Page 188 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

X.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 149

valley a hill of a pyramidal form, on whose
summit stood a ruined tower of large dimen­

sions and massive architecture. This build­
ing is said, in latter years, to have served

the purpose of a mosque; the date of its
erection I could not ascertain, but tradition
asserts that it was also frequented as a place

of worship by their Pagan ancestors. How­
ever, if it be true that such, in either instance,

was the purport to which it was applied, the
mountaineers, considering the steepness and

ruggedness of the path to the summit, must
have been actuated by a more fervent spirit

of religious zeal than they possess at present,
if they ever troubled themselves with a single,

instead of the requisite five daily visits to it.
Following the direction of the western brow

of the valley, though sometimes this path led
over several hills and much uneven ground to
a considerable distance beyond it, and at others

approached close to its verge, at 10 30 we ar­

rived at the summit of a pass, and from thence
obtained a full view of the wild and savage
glen beneath. Vines and terraced grounds

extended for three or four miles from Shirazi,

and below that, patches of cultivated ground