Page 61 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

22 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [cH.

are not, as in the town of Yemen, compelled
to occupy a distant and separate part of the

town, nor is the observance, so strictly ad­
hered to in Persia, of compelling them to

pass to the left of Mussulmans when meeting
in the streets, here insisted on. Their avo­

cations in Maskat are various, many being
employed in the fabrication of silver orna­

ments, others in shroffing money, and some

few retail intoxicating liquors.
I should fix the population of Maskat and
Muttrah at sixty thousand souls.

This town is entitled to a high rank among

Oriental cities, not only as the emporium of
a very considerable trade between Arabia,

India, and Persia, but also, in reference to
its extensive imports, of some note as the

seaport of Oman.
The customs, fixed at five per cent, on all

imported goods, are farmed at Maskat for

one hundred and five thousand, and at
Muttrah for sixty thousand dollars, which

give, collectively, an annual importation of
three millions three hundred thousand dol­

lars, or about nine hundred thousand pounds
sterling. No duties of any kind are levied