148 CIVIL HISTORY AND 



powerful tribes in Arabia, whose jurisdiction ex- 

 tended so far through the Desert as often to harass 

 the caravans passing between Bagdad and Aleppo. 

 Katif, or EI Katif, is a port and a large trading 

 town, with a deep bay and the rains of an old Por- 

 tuguese fortress. The inhabitants share with the 

 Bahrein islands in their pearl-fishery as well as in 

 their general commerce, though the governments 

 are independent of each other. Graine is a large 

 and populous town, seated on a fine bay ; though the 

 sandy desert presses close upon its walls, and not 

 a blade of vegetation enlivens the dreary scenery 

 around. It stands about fifty miles from the bar 

 of the Euphrates ; and is chiefly inhabited by mer- 

 cantile and trading people, who engage in all the 

 branches of conmierce carried on throughout the 

 Gulf. Their principal employment is fishing, and 

 Niebuhr states that more than 800 boats were 

 engaged in this species of naval industr}^ 



The isles of Bahrein may be considered as part 

 of Hajar, and were formei^ly subject to the lords 

 or kings of Lahsa. They were taken possession of, 

 after many revolutions and changes of masters, by 

 the combined arms of the Portuguese and Persians ; 

 and Antonio Correa, the leader of the former, added 

 the title of Bahrein to his name. The cause of 

 this expedition was the refusal of Mocrim, sheik of 

 Lahsa, to pay tribute. The chief was beheaded, 

 and the Portuguese commander, in memory of the 

 share which he had in this event, was authorized to 

 bear a king's head in his coat-of-arms, which the 

 historians of his own country say is still borne by 

 his descendants. These islands are two in number ; 

 the larger is called Bahrein, an appellation which 

 seems modern, for Abulfeda, and the Arabs of the 

 coast call it Aval; the smaller retains its ancient 

 name of Arad. The length of the former is about 

 ten miles, and its breadth five. Its general appear- 

 ance is low ; but it is everjrvvhere fertile, well 



