ABSTRACT
FROMtheroofoftheFortonehasa£neviewofthesurrounding desert.Duesouth-westthemuddycreekcurveslikeasnakepast thelittletownofKhan,adependencyofSharjah.Onlythetops ofthehousesandtheslenderminaretarevisible,sinceKhanis hiddenbysand-dunesandanenchantingcopseofdatepalms. Thepalmtreesthickenasonelooksfurthersouth,markingthe beginningoftheflourishingplantationswhichscreenthetownof Dubai,tenmilesdistant.Khanconsistsofaboutahundredhouses, andisruledbyaheadman;theinhabitantsarefishermen,pearl diversandspongecollectors.Thereisaverysmallboat-building industry,whilstsomecharmingbrass-boundchestsaremadethere bynativecraftsmen;thesechestsaremadeofteakwoodandare usuallylacquered,aftertheKuwaitfashion.Thespongeindustry isunimportantandisconfinedtoafewfamilies.Menandwomen wadeintothecreekatlowtidetocollectthesponges,whichare coarseandofanextremelypoorgrade.Theycannotbeexported andareusedbythelocalArabs.
