Jirjah in the Adim on the Zuraiki
border, and the' 'Utri, at Nassara and Bar Salim Thabit, a couple of miles to the south.
There is a little cultivation in the neighbourhood, but water is very scarce, the only
Well which produces any appreciable supply being. Bir Majdura in Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Majdura^
and that is brackish.
The Buraimi are an ignorant people, tea great extent nomads, and covering long dis
tances on their camels. In common with the other western tribes of the Subaihi, they
seems much more peaceably disposed than the eastern tribes such as the Matarafi.
DHALI'—
The Amir of Dhala's territory is inhabited by a number of different tribes that have
little in common besides their Arab nationality^ and few ties to bind them together
j beyond the need for mutual support and protection. Many of them barely acknowledge
, the Amir's suzerainty. Their frequent fei&is and dissensions keep them apart, and they
cannot be regarded in any sense as one people. Society is divided into classes as usual
among Arabs, viz., the Saiyids, the priestly caste descended from the Prophet; the
Shaikhs, hereditary chiefs ; the Qab&l, or tribesmen ; the Asakir, professional soldiers ;
the Ra'aya or peasant farmer class ;• and the slaves.
The people are physically a poor race, the men short and slight,, though wiry and active.
The majority are not pure Arabs, but show an unmistakeable strain of African slave
blood. This is even the case with the Amirs themselves. There are a considerable
number of pure negroes among them^ the descendants of former slaves.
The people are industrious and simple in their habits ; they have the ordinary Arab
characteristics of pride,, and an intense love of independence. They are hospitable
self-contained under ordinary circumstances^ but very excitable when provoked They
are very jealous and quarrelsome as is proved by the constant strife between tribes and
clans, and the blood feuds in almost every family. The manner, in which these feuds
are carried on shows them to be vindictive and treacherous, with little sense of honour
They are much under the influence of their Saiyids, and have all the fanatical intolerance
of a narrow minded Muhammadan community.
On the other hand, many of the better class men, not excepting the Saiyids themselves
' when once their prejudices are overcome, prove to be intelligent, courteous and pleasant
to deal with. ' ^
A considerable number of the people have travelled and seen the world either as trad
ers, or as stokers on board ships, but their experience do not as a rule 'seem to haw
lessened their prejudices against the unbeliever.
The women though kept in a position of inferiority as Usual with Mu^almans
secluded but go about freely and unveiled. They do a great Xk ?he
household, such as tending cattle, drawing water, cutting firewood etc
. The majority of the population is settled, living in villages of solidty constructed stone
houses^ and occupying themselves with agnculture and commerce. A large nronn^nn
however, in the southern part especially, are nomadic, keeping large herd! j
The men wear a loin cloth, a cloth wranned rrtnnrl f lia rtra
.nj. w, <«. drt-bto cET S

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Content

Volume I of III of the Gazetteer of Arabia. The Gazetteer is alphabetically-arranged and this volume contains entries A through to J.

The Gazetteer is an alphabetically-arranged compendium of the tribes, clans and geographical features (including towns, villages, lakes, mountains and wells) of Arabia that is contained within three seperate bound volumes. The entries range from short descriptions of one or two sentences to longer entries of several pages for places such as Iraq and Yemen.

A brief introduction states that the gazetteer was originally intended to deal with the whole of Arabia, "south of a line drawn from the head of the Gulf of 'Aqabah, through Ma'an, to Abu Kamal on the Euphrates, and to include Baghdad and Basrah Wilayats" and notes that before the gazetteer could be completed its publication was postponed and that therefore the three volumes that now form this file simply contain "as much of the MSS. [manuscript] as was ready at the time". It further notes that the contents have not been checked.

Extent and format
1 volume (523 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: This volume's foliation system is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎44] (59/1050), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/16/2/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023909211.0x00003c> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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