Page 441 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

402 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [CH.

certain seasons, that a month is the least

period in which vessels proceeding from
India can reach Maskat. In possession of

*
the Imam’s navy, the ships of which are as
well constructed and as well appointed as

those of Her Majesty, and manned with
Russian seamen, they would possess a force

that would for some period give them the
naval superiority in the Indian seas.

With a power that may be wielded, if not
precisely in this manner, yet in some other

equally to our disadvantage, let us now in­
quire what are our present relations with

respect to this prince. A reciprocal treaty
of mutual alliance, defensive and offensive,

was entered into with him, in which it was
stipulated in Eastern phraseology that “ his

enemies should be our enemies, and his
friends our friendsand up to this feeling

we have, until very lately, acted. But when
the probability of our aid being solicited by

this prince came a short time ago before the
Supreme Government of India, the passage

of the treaty which I have given being con-

* Built in the dockyard at Bombay, and stored, &c., direct
from England.