PKR8UX GULF. 



PERTH. 



130 



It* 



who b>d been 



of Fulteli Ali by 

 crown-prince, but died 



i in IMS affaioat Herat, UM ruler of which however made 



_ a* to UM Shah in IMS. 



K. a Urge closed sea, formlog a kind of inlet of 

 the Indian Ocean. Tb* entrance from the Indian Ocean i* by the 

 Ha/ Oraua, which in the narrowest point, between Ras Koli (or 

 , K-IO. in Persia, and Rat Mweendom, in Arabia, U about 88 



s wide. Tha 3f extant, between 44" and 30* N. lat, 48* and 



M* tff B. lone, lu general fora i* that of a curve, the convex side 

 of which i. turned to the southeast. The greatest length in a straight 

 low i. about 550 miles; but measured along the curved line of the 

 pilf. it is 800 mile* In width it varir* between 40 and 200 mile*. 

 The area i. about 70. 000 square milea Tha island* which are dispersed 

 over this gulf are estimated at about 1400 square miles. 



Tha aviation at thi* ** i* daogaroo* and tedious, owing to the 

 HMUMi" anoala and irefa, Thasa shoal* and reefs are much more 

 aiam^s on the aonthern or Arabian coast, which can hardly be 

 approached in any part by large veawli without the greatest care, and 

 it was accordingly for a long time the refuge of pirates. The most 

 daring of tbeat pirate* were the Jawaaimi, who were only compelled 

 to kaap UM p*ae* by two expedition* sent against them by the English 

 from Bombay, in 1809 and in 1819. The navigation along the northern 

 coast i* comparatively free from danger. The places which are most 

 rcaorted to by UM shipping are the anchorage between the island of 

 Ormuz and the town of Gombroon, the small bays of Hogoo and 

 Bander Chetwar, the roadsteads of Busheer, and, north of that town, 

 the bay of Jenabe and Ras Dilem. 



The prevailing wind during the whole year blows from the north- 

 wait. It i* only during the months of November, December, and 

 January that southerly winds may certainly be expected, especially in 

 the Strait of Ormnx, where gales from the south-west and south-south- 

 west are sometime* experienced. The southerly winds blowing in 

 winter are frequently accompanied with heavy rains, but the rains 

 diminish toward* the north, so that at Bassora, on the Shat-el-Arab, 

 very little rain falls. These winds rarely last more than three or four 

 day*, and do not extend to the north-western part of the Gulf. 



Before the entrance of the gulf, between Cape Jabk and Muscat, 

 the current* are variable and uncertain, and usually subject to the 

 wind (from the north-west) ; they set to the leeward. A current is 

 frequently met with along the coast of Persia, which sets westward 

 for several days together. Vessels therefore which sail to the west, 

 keep ctoee to the Persian shores, where, besides these currents, they 

 are favoured by the Und-breeae-i, which are not regular, but occur 

 from time to time. 



Tha most remirkable of the numerous islands which are dispersed 

 along the shores of the gulf are Ormuz [Oniics], Kishm, Kaes, 

 Buaheab, Bahrein [BAHKKI.N], and Karei. AuAm is the largest island 

 in the gulf, being 54 miles long and in the broadest part 20 miles wide. 

 The greater part of the island is sterile, and in some places incrusted 

 with a saline efflorescence, but there are also extensive tracts of fertile 

 ground. The population exceeds 5000. A'wAm, the capital, at the 

 eastern extremity of the island, U a place greatly resorted to by native 

 vaaacl*. It ha* a baxaar well supplied with fruits and provisions. The 

 population i* 2000. Lafl, on the northern coast, on the channel which 

 divide* UM island from the continent, was once the resort of pirates, 

 but i* now nearly abandoned. Rice is cultivated, and date-trees arc 

 numerous. The island of Kofi or Kenn is small, but is well cultivated, 

 and produce, wheat and tobacco. It has a small town, and a harbour 

 for native vessel*. The inland of Butheab contains about 40 square 

 mile*. It has a small town, and a harbour at the western end ou the 

 north aide, where there is a good anchorage for vessels of large burden. 

 The ialand of A'arr/, or Kkarraci; contains about 26 square miles, and 

 i* surrounded by reef* except at its north-eastern extremity. It is 

 elevated, and risible at a considerable distance. The date-groves are 

 extensive, and there u abundance of good water. Vessel* sailing to 

 Baawra obttin pilot* here, who conduct them through the dangerous 

 shoal* at the mouth of the Shat-el-Arab. 



Fish abound along the shore* of the gulf, and fish and dates consti- 

 tute UM principal articles of food of the population. Nearly the whole 

 population of the Arabian shores of this sea get their means of sub- 

 sistence by the peari-fiabery. The most extensive pearl-fisheries are 

 those on the several banks not far from the island of Bahrein. About 

 1600 boats arc employed in this fishery, and each contains ten persons, 

 fire divan and fir* ' syebon,' or pullors-np. 



The shorn of the gulf are low except near the Strait of Ormuz, 

 where the mountains on both aide* of Ras Mussendom rise to a con- 

 aJderahl* elevation, and com* close up to tb. sea. This high coast 

 extend* within tb* gulf about 70 milea, and then the mountain* ou 

 the Arabian shore recede to a great distance, leaving a wide plain 

 which extends to tho very mouth of the Shat-el-Arab. This plain is 

 andy, and produce* only in a few places dates and a little corn, i >,, 

 all part* of the northern or P.-r.ian shore mountain* are visible from 

 the sea. In some place* they retire to a distance of 30 miles from the 

 coait, and at others they approach it within 3 mile*. These m. ..1-1 

 tein* in general do not much exceed 3000 feet above the sea. The 

 low plain which lie* between the shore, of the gulf and the mountains 



is arid and sandy, and in many places swampy, but exceedingly hot. 

 It produces very little grain, but dates in abundance, and is called by 

 the native* Dushtistan, or Gurmsir. Only ono river of importance 

 enters the Persian Gulf, namely, the Shat-el-Arab, which is formed by 

 the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates, and falls into the most 

 northern races* of the sea by six or seven channels, of which however 

 only the most western, called Cassisa Boni, or Basra River, is navigable 

 for vessels of considerable burden. The plain which here borders on 

 the Persian Gulf extends northward on the banks of the rivers to tho 

 mountain ranges which surround the Black Sea on the south. The 

 largest river next to the Shat-el-Arab is the Tab, which falls into tho 

 gulf not far from the most eastern mouth of that river. 



It is remarkable that the shores of this gulf, in their whole extent, 

 are inhabited by one nation, the Arabs. The Arabs are in possession 

 of the whole country to the south of the gulf, which is also called 

 Arabia; but on the northern shore they occupy only the Dushtistan, 

 or low plain ; the mountains at the back of it, as well as the table- 

 land of Iran, which lies behind these mountains, being in possession 

 of the Persians. The Imam of Muscat possesses authority over nearly 

 the whole extent of the Dushtiitau, at least as far west as Ras Ber- 

 distan ; as an acknowledgment of superiority however the Imam pays 

 to the king of Persia an annual rent. The earliest navigation of this 

 julf which is ou record is the voyage of Nearchus. 



(Kinneir, Geographical Memoir of the Persian Empire ; Berghaus, Geo. 

 Hydror/raphiKha Memoir vom Pertiieken Golf ; Wilson, Memorandum 

 rapecting the Pearl Pitheries in the Pertian Gulf, in the Land. Geoijr. 

 Journal, vol. iii. ; Whiteloek, Detcriplire Sketch of the Jtlandi and 

 Coait tituate-.t at the Entrance of the Persian (hilf, in the Land. Geoyr. 

 Journal, vol. viii.) 



PERTE DU-RHONE. [Am.] 



PERTH, the chief town of Perthshire, Scotland, and a royal and 

 parliamentary burgh, is situated on the right bank of the Tny, 4 1 miles 

 N. by W. from Edinburgh, in 56" 24' N. lat., 3 25' W. long. Tlie 

 population of the municipal burgh in 1851 was 14,681 ; that of the 

 parliamentary burgh was 23,835. The town is governed by a provost 

 ind 25 councillors, 4 of whom are bullies ; and returns one member to 

 the Imperial Parliament Perth was .1 burgh in 1106, and down to 

 the death of James I. (1437) was regarded as the capital of Scotland. 

 It was the seat of a considerable trade, which the burgesses carried on 

 in their own vessels with the Hanse towns, and many Flemings and 

 Germans settled here. In the wars of Edward I., and in the contest 

 between Bruce and Baliol, Perth several times changed hands. In 

 1437 Jiiraes I. was assassinated in the Dominican monastery at Perth. 

 After this evant Edinburgh became the seat of government, though 

 Perth continued to be nominally the capital till 1482. 



In August 1600 Perth was the scene of the Gowrie conspiracy. In 

 1644 it was taken by Montrose, after his victory at Tippermuir. lu 

 1651 it capitulated to Cromwell, after the defeat of the Koyaliats nt 

 Burntisland. Perth was occupied by Viscount Dundee in 1689, 

 immediately before the battle of lulliecrankie. The Highlanders in 

 1715 and 1745 occupied the town. 



The town is connected by a handsome bridge of 9 arches, 880 feet 

 long, over the Tay, with Bridge-End of Kinnoul, which is iucluded in 

 the modern parliamentary burgh. The bridge of the Dundee and Perth 

 railway crosses the river a little lower down. The streets are generally 

 straight, convenient, lighted with gas, and paved. North and south 

 of the town are two large public greens, called respectively the North 

 Inch and the South Inch. The North Inch contains the race-course ; 

 the South Inch is surrounded by trees and villas. The principal public 

 building is the church of St. John. The square tower is ancient; it 

 baa been surmounted at a later period with a pyramidal spire of wood. 

 The body of the church is now divided into three places of worship, 

 appropriated to three distinct parishes. There are three other churches 

 of modern erection, in one of which the service is conducted in the 

 Gaelic language. The Free Church has five chapels, including a Gaelic 

 chapel ; the United Presbyterians have three chapels ; the Independ- 

 ents two chapels ; and the Original Scceders one chapel. The choir, 

 transept*, and other portions of a cathedral for the Scottish Episcopal 

 Church have been recently erected. A handsome building containing 

 the county-hall, courts of justice, and other apartments for county 

 business, of Grecian architecture, faces the Tay ; behind it is the city 

 and county jail The other public buildings are those of the academy, 

 a neat theatre, a lunatic asylum, a range of barracka, and Marshall's 

 monument (a building erected to commemorate the services of a late 

 lord provost), containing the public library and the museum of the 

 Perthshire Antiquarian Society. The general penitentiary at Perth is 

 one of the largest buildings of the kind in Scotland. The manufac- 

 tures of the town consist principally of coloured cottons, especially for 

 umbrellas. There are flax-spinning mills, bleach-fields, dye-works, 

 breweries, distilleries, iron-foundries, tanneries, rope-walks, and ship- 

 building yards. The salmon-fishery in the Tay is valuable. The 

 chief import! are coal, lime, salt, and manure ; timber, (lax, bark, 

 smalt, madder, &c. The exports are chiefly potatoes, sent to Lo; 

 and corn, timber, and slates. The number of vessels registered as 

 belonging to the port of Perth on December 31st 1853 was 54 sailing- 

 vessels of 4678 tons burden, and 3 steam-vessels of 135 tons burden. 

 During 1853 thera entered 319 sailing-vessels of 21.6S9 tons, and 

 cleared 302 Bailing-vessels of 19,0ii tons aggregate burden. Perth 



