394 
NOTES, 
four months sooner than in the West Indies, Olivier, tom. v. p. 218, 233. On the capa¬ 
bility of Persia to supply Russia with sugar and cotton, see Olivier, p. 336. 
Grampus , possibly the whale of Arrian , p. 50.]—The whales in the Indian ocean have 
been celebrated from the time of Pliny; and Sir Harford Jones, in a note to Vin¬ 
cent’s Nearchus, mentions them high up in the Persian Gulph : it is probable there¬ 
fore that the bones, of which the houses on the coast were constructed, were those of 
real whales. 
Kharrack, p. 52.]—The island of Kharrack at one time excited considerable interest; 
when it was seized and fortified by the Baron Knipii ausen. The motives of his enterprise 
are very unimportant, although it may be added, that the heroical character in which he 
appears in Ives, as the founder of a new settlement, is somewhat reduced in the 44 Free 
44 Merchants’ Letters,” of Joseph Price, p. 172. It is sufficient that even in its first 
days this colony was dependant on a neighbouring island (Corgo), and the main land of 
Persia for its provisions. Niebuhr indeed relates the singular and fatal stratagem con¬ 
nected with this supply. The Sheik of Bushire, who furnished these necessaries to 
Kharrack, was at war with the Sheik of Bunder-righ, and as the Dutch were alike involved 
in the hostilities, the communications between the island and Bushire were often carried 
on by night. The Sheik of Bushire profited by this circumstance ; and putting poultry into 
tw r o armed ships, sent them against two galvettes, laid up under the walls of the citadel: 
44 A l’approche de l’isle on secuoit les cages pour faire crier les poules, et la sentinelle 
44 Ilollandoise entandant ces cris de la volaille crut que e’etoit les vaisseaux d'Abu 
44 schdhr (Bushire), and qu’il etoit inutile d’eveiller les autres matelots.” Descr. del 
Arabia, p. 2S0. This success was soon followed up, and the Dutch were expelled from 
the island. Ives recommended to our government the possession of Kharrack. Voyage, 
p. 226: but independently of the precariousness of its supplies, Niebuhr mentions the 
mortality among the Europeans there, though he adds indeed, that they died 44 moins pas 
44 l’air mal sain de l’isle, que pas leur maniere de vivre,” p. 2S1. It was an early object of 
the French government. By a treaty signed at Paris, and negociated by M. Pyrault at 
Bassora, Kerim Khan, the Regent of Persia, engaged to cede Kharrack ; but, the sup¬ 
pression of the French East India Company intervened, and the object was neglected. It 
was again surrendered by the treaty of 1808, and in the intermediate time, when he was 
himself sent by the Directory as a secret agent, Olivier observes, that the Persian 
government would have repeated the cession. His conclusion is remarkable; the object 
would have been advantageous to us, says he, 44 si nous avions voulu serieusement nous 
44 etablir en Egypte; si de la nous avions voulu porter nos vues de commerce sur le golfe 
44 Persique, sur Bassora, sur Bagdad ; si nous avions voulu reprendre un commerce actif 
44 avec l’lnde; si nous avions voulu ouvrir des communications entre l’isle de France, 
44 Mascate, and Bassora.” Tom. v. p. 157. 
Ormuz , p. 52.]—When Olivier, was in Persia, the Imaum of Muscat was negotiating 
3 
