'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎502] (533/1050)

502
DHAPRAH
two fit)m the sea are similar. The wells of Kaifaifah, it may be added, seem to be new
the point at which the tracts of Bainunah and Dhafrah proper meet one another and
the tract of Taff;
Following then the opinion which seems most worthy of acceptance we may provi»
sionally arrange the divisions of Dhafrah as follows —
1. Along the coast a strip 15 miles wide, Which for nearly 100 miles On the east is
called Taff) and for 60 miles on the west Taff Bainunah.
2. Behind the coastal strip a belt 40 miles wide composed of Dhafrah proper) Bai*
ntinah and Qnfa : of these Dhafrah proper (30 miles broad) adjoins Taff
throughout its length and Bainunah (20 miles broad) adjoins Taff Bainunah,
also throughout its length, while Qufa fills the space remaining on the south
of these two.
3. Inland of Qufa and like Qufa roughly parallel to the sea, another belt measuring
about 175 miles in length and perhaps 20 miles in bredth: this belt isLiwah.
Physical charucieristics. —The maritime tracts of Taff and Taff Bainunah contain no
features of interest except a few small hills, which are possibly volcanic. The shore is
stony, and at a little distance inland swamps are said to exist, interspersed with stony
mounds* Vegetation is chiefly Abal and Hams.
Dhafrah proper and Bainunah are said to resemble one another in character; they
form apparently, a fairly level expanse of heavy red sand or reddish soil with occasional
sand dunes of lighter colour and gravely patches. Dhafrah proper, at least, is somewhat
higher in level than Taff. Neither tract possessses any trees ; but in Dhafrah proper
there is some vegetation of arta and hadh, and in Bainunah the arta, markh and abal
are found ; both districts afford a considrable amount of grazing for camels. The wells of
Dhafrah proper seem to vary in depth between 1 and 2 fathoms and those of Bainunah
between H and 7 fathoms, the average in the case of the latter tract being 3 fathoms.
Qufa is an inhospitable region of sandy ridges with no vegetation except a few shrubs
Of arta and very little water; but the few wells that occur are shallow, not exceeding
2 fathoms.
Liwah is the most remarkable of all the tracts. It consists mainly of white undulat*
ing sand dunes, altogether without vegetation ; but it contains over a score of small dep
ressions, disposed in series or chains from east to west. These depressions are divided
from one another by sandy wastes ; but at the bottom of each depression there is fertile
soil, supporting the cultivation of a village which generally stands upon a sandy
eminence near by. These low-lying oases contain plantations of date palms, which
in a few cases are of considerable extent. The water level in Liwah, doubtless in the
depressions, appears to be on the average at 2 fathoms beneath the surface ; and except at
Tharwaniyah a depth of 4 fathoms is not, it would seem, ever exceeded.
Throughout Dhafrah, to speak generally, the water of the wells is of fairly good quality
and not very scarce. The wells themselves are either unlined or lined only w ith date
sticks and leaves ; the only exceptions to the rule appear to be the Babah well in Bainu*
nah, which is reported to be half lined with masonry and a well called Saqar, also in
Bainunah but not precisely located, which is said to be entirely so lined. This pecu
liarity is of doubt due largely to the shallowness of the wells, but it also seems to indicate
firmness in the soil.
Inhabitants. —In the whole of Dhafrah only two tribes are found, the Bani las
and the Manasir ; the former are settled rather than nomadic, while the latter are alto
gether Bedouins. Of Liwah they are jointly occupants, but the permanent villages
called Mahdhar, all belong to the Bani Yas, the settlements of the Manasir being unte
nanted except in summer while the date harvest is in progress. Among the Manasir date
plantations are joint tribal property, but with the Bani Yas they belong to individiia
owners. The Bani Yas of Dhafrah are semi-civilised; some of them trade with A u
Dhabi and even Dibai and correspond with those places. The dwellings of both tribes
are huts of date sticks and leaves ; the Manaslr^ when their sojourn in Liwah is ovei or
the year, close theirs up and stop the adjacent wells, it is said, with sand. Dhafraii
proper is the principal grazing ground of the Manasir while Bainunah contains t e
favourite pastures of the Bani Yas ; but in winter the Manasir range as far west as Qa a
and in summer their camels are left with those of the Bani Yas in Bainunah. The Bani
\as of Dhafrah take a share in the pearl fishery and own a number of boats whic aie
kept at Bandar Radaim, Khor Mughairah and Bandar Mirfah upon the coast. 9