He Had Besides Thrown Up Strong Intrenchments And
Redoubts, Well Provided With Cannon, And These Formidable Military
Preparations Were Under The Charge Of Experienced Commanders.
The Persian Gulf, which intervenes between Arabia and Persia, takes its
name from the latter, as the more noble country.
This famous gulf begins
at Cape Jasques or Carpela, in lat. 26 deg. N. and ends at the mouth of
the river Euphrates, having many cities, rivers, woods, and islands
along its northern or Persian shores. On the other or Arabian shore,
beginning at Cape Mozandan or Musaldon, named Assaborum by the
ancients, and ending where it meets the other side at the Euphrates,
there are only four towns. One of these, Catifa or Al Katif, is
opposite the island of Bahrayn, where is the pearl-fishery. This island
is 30 leagues in circumference, and seven leagues long, and is 110
leagues from Ormuz. The principal product of this island is tamarinds,
but it has likewise all the other fruits that grow in Spain. The largest
town is of the same name with the island, besides which there are about
300 villages, inhabited by Arabs and Moors[162]. The air is very
unhealthy. The pearls found here, though not in such abundance, are more
valuable than those of Ceylon in India, or of Hainan in China. On the
continent of Arabia, opposite to Bahrayn is the city of Lasah[163], of
which Mocrim was king.
[Footnote 162: It is difficult to comprehend the distinction; and
perhaps we ought to read Arabs or Moors. - E.]
[Footnote 163: Lasah may have been the name of the territory, and
perhaps applied likewise to the capital which is named Al Katif in our
maps, and the territory Bahrayn. These are two islands of Bahrayn, one
of which from the text appears to have been named Catifa. - E.]
Having formed his dispositions of attack, Correa landed at the head of
170 Portuguese, giving orders to Reis Xarafo to send assistance wherever
he might see it necessary. Ayres Correa, the brother of the Portuguese
commander, led the van or forlorn hope of fifty men, all of whom were
knee deep in water. The Portuguese assaulted the trenches with great
bravery, and were opposed with much resolution by the enemy, headed by
the king; and after some time both parties were so much fatigued by the
heat as to be under the necessity of taking some respite, as by mutual
consent. After a short rest, the attack was renewed, and the king being
shot through the thigh, of which wound he died six days afterwards, his
men lost heart, and great numbers of them being killed and wounded, they
fled leaving a complete victory to the Portuguese. During the whole
engagement, Reis Xarafo looked on from his vessel as an unconcerned
spectator; but when afterwards the body of the deceased king was carried
over to Lasah for interment, he went there and cut off his head, which
he sent to Ormuz. In this engagement the Portuguese had seven men killed
and many wounded, but the island was effectually reduced.
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