Page:The journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London. Volume 34, 1864. (IA s572id13663720).pdf/353

Rh Bahreyn. The physical type of the inhabitants is widely different from that of central Arabia, though somewhat resembling that of Hasa; they are for the most part small, slender, and not of a muscular appearance; somewhat, indeed, bordering on the Indian race. Their origin is an exceedingly mixed one; they own some Arab blood, more Omanite, and yet more Persian. Who were the first tenants of the island we shall see further on. They have, however, in spite of their hybrid character, a very peculiar and distinctive cast of features, and an intelligent, though hardly an animated look. Many Hindoos are settled here as merchants and traders, and amass large fortunes; they observe the same customs and manner of life as in their own country, and never intermarry with the “Baharineh.” Arabs of pure race, and Persians are also to be met with as inhabitants of the towns, but alliance soon renders them undistinguishable from the predominant population. A small colony of Jews also lived not long since at the Menamah, but the arbitrary despotism of Mohammed Ebn Khalifah has driven them away.

The Wahhabee monarch has for some years past exacted a yearly tribute of about 1800l. from the island. This affords him an opportunity of sending hither from time to time his servants or slaves, and of exercising by their means a baleful influence. In fact, the actual government has, mainly in consequence of direct or indirect Nejdean interference, been rendered so oppressive, that thousands of the inhabitants, without exaggeration, have recently abandoned their native island, to seek some freer and more tolerant station. Maltese (though from a different cause) are not more common on the sea-ports of the Levant, than “Baharineh” on the entire coast-line of the Persian Gulf The little island of Ges, lower down this sea, the harbours of Linja and Bander-Abbas, those of Bedaa, Dowha, and Wokrah, in Katar, and Scharja, Fajirah, Sohar,'Seeb, Matrah, and Maskat, in ’Oman, are literally peopled with natives of Bahreyn, settled there within the last few years only. Wherever they come they soon distinguish themselves among the surrounding masses by a marked superiority in commercial and industrial skill, which reflects little credit on the authors of their expatriation.

The island of Moharrek is much smaller than that of Bahreyn, but the main sea-port, homonymous with the island, is little inferior to Menamah itself in extent and population. The Arab element in Moharrek somewhat predominates over the Persian; and commerce is here less active than in Bahreyn. The island itself is throughout low and level, but its sandy soil is much drier than that of the sister shoal, and its climate is considered to be more healthy. A square-built fortress of tolerable strength commands the eastern entrance of the channel between the two islands,