Page 323 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

RESIDENCY AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AOENCY FOR 1885*80. 27

village there, but had been attacked by tho people, and in the souffle two robbers and three
villagers had been slain. Tho band had just returned and were scattering to their homes, and
tho two scamps after overhauling our camel had decamped to a distant village. Tho Sheikh here
was unable to do anything in the matter, and so I got no redress. Obri lias by for tho largest
aud most frequented market in Kl-Dhahirch, and it is besides the thieves'bazar of the province,
whore all tho loot collected in Oman and tho Betinah is brought and sold by auction. There
are 62 shops in tho bazar displaying all tho commodities usually required by Arabs, and I
noticed goldsmiths, blacksmiths, carpenters, and other tradesmen in it. The Sheikh Muha-
mad-bin-Abdulla-cl-Yakcebi was very friendly and agreeable and accompanied mo all over the
town; ho was very particular in showing me the Jami mosquo, which the inhabitants are very
proud of, as it is ono of tho largest and best in Oman. Ho told me Obri was a famous place
for fruit, and that limes, mangoes, dates, peaches, apricots, figs, &c., were largely exported.
There is a small fort here with a high tower, but I did not go over it. Obri was visited by
Wells ted and Whitelock of tho Indian Navy in March 1836. They were here two days ap­
parently, and the spot where their tent was pitched was pointed out to me. Their visit was
badly timed, as tho Wababccs were then marching through, and the two officers were hissed
and stoned out of the town and compelled to return to the coast. There arc 16 hara3 or
quarters in the town, and the population is about 3,000, composed of many different tribes*
The elevation is 1,180 feet.
On the 26th, riding due north for 26 miles, we reached Dhauk at 4r p.il. After cross­
ing the Obri range, which has an average height of 400 feet, we traversed a level plain all the
way, with low hills away to the right, stretching up to the high range known as the Hajar*
To the left or westwards there are soveral villages, but no sign of a hill breaks the level line of
the horizon. It rained heavily to-day, and the air was bitterly cold, so by the time we reached
Mazun, a Belooch town 13 mile3 from Obri, we were all shivering. The people at Dhank
were very civil and well behaved, but not demonstrative; they said they had not 6een a
European here before. Tho number of souls here is about 4,000, composed of four tribes—the
“ Naeem, a f( Washasha," “ Azcez,n and “ Al-boo-shamis." They make cloth here. The Wady
Dhank and the Wady Boo Karba both join the Wady Safa, a largo water-course in the
ramool or desert, running to Abuthabi almost parallel with tho Wady Ein; the u Jebel Okdat"
of Wellstcd is purely mythical; there is no hill range in that direction whatever, except
Hafeet, near El-Beraimi.
27th,—Lucerne grass not being grown at Dhank, our camels had nothing for supper last
night but dates and barley. Starting at 8, we wind up the narrow stony bed of the Wady
Dhank until wc emerge from tho gap in the low bills through which it flows, when it rapidly
widens out to a breadth of half a mile with a fine stream of water in the middle. The banks
are here about 100 feet high, and it is on this expanse that tho famous battle of Dbank was
fought between Sayid Turki and Sayid Azzan-bin-Kais in 1869, in which Sayid Azzan was
completely ronted with a loss of 300 killed. His force consisted of 4,000 men and a field*
piece, but Sayid Torki's force, though numerically very inferior, was more skilfully handled and
sustained but slight loss in the engagement. Sayid Azzan never recovered the prestige he
lost in this contest. After four miles we come to the village of Doot, and seven miles
farther is Fida, with a very long though narrow fringe of date-palms along the Wady. Both
these places belong to the Beni Zeed. Five miles further is Yenkal, which I was unable to
visit, as our road at Fida branched off to the right and led us across a barren plain to Aridh,
where we were to halt for the night. This place, like Makiniyat, belongs to our guide, Sheikh
Nasir-el- ~ Jbani, but the people are a mixture from the Beni Shekeyl, Omar,and Kelbani
tribes. There is a small tower here but no fort.
28th,—We left Aridh at 7-30 and reached Musk in at 12, the ground rising gradually
Muskin is in the Wady El-Kebcer and belongs to the Beni Kelban. Its elevation is 2,750 feet.
The Hajar range, like the Jebel Akhdar, slopes gradually to the desert on the western side, but
on its seaward or eastern face falls abruptly and presents a precipitous aspect From noon to
dark we continue to descend the eastern face of this range, winding down in a 3. E. direotion
among narrow ravines and steep declivities until we reach Mahbeh, a small hamlet in the
’ft ady Bani Ghafir, whore we camp for tho night To-day the high peak of Jebel Shown waa
soen by me for the first time.
29th.—For some hours we descend the Wady Beni Ghafir until we came to Dahas, a
walled town with a fort in the centre on an eminence. Farther on we came to the Wady
Sahtan of the Beni Ghafir, who havs recently wrested possession of it from the Ihriyeen, and
at * wach Rostak, where we are hospitably received by 8yod Hamad bin-el-Imam in tho

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