The noted Norwegian explorer and anthropologist. Thor Heyderdahl, has reached Bahrain in his reed-boat and is preparing to continue his voyage of discovery.

SYNOPSIS: The boat called, Tigris, reached Bahrain on Thursday (8 December) from Al Qurnah in Iraq. The ungainly craft had to contend with contrary winds and according to Thor Heyderdahl did not sail at all well.

The 18 metre (59 foot) boat is built of reeds after the pattern used by ancient Sumerians. Boats like it were used as long as five thousand years ago. The mast is made of stronger material as are other fittings on the reed-boat, but there is no material in it that wasn't available to the ancient Sumerians.

Heyerdahl hopes to prove that, using reed boats, the ancient Sumerians could have found their way from southern Iraq to India, and even Central America. It would have made the Sumerians the first people to spread civilisation by taking to the sea.