On the 8th. we passed the island of _Busheab_, which, in HEATHER’S map, is placed much too far to the eastward, and which ought to be called “_Khoshaub_, or pleasant water,” from the fresh spring in its territory. It is a long and low slip, but the land on the continent behind it is extremely high. We had a light sea breeze all day, that carried us off _Cape Nabon_, a part of the province of _Farz_. The thermometer stood at 93° in the cabin after dinner. On the morning of the 9th. it was reported that a fleet of five ships were seen from the mast-head. We conjectured that they might be Arab ships, bound from _Muscat_ to _Bussorah_, which about this season proceed on their voyages. They carry thither annually eight thousand bales of coffee; and in return get cargoes of dates. The sea breeze of the day was extremely light, and set in at noon. In the evening the _Barnhill_, a remarkable piece of land, (which derived its name from its resemblance to an old and decayed thatched building, and which is situated over the town of _Congoon_,) bore N. and by W. of us. Here the whole coast is very high. On the morning of the 10th. we were off the _Barnhill_. The five ships had thus far kept us in a state of suspense; as we imagined that they might be the fleet of the _Imaum_ of _Muscat_, who possesses thirty sail of different descriptions. Some of his ships, indeed, are of a thousand tons burthen; and one of forty guns, built at _Bombay_, is rather a formidable vessel.[10] The _Imaum_ in person frequently parades about the Persian gulph with his armament. He is an independant prince, and his jurisdiction, though principally confined to _Muscat_, extends yet generally over the province of _Oman_. At present he is friendly to us, and we have a resident at his court, who seldom remains there long, for the badness of its air has rendered it the burial place of too many Englishmen. At length we boarded the Arabs, and they proved to be, as we had originally expected, a fleet of the _Imaum’s_ merchantmen, laden with coffee, rice, &c. bound to _Bushire_ and _Bussorah_. They had been fifteen days from _Muscat_. One of the five was a fine vessel of six hundred tons burthen, which about four years before was purchased by the _Imaum_ at the _Isle of France_, and was then called the _Sterling Castle_. There were also two _grabs_, which are ships in every respect like the others, except that they have lengthened prows instead of rounded bows. These _grabs_ the Arabs can manage to build themselves in their own ports, as it is easy to extend the timbers of a ship, until they connect themselves into a prow; but they have not yet attained the art of forming timber fit to construct bows.