Routes between ‘Oqair and Jabrin Oasis in Eastern Nejd from surveys by Major R.E. Cheesman O.B.E. 1923-24

Description

A map of Cheesman’s ornithological expedition in Saudi Arabia, beginning at Uquair (on the coast just south of Bahrain), passing through the Hasa oasis and al-Hofuf to Yabreen oasis in the Eastern Province.

In 1923, during a journey into the Arabian Peninsula, Cheesman collected over 300 specimens from the Hasa oasis, several of them previously unknown to science. These specimens are currently in the British Museum.

Cheesman was the first man to map the Arabian coast from the Gulf of Salwah to Uqair. In 1924 he fixed the position of Hofuf and identified the site of ancient Gerrha. He presented his findings to Ibn Sa’ud at his court in Hofuf. He was later given the Gill Memorial Award for this work by the Royal Geographical Society.

In 1936 he was awarded the Patron’s Gold Medal of the society for his explorations and surveys of the Blue Nile and Lake Tana.