Page 342 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

XIX.] TRAVELS IN OMaN. 303

approaches the poor solitary, vultures and
other rapacious birds, which espy or scent

their prey at an incredible distance, assemble
in flocks, and, darting upon the body, com­

mence their repast even before life is extinct.
Thus, in well-beaten routes, the traveller con­
tinually sees remains of this faithful servant

of man, exhibiting sometimes the perfect ske­
leton, covered with its shrunk and shrivelled

hide, sometimes the bones only, altogether
deprived of flesh, and bleached to dazzling
whiteness by the scorching rays of a desert

sun.
Those belonging to the Imam excepted,

there are very few horses in Oman, and in
some places the sight of them is unknown.
On one occasion, when mounted on mine, and

riding some distance ahead of the caravan, I
was mistaken for a Wahhabi, and within an

ace of being shot as such by another party
advancing from one of the towns. To the
fleetness of this noble animal, which, in com­

pliment to its princely donor, I had named Say-
yid, I was indebted, on another occasion, for

the preservation of my life. On my return from
Obri to Suweik, contrary to the wish of the