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A Survey of the Arabian Gulf

A detailed manuscript chart of the Gulf: ‘Received from Mr Fulton Master RN’. This chart shows the routes of voyages undertaken in 1807, 1813 and 1817. There are two insets: one of Muscat and Muttrah (1785), the other of Busheer (1809)

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This chart shows the entirety of the Gulf from Muscat on the Arabian coast and Mukoa on the Iranian, to the Euphrates and land named as ‘Shat Al Arab’ (now Iraq and Iran). The manuscript plots the routes of various voyages that were undertaken by HM Sloop Scorpion along the Persian coast, in January to March 1807; and HMS Hesper, which ventured south the Arabian coast in May - July 1813; and a latter addition to the chart, in red, and clearly of a different hand, of the islands, from Captain Maude’s voyage in March 1817.

Hydrographical soundings are recorded, as are anchorages, water and vegetation, pearl shoals and fisheries. On the Arabian side: ‘Low sandy coast with trees, some forts, 2 small villages’ are recorded between Boothabeen (Abu Dhabi) and Dobay (Dubai). Of significant note are the remarks relating to these voyages, which, although sometimes difficult to read, are not only informative, but also explanatory and raise questions in themselves. The remarks relating to the Arabian coast go some way to explain the confused overlay of different coastlines and the ‘over longitude’: with ‘no time keeper on board and the weather so continually thick and foggy, no observations could be taken to obtain it’. This is followed by an admittance that ‘the last departure was taken from the Isle of Zara’ and that this is ‘placed to far to the west?’ The remarks are continued with references to the ‘irregularity of the soundings and shoals along the Arabian coast and the discovery of white sand, shells and stones. Of particular note is the remark: ‘the comments to tides appears to be very irregular both in their thought and direction. Frequently there is no … at all and I think but seldom a strong one’. This, and the remark along the western coast (now Mirfa to Ruwais ) which was ‘Very badly laid down’, leads one to question whether the hydrographical work of another was under scrutiny on this voyage. On a final point, the remark, ‘The whole of the Southern coast of the Gulf is very little known and seldom frequented’, emphasises the lack of interest and therefore understanding of the Arabian coast, at this time.  In the centre of the chart there are remarks relating to the ‘prevailing north west wind which blow all year round’ and that ‘December and January, are the only months to depend on having southerly winds’. To the right of this are the: ‘Pearl Shoals of HMS Sloop Scorpion 1807’. The remarks at the top of the chart relate to the Busheer inset; providing directions to safely anchor using ‘the flagstaff of the factory’, ‘part of a bluff hill North of Hallelah Peak’, ‘high land’ and ‘a few straggling date palms’. Of interest are the questions that this chart raises in terms of those who contributed. There are clearly two different hands, and possibly even three, and there are two question marks which relate to this subject: one next to ‘Fulton’ in the map title; and the other next to ‘Maude’ in the mid-lower section of the chart.