Page 320 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

XVIII.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 283

parts a circular space, about twenty feet in
diameter, is inclosed by a wall. To a stake

in the centre a bullock is fastened by a yoke
of peculiar construction, and he is driven

round and round until the corn is trodden out
in his progress. It is afterwards winnowed
by means of palm branches, one of the party

following and occasionally turning the sheaves
with a rake. I was pleased on these occa­

sions to observe that here, as in Palestine
and other parts of the East, the ox was left
unmuzzled.

Over the surface of the greater part of the
intervening desert between the oases trees

and bushes appear but thinly scattered.
Some spaces are wholly destitute of them,

but extensive tracts through which I passed,
in the vicinity of Beni Abd ’Ali, are thickly
wooded with lofty acacias. The largest of

these are called by the Arabs goff {Acacia
Arabica), and sumr {Acacia Vera). A gum

exudes from both ; the true gum Arabic, how­
ever, is only obtained from the latter, although

the produce of the former, of inferior quality,
is not unfrequently substituted for it. These
trees are used for making charcoal, and me­