The harbour of Bahrain - and a summer in Al Batinah

[Bahrain & Oman]. Whish, R[ichard] W[illiam]. Memoir on Bahreyn. (And:) Pengelly, W. M. Remarks on a Portion of the Eastern Coast of Arabia between Muscat and Sohar. (In:) The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From June 1860 to December 1862. [...]. Volume XVI.

€ 15,000.00

Rare first edition of the 16th volume of the "Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society", containing a detailed geographical account of island of Bahrain and the navigation of its waters, with particular attention to the Khaur-el-Bab channel, which had long been reported by pilots to be unnavigable (apparently at the direction of the Sheikh of Bahrain, who was jealous of other powers using it), but which had recently been proved a feasible and even important approach. Lt. R. W. Whish, surveyor and commander of the Indian Navy schooner HMS Mahi, includes with his report a large (71 x 51 cm) map of the northern half of Bahrain, entitled, "Survey of Bahreyn Harbour and the Khaur-el-Bab. Executed in HMS 'Mahi' IN as opportunity offered, whilst stationed as Guard Vessel between Bahreyn and Demam, from October 1859 to March 1860".

Further includes an account by Lt. Wm. M. Pengelly, British Agent at Muscat, of the Omani coast between Sohar and Muscat, describing flora and fauna, towns and forts of the Al Batinah region, with several meteorological tables for the months of June, July and August.

The first 90 pages comprise the "Proceedings" of the Society, and these contain much interesting material of their own: for example, the session at which Pengelly presented his description of Oman also includes a first-hand account of the 1861 eruption of Jebel Dubbi (or Edd), a volcano in the Southern Red Sea Region of Eritrea. The following pages contain the articles submitted by members of the Society, dealing with various additional subjects of research in India, Peru, Palestine, Suez, Africa, and Japan.

Binding a little rubbed, but generally in excellent condition. Presentation copy, handsomely bound for D. J. Kennelly, secretary of the Bombay Geographical Society, with lithographed presentation bookplate to front pastedown, dated 1866.