autobiography which is described as "a mixture of lies, hypocrisy and
self-prostitution." He died on the 23rd of April 1792.

See life, with detailed bibliography, by Paul Tschakert in Herzog-Hauck,
_Realencyklopadie_; a more favourable account is given in J. M. Robertson's
_Short History of Freethought_, ii. 278.

BAHREIN ISLANDS, a group of islands situated about 20 m. east of the coast
of El Hasa, in the Persian Gulf, a little to the south of the port of El
Katif, which, if rightly identified with the ancient Gerrha, has been
celebrated throughout history as the mart of Indian trade, the
starting-point of caravans across Arabia. The largest of the group is
called Bahrein. It is about 27 m. long from north to south and about 10
wide--a low flat space of sandy waste with cultivated oases and palm groves
of great luxuriance and beauty. The rocky hill of Jebel Dukhan (the
"mountain of the mist") rises in the midst of it to a height of 400 ft. The
rest of the group are of coral formation. The next island in size to
Bahrein is Moharek, curved in shape, and about 5 m. long by 1/2 m. in
breadth. It lies 1 m. to the north of Bahrein. Sitrah (4 m. long) Nebbi,
Saleh, Sayeh, Khasifeh and Arad (3/4 m. long) complete the group. Of these
minor islands Arad alone retains its classical name.

The climate is mild, but humid, and rather unhealthy. The soil is for the
most part fertile, and produces rice, pot herbs and fruits, of which the
citrons are especially good. Water is abundant. Fish of all kinds abound
off the coast, and are very cheap in the markets. The inhabitants are a
mixed race of Arab, Omanite and Persian blood, slender and small in their
physical appearance; they possess great activity and intelligence, and are
known in all the ports of the Persian Gulf for their commercial and
industrial ability.

The sea around the Bahrein islands is shallow, so shallow as to admit only
of the approach of native craft, and the harbour is closely shut in by
reefs. There is very little doubt that it was from these islands that the
Puni, or Phoenicians, emigrated northwards to the Mediterranean. Bahrein
has always been the centre of the pearl fishing industry of the Persian
Gulf. There are about 400 boats now employed in the pearl fisheries, each
of them paying a tax to the Sheik. The pearl export from Linja is valued at
about L30,000 to L35,000 per annum.

The capital town of Bahrein is _Manameh_, a long, straggling, narrow town