'Koweit: A Report' [‎41r] (90/140)

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The whole bay affords a good anchorage for big ships, with Anchorages,
excellent holding ground. Soundings Measurements of the depth of a body of water. are:—14 fathoms off
Raz-al-Arz, 6 to 10 fathoms off Raz-al-Ajuza, shoaling to 6 and
7 fathoms at the entrance of Duhat Kathama.
Starting from Raz-al-Arz the coast-line forms a bay, with South-east of
shallow water, as far as Raz-al-Ajuza, a low point six miles to RuZal A i uza *
the north-westward. Native boats anchor two miles to the
south-east of this point, in shelter from the “ shamal. ”
The anchorage for large ships off the town of Koweit lies (b) Offthetowo
I ^ or 11 miles off the north end of the town, and west-north- of Koweit.
west of it, in from 3^ to 4 fathoms.
From Raz-al-Ajuza the coast runs nine miles south-west ^ South-east of
by west to the bottom of a shallow bay called Duhat Abu Tala, the small island
At the entrance of this small bay, there is a little barren Kurein,
islet, Jezirat Kurein, about half a mile from the shore; south
east of this is a small basin, with two fathoms of water, in which
the smaller native boats lie, quite sheltered from all winds.
Duhat Kathama is the name of the bay west of Ras ( rf ) Kathama Baj.
Asheirij. It shoals gradually from 7 fathoms at the entrance,
which is four miles wide. (This part of Koweit Bay, until
recently, was very imperfectly surveyed, especially with respect
to Ras Kathama. I am indebted for the corrected chart of this
part, to the Navigating Officer of H.M.S. Pomone.)
Ras Kathama is a low swampy point only just above
high water running out some three furlongs from the northern
shore of the bay. It is partially protected by a bank of sand,
naturally formed, along high water line. About half a mile
inland from the point, as also all along this coast-line, the shore
is sandy and covered with tussocks of coarse grass, gradual
ly rising to the foot of the hills called “ A 1 Aghthi, which are
about 200 feet high. There is good holding ground everv-
where in Koweit bay, but the best anchorage is undoubt
edly in Kathama bay, because it is the most sheltered. There
appears no reason to doubt that this anchorage could easily be
converted into an excellent harbour for sea-going ships, by a
certain amount of dredging, and the construction of jetties
and moles.
It is believed that the Germans wished to acquire a plot
of land here, about twenty square miles in extent, having
Kathama on the west, the second range of hills (seen from the
top of the coast range “ A 1 Aghthi ” about 4 or 5 miles inland,
to the northward) on the north, and Chawaichib * on the north
east.
History.
The family or tribe of the present Sheikh of Koweit origin
ally dwelt in a small fort, called Mumgaser, at the head of the
Khor Abdullah near Bander Zobeir. Their vocation in life was
r^i
* Chawaichib is said to be about a to miles north-east of Kathama Point.