'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎391] (410/1050)

BAR-BAS
39 1
and Bazani reef, which latter is near the mouth of Khor-al-Bazam [q. v.). It has 7 or 8
fathoms of water and is about \\ miles wide ; through it the tidal stream runs with great
strength at springs.— { Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Pilot, 1909.)
BASITAH (A l)—
A wide, basaltic plain in north-western Arabia, stretching from the Ardh-as-Sawwan
to the borders of the Nafiid desert, and from the Jabal Tubayk to the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Sirhan.
Its surface is generally smooth and black, and absolutely bare. From the numerous
little circular threshing-floors with which the plain is dotted, and where the Bedouins
prepare the seed called semh, it would seem that now and then some vegetation is to be
found, here. The semh plant, according to the Arabs, cannot be reproduced from seed,
neither have they ever succeeded in cultivating it. For this reason the Sharrarat call
it " the gift of the rain.' , The grain is dried in the sun and ground into flour ; this
they make into bread, or mix with their dates, or eat as porridge. The average height
of the plain is between 3,000 and 2,500 feet. It contains few well-marked features,
the chief being the hills of Ijala and Wa'la, and theWadi Draif.—(Cambers, 1909.)
BASMAN (Tribe)—
See Dawasir (Tribe).
BASR—
See Qasim.
BASRAH QADHA—
Position and boundaries.—The Qadha of Basrah is situated on both sides of the Shatt-al-
, 'Arab and extends from a few miles above Basrah Town down to Zain on the right and
down to the Persian frontier upon the left bank. It is bounded by the Qadha of Qurnah
on the north, by Persian territory upon the east, by the Qadha of Fao upon the south
and by deserts upon the west.
Tocography and inhabitants. —The most populous and important place in the Qadha
is the town of Basrah, to which a separate article is devoted; but Hamdan Abu
Khaslb and Zubair also are towns of considerable size and consequence and there are
numerous large villages such as Khorah, Muhaijaran, Sabiliyat and Abu Mughairah upon
the right bank of the Shatt-al-'Arab and Da'aiji upon the left bank. The region is
probably the most densely inhabited in 'Iraq and even in the whole Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
The main feature of the district and that to which it owes its entire character is the
Shatt-al-'Arab, in the article upon which and its islands will be found detailed topo
graphical information about the whole Qadha. The rural tribes in the settlments irri
gated by the river are chiefly 'Atub, 'Idan and Muhaisin.
PopvMion.'—Th.Q fixed population of the Qadha appears to be as follows, according
to the Nahiyahs of which the positions are explained in the paragraph on administration
below:—
Nahiyah of 'Arab (Shatt-al-) ..
„ Basrah {i.e., Basrah Town) ..
„ Harthah ..
„ Khasib (Abul)
„ Zubair {i.e., Zubair Town)
150,000 souls.
About half the population of Basrah Town together with the entire population of Zubair
lown are Sunni Muhammadans, and nearly the whole remainder of the people are
feniahs' ^ere are about 2,500 Christians of various sects and about 2 000 Jews
both of which communities are located chiefly in Basrah Town. ' '
Resources.~--ThQ Zubair Nahiyahis situated in the desert, but the other Miivahs to
gether consititute one of the richest date-producing tracts in the world. Some cereals
are grown in the more open lands, and lucerne and vegetables are cultivated among the
date trees. Livestock also are abundant and include buffaloes.
58,000
12,500
56,500