Manchurian Books

At one of the most considerable contractions stands the handsome
fort Luft. Fifteen years since the principal stronghold of the
Persian pirates was in this neighbourhood. A severe battle was
fought between them and the English, near Luft, in which upwards of
800 were killed, many taken prisoners, and the whole gang broken up.
Since that event, perfect security has been restored.
5th May. We left the straits, and three days later came to anchor
off Buschir.
There are considerable quantities of sea-weeds and molluscae in the
Persian Gulf; the latter had many fibres, were of a milk-white
colour, and resembled a forest agaric in form; others had a
glistening rose colour with small yellow spots. Conger eels of two
or three feet in length were not uncommon.
8th May. The town of Buschir is situated on a plain six miles from
the mountains, whose highest peak, called by the Persians Hormutsch,
by the English Halala, is 5,000 feet high.
The town contains 15,000 inhabitants, and has the best harbour in
Persia; but its appearance is very dirty and ugly.


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