Page 254 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

XIV.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 215

man will be sufficient to attract a host of
plunderers.” I told him that, having been
made aware of the risks to be encountered

long before we left, we should endeavour to
bear any misfortune of that nature with good

grace; and here indeed we were perfectly
sincere, having taken good care to bring
nothing of value with us. This evening and

the greater part of the following day were
consumed in negotiating with the Sheikh;
but finding we were not to be driven from our

purpose, he agreed on the morrow to furnish
us with the best and largest guard his situa­

tion would admit of.
Though once a large city, Makiniyat has
dwindled down to its present insignificant

state, having never, as I was given to under­
stand, recovered from a visit which the Wah­

habis paid to it in 1800. They then took
the castle, burnt the houses, and destroyed
the greater number of trees. By a noon ob­

servation, and several meridional transits of
the stars, I fixed the latitude of Makiniyat at

23° 21' 25" north. Here, as with many other
towns in Oman, I was surprised at the little
care which they bestow in the burial of their