Page 411 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

372 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [CH.

pear inseparable from Mohammedan and
eastern governments. The son no sooner

comes of age than he plots against the father;
and as the practice of polygamy has a ten­

dency to confuse the order of succession,
which here, as in other parts, is nominally
hereditary, rival claimants seek by intrigue to

establish and strengthen their cause at an
early period, and before the death of the

reigning prince. No sooner does this take
place, than a general scene of strife and con­

tention arises; the various Bedowin tribes
hire themselves to different parties, and the
contest lasts until the success of one indi­

vidual more skilful or powerful than his com­
petitors, obtains the prize. Compensation is

then made to the friends of the slain, and
things are restored to their original condition.

On the death of the present Imam, the govern­
ment will probably be contested by Saeed
Mohammed, his nephew, and Sey’d Hilal,

his son, the former of whom he is said to
favour. The reigning Im&m has also to con­

tend with another difficulty. Oman was
formerly portioned out amidst a variety of

Sheikhs, influenced by separate and jarring