Page 76 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

III.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 37

neys from a great distance in the interior,

that they may remain and use them for seve­
ral days. Although the temperature was so

high, yet I witnessed the submersion of seve­
ral of the patients, who were kept under the

surface by force for some time. One, an old
man of eighty, was so much exhausted by

this rough treatment, that he appeared in a
dying state: yet I was told that, if he lived,

the operation would be repeated after an in­
terval of two hours, for the natives believe if

the waters fail in producing their desired
effect, it is only because they have not been

used sufficiently often. A few yards from

the bath there is a small mosque, in which
an old priest resides, who is ever ready to
assist with his prayers those who may require

them.

After leaving the reservoir, the water runs
into a large shallow tank or basin, in which

it cools ere it is permitted to reach the vege­
tation or trees, and numerous rills conduct it

over the face of the country. The portion
thus irrigated forms the seaward front or base

of hills which extend, by a succession of yet
higher ranges, into the interior of the coun-