'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎493] (524/1050)

DHA-BttA
493
DHABBlN (Umm)—
A Bedouin resort in Biyaih ; part V.
DHABATlYAH—
# See Miyah ( Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. -al).
BHABBIYAH—
See Biyadh ; part III.
BH ABBIY AH—
See Shamln (Jau).
DHABI (A bu ) PRINCIPALITY—
An Arab principality, the most extensive and one of the two most important in Trucial
'Oman.
Boundaries and divisions. —Upon the coast Abu Dhabireaches from Khor-al-Ghanadhah,
which divides it from the Shaikhdom of Dibai, on the east to Khor-al-'Odaid on the
west—a distance of over 200 miles. The Shaikh of Abu Dhabi in 1895 claimed that his
frontier extended to the bay of Umm-al-Hul near Wakrah in Qatar, but his claim was
not approved by the Government of India: Bishairiyah has also been named as the
limit of his state in this direction, but no good reason has been adduced for supposing
that his jurisdiction ever extended beyond Khor-al-'Odaid, though the northern shore
of that inlet should perhaps be reckoned as included with the inlet itself in his territories.
Inland the frontiers of Abu Dhabi are not defined ; it is asserted that on the east they
reach to the Baraimi Oasis, but without taking it in ; and on the south they may pre
sumably be placed at the margin of the Ruba'-al-Khali.
The principal divisions of Abu Dhabi upon the mainland in order from west to east
are 'Aqal, Mijan, Sabakhat Matti Dhafrah, (including Bainunah, Liwah and other
minor tracts), possibly Khatam, and finally what may be called the home district in
which the capital, Abu Dhabi town, is situated : these tracts, except the last, all form
the subjects of separate articles. The insular possessions of the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi
are the islands of Arzanah, Daiyinah, Dalmah, Das, Qarnain, Salali, Yas and Zirko
and, these also being described elsewhere under their own names, it only remains to deal
here with the geography of the home division.
Physical characteristics and topography of the home division. —This part of the princi
pality apparently consists altogether of undulating sandy desert with scanty grazing and
a poor water-supply.
The following are the inhabited places and other points in it of which the names are
most frequently heard :—
Name.
Position.
Nature.
Remarks.
Batin ..
On the northern
shore of Khor-al-
Batin, about 1|
miles within the
entrance.
A village of 130 date
branch huts, of
which 100 belong to
the Al Bu Mahair
and the remainder
to the Sudan tribe.
There are some date
plantations in which
are situated the wells
that yield the drink
ing water of the
place. The inhabit
ants own 50 pearl
boats, but no sea
going vessels.
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