WESTERN INDIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.

BY MR. JOHN MUNSTER MEMBER OF THE ANTHRO

POLOGICAL SOCIETY OF BOMBAY.

The transition stage of British shipping, from the Coracle of the Ancient Britons to the present-day Atlantic liner, has lasted nearly two thousand years, during which period the art of construction has steadily improved.

The evolution in naval architecture, from the coracle to the Clipper Ship of last century has shown a steady advancement, but the principle of motive power, thus far, remained unchanged. Then, at the beginning of last century, the first steamer was launched, and from that time not only the advancement in construction, but the improvement of motive power has been much more rapid.

Now let us turn to the shores of India and the Persian Gulf and we shall see a striking contrast. Here we find the construction of the sea-going and coasting native craft are the same today as they have been throughout the centuries. For the reason that as, comparatively speaking, the modern civilization of Europe has advanced, the ancient civilization of the East has remained stationary; and this fact is all the more wonderful when one considers the amount of sea-borne trade carried by these vessels.

There are several rigs and classes among these craft as among British sailing vessels. Locally among European deep water sailors they are all classed under the name of Dhow, but this term is really quite an inaccuracy. For as we, for instance, have our Cutters, Schooners, Brigs and Ships, etc., so among the socalled Dhows there are Muchwas, Prows, Gulbats, Phatimar's, Kotia's and Baghla's which, although they appear to the casual observer, nautical or otherwise, to be much of a muchness, being all of lateen rig, are really of quite different construction and rig to each other.

The Prow, for instance, is a large open cargo vessel of from thirty to a hundred tons, with rounded stern, overhanging spoon bow, very broad in the beam, having two cargo spaces or open holds, situated one aft and one forward of the mast-step, one mast stepped almost amidships, raking forward, which carries, one large lateen sail, and they are usually manned by seven to nine hands, including the tindal or native captain, and are used for harbour work such as lighterage, etc.

The Muchwa is of the same type of construction and rig as he Prow, but is much smaller and lighter built, being usually only about three to twenty tons, and carries about three to four hands of a crew.

The Gulbat and Phatimar of India are used in the coasting trade; the Gulbat being an undecked vessel from twenty to eighty tons, with long, low hull, overhanging spoon bow and rounded stern, and having a good beam; her rig being two masts taking forward, fitted with large lateen sails. This class of vessel has a kind of thatched roof like the thatch of a hut, extending from right aft to midships, used partly as a shelter for the crew, and partly as a protection for the cargo. The crew consist of from six to a dozen men all told, according to tonnage. The Phatimar is also a coasting craft, very similar in construction to the Gulbat, but much larger, some being as much as two hundred ton register. They have three masts and are of lateen rig, having a square high-pitched stern and carry sometimes as many as twenty-five hands.

The Indian Kotia and Arab Dhow or Baghla are, as a rule, large sea-going decked vessels, whose tonnage varies, but the larger vessel of this class are about three hundred tons register. They are quaint-looking craft with high poops, square sterns and overhanging spoon bows, and one or two masts as the case may be. The mast in this class of vessel rakes slightly forward, but not to such an extent as in the case of other native craft, alhough they also carry lateen sails.