PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF ADEN. 
29 
Proceeding along the road about a mile to the westward, another pass 
has to be crossed where a spur of the main chain of hills runs down to 
the sea. After a few windings in and out along the water's edge, Stea- 
mer Point is arrived at, where there is a crescent, called Prince of Wales 
Crescent, consisting of some fair-sized stone houses. Behind these are 
several streets of double and single-storied houses reaching to the 
hillside. 
Close by, north-west of the crescent, lie the coal grounds of Govern- 
ment and the various steam navigation companies which have depots at 
Aden. Not far from these to the north-westward is the landing-pier. 
Beyond and close to the sea-shore are situated a few buildings, includ- 
ing the Police Court and Post-office. Above this part of the road, on a 
spur which is connected with the more lofty hills in the interior of the 
peninsula, barracks, a hospital, and other public buildings have been 
erected, as also the residences and offices of the Harbour-master, the 
Peninsular and Oriental and Messageries Mari times Companies' agents. 
On a conical hill about a quarter of a mile beyond the Post-office stands 
the station flagstaff, below which lies the Protestant church. Near this 
the road crosses the spur on which the barracks, etc., are situated, and 
after traversing in a south-westerly direction a plain of about 500 yards 
in extent, it terminates on Ras Tarschyne. On this headland are built 
the residency and the mess-house and quarters of the officers of the 
Royal Artillery. 
On Ras Baradlee to the south, the Eastern Telegraph Company have 
erected a handsome office. 
South east of the Telegraph building there opens, between two 
narrow promontories a broad valley, the so-called Goldmore Valley, 
which rises from the sea up to the circular ridge enclosing the crater. 
Net far from the point where the two spurs, which enclose the valley, 
meet, there is the Shum Shum Flagstaff. At some distance east of the 
Flagstaff there is a narrow ravine, the Koosaf Valley, and to the north- 
east a somewhat broader valley, the Biggari Valley. 
The island of Sirah commands the eastern bay and town of Aden. 
It is a somewhat triangular rock about 480 feet high towards the north- 
ern end, and half a mile long by 600 yards broad. In former times it 
was entirely cut off from the peninsula of Aden, but already as early as 
1839 Captain Haines wrote: u Of late years the sand has filled up the 
small creek which used to separate it from the main land, consequently 
at low water it is now joined to the coast of Arabia." 1 
1 Haines, S. B. : Memoir to accompany a Chart of the South Coast of Arabia from the 
Entrance of the Red Sea to Misenat, in 50° 43' 25'' E. Journ. Roy. Geogr, Soc. Lond.. Vol 9 
(1839), p. 133. 
