'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎229] (292/905)

chap. x.]
coast and islands.
229'
different roads coming from Khorasan, Balkh, Bokhara, and
Ma-wera-l-nahr (Transoxiana), as well as from the northern
parts of Persia. It is surrounded by a high mud wall,
pierced with four gates, and defended by nineteen towers, or
bastions, in addition to the ark.
In the bazar (which is extensive, and partly covered with
elegant domes), are exposed for sale fine shawls, matchlock-
guns, numuds, carpets, the celebrated wool of the province, 1
gums, fruits, &c., in addition to fur-skins, silk, tea, coffee,
copper utensils, and different articles imported from Bokhara
and other countries.
The excellent surveys performed by the officers of the islands in the
Indian navy have made us well acquainted with the Persian 1
Gulf, on its eastern shores. Fourteen singular precipitous
masses of rock form a chain (partly double) of different sized
islands, nearly parallel to the coast of Kirman. They are
apparently of volcanic origin; and, being almost deprived of
vegetation, with the exception of the rich but sickly Kenn,
their appearance is strikingly dreary and arid.
H ormuz (Ormuz) is the eastern extremity of the chain, isle of Hormuz,
and consists of a number of isolated hills of rock-salt and
sulphur, which compose a mass of about 15 miles in circum
ference, 2 destitute of springs and vegetation, but abounding
in copper and iron ore. 3 On a plain, near the northern
extremity of the island, are the cisterns and other remains
of the once commercial Hormuz; which, in the time of its
prosperity, had 4000 houses and 40,000 inhabitants. 4
The port and anchorage, which gave such importance to its port,
the spot, are within two miles of the town. The present
inhabitants number about 300, and these are employed in pre
paring rock-salt, from which the Imam of Maskat (Muscat),
as proprietor, derives a considerable revenue. The island lies
nearly 16 miles 5 from the estuary of the Minnow river.
1 From short-legged sheep, and equal to that of Cashmir. Pottinger s
Travels, pp. 224 to 235.
r Xempthorne's Survey of the Eastern Shores of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .-—Vol. V.
Part. II., p. 214, of the Royal Geographical Journal.
r lbid!, p. 275. 4 I n t ^ e Portug uese -—^id.
5 300 stadia, according to Nearchus, which, at lllli, would give 16i miles.