'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From December 1854 to March 1856. (New Issue.) Edited by the Secretary. Volume XII.' [‎102] (211/258)

102
LIEUTENANT CHARLES G. CONSTABLE’S MEMOIR.
general width is 120 miles. This Gulf, unlike the Red Sea, which is in a
deep narrow bed, is shallow. The only deep part of the Gulf is at its
entrance, and here there is 100 fathoms of water ; but this depth is only found
close to the rocks at Cape Moosendom, it becomes less deep as you go out
from the Cape. Within the Gulf, 50 fathoms is about the deepest water, and
the upper portion is much shoaler. A peculiar feature of the Gulf is, that
there is scarcely a good harbour in it. The Pei-sian Coast is mountainous ; the
opposite, or Arabian coast, is mostly a low sandy desert shore. The former
coast is the one most navigated, and is the safer of the two. The latter is
shallow, and skirted by reefs and banks, in some places extending to a great
distance from the land. This fact is a verification of Dr. Carter’s statement
who, in his geography of the Coast of Arabia between Aden and Maskaf’
published in the 3rd vol. of the Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal
Asiatic Society, describes a part of the coast between Maskat and Ras-el-Had
where the mountains are from 4000 to 0000 feet high near the sea, and that
off that part there are no soundings Measurements of the depth of a body of water. to be got more than half a mile offshore* •
and adds that “ on this coast as well as the S. E. coast of Arabia, it may be’
taken as a rule, that wherever the coast is low there the sea is shallow, and
wherever it is high it is deep.” The Persian Coast is the better known of the
two. The Arab Coast is almost unknown; and I concur with the observation
ofthe learned German, Professor Heeren, who, writing thirty years ago in
bis chapter on the commerce of the Babylonians says, that “ the coast from
the Basra River to Cape Moosendom is one of the parts of our globe with
which we are the least acquainted.”
The areat Gulf or Estuary outside the straits, having the Mekran coast on
he north, and the shores of Oman on the south, is called the Gulf of Oman •
it ,s not strictly speaking part ofthe Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , but being the entrance to
l Gulf of Pc".!!! mUCl1 altCnli ° n 40 “ aS ' ' laVe 10 11,6 C ° a5,S ‘ md <' f
,, T ‘ e . E - !■' ?• " Commodore Carless, entering the Persian
Gulf, standing along the coast to the southward of Eas Aysheer, about 5 or 6
miles from the shore, shoaled suddenly from 8 to 4 fathoms, and whilst bring
ing the vessel to the wind had a cast of 2i fathoms. Steering directly off shore
on a S W. course, carried 3 and 3i fathoms, for about three miles before the
wa er began to deepen. From this it would appear that there is a bank ex
tending 7 or 8 miles from tills part of the Persian Coast, instead of 2 or 3 miles
as laid down on the chart.
In reporting this discovery (in June 1848) the Commodore adds,-- As far
as I have been able to judge, the coast from Bundur Abbas to Cape Jask has