Page 203 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

164 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [di.

little moment, and I had already drawn,
when in Maskat, a considerable sum from

the agent. My surprise was, therefore,
very great to learn from Whitelock this

morning that he had refused to honour my
bills, unless they previously obtained the

sanction of Acting Commander J. B. Aines,
in charge of the Hon. Company's brig Pali-

nurus, then lying in the harbour, who, I had
been given to understand in Bombay, was

also instructed to afford me every possible
assistance, but who, from motives to me in­
explicable, did not, in this case, think proper

to concur.
The several other merchants of Maskat,

instigated, as I have reason to believe, by the
former of these gentlemen, also declined to

supply me with money. In this unpleasing
and unlooked-for dilemma, I should have

scarcely known how to proceed, had I not
received by the same opportunity a commu­

nication from the Im6.m, stating that, having
accidentally learnt how I was situated, he

had given orders for my accommodation to
any extent, by drafts upon his own treasury.

The opposition I had encountered in quarters