THE RED SEA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2570, 29 December 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE RED SEA.

Bf.twken' Arabia and the African coast lies the long gulf, or inland salt water, familiarly known as the Red Sea.. In reality it is a basin, which forms the lowest part of the deep valley, bounded on the east by the Arabian hills and on the west by the African highlands, In all likelihood, the sterile sandy tracts on either shore before the highlands are reached at one time also formed the bed of the sea. At present the gulf is about 400 miles in length, and from 20 to 30 miles in breadth, while its greatest depth varies from 1,05-t fathoms to from 3 to 30 or4o in the shallow Gulf of Suez. Its shores are, however, everywhere bordered by coral reefs, which, combined with the prevalence of rocks, shoals, aud violent winds, make the navigation of the Red Sea dangerous. The coast line, broken np by bays, gulfs, and promontories, forms tho seaward boundary of Abyssinia and part of Arabia and Egypt, but there are also a number of islands in the sea itself which are not without political or geographical interest. Most of these islets are detached but the Farsans and Dhalaes are iu groups. The former, lying near the eastern shore, have several goud harbours, were it not for the coral reefs around them. The Dhalaca, which consist mainly of one large island, are of coral, and iu general Hat and sandy, but are inhabited by a i considerable colony of fishermen, who trade with Lolicia and Ghiz.iu on the Arabian mainland, their fish, sharks' fins, turtle,, and pearl being readily exchangeable for millet and dates. It may be added that the popular name has been variously explained. It has been supposed to be derived from the red colour of the rocks, from the presence of a minute red weed iu its waters, or from i the reddish tinge Imparted to the shallow i sea by the underlying red sandstone and 1 coral.—From the Countries of the World, i