Page 130 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

VII.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 91

rows shallow ravines. When rain falls on the

mountains these serve as channels to feed
the main stream, which flows along the bed

of the valley with much impetuosity, and
finally discharges itself into the sea at Ras

Mazura. As the chain where they originate
is, however, of primitive formation, and the

country through which they subsequently
pass of an arid and sandy description, they

bring no fertilising principle: yet the water,
filtering through the channel during their

brief course, affords, by means of wells, a
plentiful supply at other seasons of the year.

At four, p.m., we halted at the frontier
village of the Bedi’ah district. From Beni-

Abu-’Ali to this point I count sixteen hours
slow travelling, or forty-two miles ; and, as the

road winds very little, this may be con­
sidered the correct distance, as I found from

its agreeing with the observations. The
Arabs call all the portion of country from

Beni-Abu-’All to this point, Ja’ilan.
Bedi’ah is a collection of seven hamlets,

situated in as many oases, each containing
from two to three hundred houses. The suk,

or market, is held on that which is the most