XXIV. — Notes made in the course of a Voyage from Bombay to Bushire in 

 the Persian Gulf : transmitted, with a Series of illustrative Specimens, 



By JAMES FRASER, Esq. M.G.S. 



[Read November 15th, 1822.] 



After a tedious voyage I arrived, on the 4th July 1821, off Rausul-heed, 

 which in Arabic signifies the land's end. From this promontory, situate at 

 the south-eastern extremity of Arabia, the coast as you advance northwards 

 (and I beheve westwards also) presents a succession of precipitous and often 

 overhanging cliffs, seldom less than 100 feet high. If a sandy beach occurs 

 beneath, it is generally narrow and of inconsiderable length. 



From Rausul-heed to Muscat the vessel was always in sight of the coast, 

 the characteristic feature of which is extreme barrenness. Not a blade of 

 grass could be discovered, nor any sign either of vegetable or animal life. 



The sea-clilfs are backed by a range of mountains, which sometimes retire 

 to a considerable distance inland, sometimes approach the shore. Their 

 height is very variable, but at Cape Coriatte it cannot be less than 3000 feet. 



These mountains vary also in colour. Some are dark brown streaked with 

 gray, others light brown ; both are wild and rugged, but the latter are more 

 frequently indented by ravines than the former, and more distinctly stratified. 



At the Cove of Muscat, the rock proved on examination to be serpentine, 

 traversed by veins or strings of calcareous spar. Asbestus also is said to occur 

 in it. It breaks into rhomboidal masses, and exhibits a tendency to stratifica- 

 tion. Its strata, if such they are, appear to dip northwards at an angle of 

 about 30". The variety in the colours of this rock, particularly when exposed 

 to the weather, may explain the streaked appearance of the mountains com- 

 posed of it, and its unequal hardness, the ruggedness of their outline. This 

 serpentine may be traced for a considerable distance towards the north-west, 

 but on the south of Muscat is soon lost, and succeeded by a bed of soapy light- 

 coloured slate or shale. Beyond this there is, on the south-west, a narrow 

 valley, along which I proceeded fourteen miles inland. On one side I found, 

 extending along the whole of that tract, a very lofty ridge or cliff of lime- 

 stone. The coSour of this limestone is very variable, — gray, red, yellow, 

 brown, sometimes distinct, sometimes blended with other tints. The pre- 



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