Fish abound along the shores of the gulf, and fish and dates consti• tute the principal articles of food of the population. Nearly the whole population of the Arabian shores of this sea get their means of sub sisteuce by the pearl-fishery. The moat extensive pearl-fisheries are theme on the several banks not far from the island of Bahrein. About 1500 boat. are employed in this fishery, and each contains ten fire divers and five 'syelsore,' or pullera-np.
The shuns of the gulf are low except near the Strait of Ormuz where the mountains on both sides of Ras Mussendom rise to a con siderable elevation, and coins chew up to the sea. This high coaa1 extends within the gulf about 70 miles, and then the mountain. om the Arabian shore recede to a great distance, leaving a wide plail which extends to the very mouth of the Shat-el-Arab. This plain h sandy, and produces only in a few pieces dates and a little corn. Oi a'l parts of the northern or Persist) shore mountains are visible fron the sea. In some places they retire to a distanoe of 30 miles from thi coast, and at others they approach it within 3 miles. These menu tains in general do not much exceed 3000 feet above the sea. Thi low plain which lite between the shores of the gulf and the mountain a arid and sandy, and in many placea swampy, but exceedingly hot. t produces very little grain, but dates in abundance, and is called by be natives Duabtistan, or Gurmair. Only one river of importance titers the Persian Gulf, namely, the Shat-el-Arab, which is formed by he confluence uf the Tigris and Euphrates, and falls into the moat =them recess of the sea by six or seven channels, of which however inly the most western, called Cassiaa Boni, or Basra, River, is navigable Or vessels of considerable burden. The plain which here borders on
he Persian Gulf extends northward on the banks of the rivers to the nountain ranges which surround the Black Sea on the south. The argest river next to the Shat-el-Arab is the Tab, which falls into the gulf not far from the most eastern month of that river.
It is remarkable that the shores of this gulf, in their whole extent, ire inhabited by one nation, the Arabs. The Arabs are in possession the whole country to the south of the gulf, which is also called Arabia; but on the northern shore they occupy only the Dushtistsn, it low plain ; the mountains at the back of it, as well as the table land uf Iran, which lies behind these mountains, being in possession the Persians. The Imam of Muscat possesses authority over nearly the whole extent of the Duahtistan, at least as far west as Ras Ber listen ; as an acknowledgment of superiority however the Imam pays to the king of Persia an annual rent. The earliest navigation of this gulf which is on record is the voyage of Nearchus.
(Kinneir, Geographical Memoir of the Persian Empire ; Berghaua, Geo. Ilydrographisches Memoir rota Persischen Golf ; Wilson, Memorandum respecting the Pearl Fisheries in the Persian Gulf, in the Land. Geogr. Journal, vol. iii. ; Whitclock, Descriptire Sketch of the Islands and Coast situated at the Entrance of the Persian Gulf, in the Load. Geogr. Journal, vol. viii.)