Page 89 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (3)_Neat

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NEGLECTED ARABIA ll

kcc|icrn knew where the curuvun Intended tu cutup fur the night ami
dicy would start out at once, overtake them during the night and bring
them back the following day. We rose, left the room and took our place
un the Hoor among the expectant crowd.
"Ghamees,” said the Sheikh, turning to the black door keeper, “the
Hakim (doctor) wants you and Hilaal to go to the/caravan and tell
them to come back. He wants you to go at once so you will get to their •«
place before they pack up in the morning.', It was. already ten o'clock
at night but they went.
1 don't know how, but somehow, for in some mysterious way does
news travel in the East, people learned about the change in our plans,
and the next morning patients waiting for operations had occupied prac­
tically all places made vacant by others who had left the l^st two days.
I i-:
» The next day, early in the afternoon, the caravan led by our two faith­
ful doorkeepers returned. They had walked ail night. We unpacked,
*ct up shop again and began to work the next day.
;
A very interesting development, however, centered around our accuser
Uaroonie. The day before we were to have left we heard that a messenger
from Sheikh Isa had come ordering him to leave Oman. The next day
another messenger from the Imam is said to have delivered a similar % t
message. And the day thereafter he actually did leave, bag and baggage.
• ’ He had received orders to quit the town, he had made enough trouble. *
It seems almost like the tale of Mordicai and Haman over again. f. -
\Ve remained in Someil another eighteen days, and never were more t.
cordially treated or kept busier. People from every part of Oman came. i •
A stream of camels and donkeys gathered in the dry Wady bed adjoining
uur house. Sheikhs and servants, rich and poor alike came. Sheikh Isa
Ktit two of his sons, two nephews and three women folks and many •t
i
Krvuultf for operations uml treatment. The Imam loo sent patients to us *• «
ilmust daily. The. climax had come and gone and everything was now !«
oormal again, and when we departed we left many friends and well
wishers behind us. When our donkeys gathered in the court yard to take
us away, Sheikh Isa's son and heir and his retinue, Sheikh Hilaal and his
retinue, dozens of patients and friends were there to bid us farewell
ind to urge us to return another time. Four of the Sheikh's soldiers and
Kveral citizens riding camels and donkeys escorted us out of the town
jjul two of Sheikh Hilaal's men went with us to Muscat., So ended a i
mur that seemed doomed to failure and yet fortunately turned out better
I hail expected.
In a total of forty-five working days we were able to make 4,581 treat­ «.•
ments in the dispensary and do 199 major and 303 minor operations. i •
Two peculiar incidents of the trip occurred during our week's stay in !'
Muscat after our return from Someil. One morning the secretary of the
Sultan of Muscat came saying the Sultan requested me to go to see «
Sheikh Baroonie who was ill. Since his sudden despatch from Someil
he had not been very well and had suffered from fever the past few days,
iml had expressed a desire to have the American doctor come and see
him. I went to treat him and had my first and only opportunity to see
the man who caused all our troubles in Someil. il
On another day, late in the afternoon, a note came from the British
i.
Consul saying that the Sultan’s brother, Prince Hamed of Sohar, had

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