‘Military Report on Southern Persia’ [‎14v] (33/154)

the larger are the Karkhah, Karun and Jarahi, flowing from the Kurdistan
and Luristan highlands, through Arabistan, to the head of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Coast line.
The southern frontier of Persia is formed by the northern coast of the
Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . The eastern end of the Arabian Sea,
known as the Gulf of Oman, is connected with the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. by the Straits
of Hormuz, so called after an island of that name, which lies a few miles from
the Persian coast. _ . .
The boundary between Persia and Baluchistan (Long. 61° 29 E.) is in
Guattar Bay, a little to the westward of Kuh Darabul, a detached table-
topped hill, about 500 feet high, to the north of the centre of the bay and
9 miles inland. From this point to Ras-al-Kuh the coast runs west for
about 250 miles with a slight northerly trend. The country is barren,
although not absolutely desert ; the shore is in parts low, with ranges of
mountains some distance inland, but there are many high rocky points and
hills near to the sea ; there are several villages, hut no town of any im
portance, and the population is scanty. There are anchorages* in this section
at Chahbar, Pazim Bay, Jask, and Ras-al-Kuh.
From Ras-al-Kuh to lias Bistana the Persian coast makes a semicircular
sweep for about 300 miles, first in a north-westerly direction to Bandar Abbas,
and thence south-west to lias Bistana. The Oman peninsula, jutting for
wards towards this recess in the Persian coast, forms with it the straits of
Hormuz. The narrowest point is to the eastward of Musandam, an island on
the Oman coast, whence it is only 29 miles across to the Persian shore.
Ranges of high mountains, at a moderate distance from the sea, extend
along the whole of this section and form good landmarks. There are villages
and towns with a mixed population ; the fishermen and seafaring portion
being Arab, and the cultivators, etc., chiefly Persian : most of the towns
have date groves, and some cultivation near them, but other trees are scarce
and small. There are several islands, the most important being Jezirat Hormuz,
and Kishm or Jazirat-at-Tawila. The former is circular in shape and about
4 miles in diameter, nearly covered with hills varying from 300 to 690 feet
high. Kishm, 60 miles long and from 6 to 19 miles broad, lies parallel to the
coast and is separated from it by Clarence strait, which is from 1 to 6 miles in
width. There are anchorages* in this section at Hormuz Island, Bandar Abbas,
Larak Island, Kishm, Henjam Island, Tamb Island, Kung and Lingah.
From Has Bistana to Bushire the coast runs for nearly 300 miles in a north
westerly direction ; it is bold in appearance, with ranges of mountains along
its whole extent, which rise, in places, close to the sea. On this part there are
many towns and villages, mostly with date plantations and some cultivation,
at all of which small supplies of cattle and poultry may be obtained. The
maritime population is Arab; the agricultural, Persian, or a mixed race of the
two. There are several islands in this section. Of these Kais, which is oval in
shape, 81 miles long, east and west by 4| miles broad, is under the Shekh of
Charak. Shekh Shuaib Island is about 13 miles long by 2£ wide, and
is inhabited by fishermen, but some cultivation is carried on. The best anchor
ages* in this section are at Mughu Bay, Charak Bay, Tawana, Kais
Island, Kalat-al-Abeid, Chiru, Hindarabi Island, Bandar Basatin, Shitwar
Islet, Tabiri, Kangun, Dayir, Ras-al-Mutaf and Bushire.
f For details as regards anchorages, vide Section III.