The 37th assembly, called of Sa’dah (1)

Al Harith, son of Hammam, related: I had travelled up to Sa’dah (a large town in Upper Yemen), at a time when I was straight of stature like a spear-shaft and of vigor that outstripped the daughters of Sa’dah (1) (in the following line of the original it is given that the Zebra or onager, is resembling the women of that place in beauty and graceful agility).

The next paintings are a ship in the Persian Gulf traveling from Basra to Oman. One sees the sailors hoisting the sails of the boat, built for navigation in open sea and seaman (others say two women) (but in all cases clearly african) in the hull with earthenware jars, bailing out water, a constant problem in perso-arab ships.  Indian elements like the details of the ship, undoubtedly come from the knowledge which one had due to the trade of the Eastern ships with the Iraqi ports.
The crew appears to be also indian and rather dark skinned, while the muslim passengers wearing turbans are evidently Arab or Persian. There is apparently at least one deck, since the negro looking people employed as bailers are on a lower level then the passengers.

The stern rudder, fixed at the back of the ship operated by a rope-steering system (which was typical of the Omani double ended badan, baggara and zaruka) facilitates the operation of the boats.  Until then, one knew only the side rudder handling itself like an oar.
Other features worthy of note: the crow's nest, a deck house located ahead of the mast, a straight stem, a curious curved stern and an iron four pronged grapnel anchor hanging a divided bowsprit. A dual bowsprit could be found up to 30 to 50 years ago on the Kuwaiti bum, a double ended ship with a straight bow set at an angle of 45 degrees.

This illustrations are the oldest drawing we have of Persian boats on the open sea. It got used by Chittick in 1980 as the example of the ships in which the Arabs traded in East Africa.
Chittick 1980, sewn boats in the western Indian Ocean and a survival in Somalia, The international journal of Nautical Archaeology and underwater exploration 9(4) ; 297-304

(1) Saada, a city and ancient capital in the northwest of Yemen.

(2) dirhams: silver coin of the Arab world (3 gr of silver).

The Maqamat of Al-Hariri also gives proof of the African Diaspora. The following pictures are miniature paintings found in different manuscripts.