Page 173 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)
P. 173

134                TRAVELS IN OMAN.                      [CH.


                               contrast to the bleak and barren appearance

                               of the general surface of the range. Water
                               seems plentiful; and some of the fruit-trees

                               are very large. The natives make incisions in
                               several of the pomegranate fruit, which cluster

                               together on the same branch, and place under
                                them large calabashes, into which the juice

                                for some time continues to flow. It is after­
                                wards mixed with that of the grape, for

                                making wine.
                                   After descending another pass of about

                                seven hundred feet, we arrived at a third
                                town called Shirazi. But the ground in its

                                neighbourhood was so uneven and rugged,
                                that we found no place where our small tent

                                could be pitched; and as the nights at this
                                elevation are excessively cold, I was very

                                desirous to obtain the shelter of a house.
                                After being led from one to the other, the in­

                                mates of all refusing to admit us, on the plea
                                of having no room, we were at length shown

                                into a low, confined, filthy apartment, and our
                                baggage lodged with us. We had not been

                                seated here very long, before an old woman
                                made her appearance with a flock of sheep

                                and goals, to whose tenement we now dis­
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