DHOW, a type of vessel used throughout the Arabian Sea. The language to which the word belongs is unknown. Used of any craft along the East African coast, it is usually applied to the vessel of about 1 so to 200 tons burden with a stem rising with a long slope from the water; dhows generally have one mast with a lateen sail, the yard being of enormous length. Much of the coasting trade of the Red Sea and Persian Gulf is carried on by these vessels. They were the regular vessels employed in the slave trade from the east coast of Africa.