'CORRECTIONS TO GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME III' [‎26r] (53/180)

BUS—BUS 26
coast, nrlcs in width. The greater part of the bay is very shallow, and a
large part of it is occupied by mud flats.
Anchorage. —The innermost anchorage for vessels of moderate draught
is at the head of a channel called Khtir Daireh, and is situated in the middle
of the entrance of the bay. It lies nearly 3 miles north-north-west of the town,
and is sheltered on the north-west by a submerged sandbank called Baq’at-
al-’Ali, while on the south-east it is joined by a long narrow wall of sand called
Lakfeh only 1 to 3 feet below water. The holding ground in the Khar Daireh
is good and the soundings Measurements of the depth of a body of water. 3 to 4 fathoms, but the approach in many places
has only 15 to 17 feet of water at high water, and 11 feet at low water. The
deepening of a channel across this bar would be costly. Th< ro are no
fixed moorings, but there are two gas-buoys which, together with a guiding
light on the British Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , are maintained by the British Government.
The inner anchorage has space for about 15 vessels of the B. I. type. In
a sham''l the sea becomes rough even here.
The outer anchorage, which is unprotected from either a sham l ot & sharqi
wind, is five miles from the town and affords unlimited space in about 5
fathoms. There are no dangerous currents or tides in Bushire bay : the tide
rises and falls from 4 to 7 feet only*
Landing. —There is no pier or wharf where steamers can come alongside,
and all landing has to be carried out in boats. The transference of horses,
men, and stores to boats is possible all through the year, for B. I. steamers
and others call regularly at Bushire; but, if a shamdl were bl wing, the
transference might be delayed a day or two. (See climate).
The coast is shelving, and generally sandy, but rocky in places, and cliffs
run from the south end of the town for about half-a-mile to the south, thence
no more cliffs till Rishahr (5| miles), The following places afford facilities
for landing:
1. Customs wharf. —Both this place and Pudar landing place are approach
ed by the Khur Sultani, a deep creek about 200 yards broad, which runs past
the east side of the town in a south-easterly direction towards the Mashileh.
It is unfortunately divided from the inner anchorage by a bank 1£ miles broad,
on which the soundings Measurements of the depth of a body of water. are only 5 to 6 feet. A canal through this bank
might be dredged without much difficulty. At PQdar, miles above the
town, the creek, which has soundings Measurements of the depth of a body of water. of over 20 feet and is completely
sheltered, forks ; one branch continues south-east to the Mashileh, while the
other, called Khnr Shakari, bearing at first to the north-east, sweeps round in
a great semi-circle and eventually joins the bay at its northern end. On this
creek, near the place where it opens again into the bay, is Shif, (^.v.), a landing-
place for travellers in the interior. Between the curving creek and the open
bay is a mass of mud flats and low islands.
The Customs wharf is £ mile long, faced with stone, and is situated about
the centre of the town. It boasts only one crane, not in good order, and has
no tram lines, though there is a suitable alignment for them alo g the sea
shore. Large covered godowns are situated within 50 yards of the wharf.
Sea-going craft of 150 tons can come up the Khur Sultani, and get alongside
this wharf,