Page 118 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

VI.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 79

lie to the northward of Jiddah in the Red

Sea, they are considered as a separate and
degraded race, with whom the Bedowins will

neither eat, intermarry, nor associate; but
with this and several other tribes, so degrad­

ing a distinction does not exist. The whole
coast abounds with fish, and, as the natives

have but few canoes, they generally substi­
tute a single inflated skin, oi' two of these,

having a flat board across them. On this
frail contrivance the fisher seats himself, and

either casts his small hand-net, or plays his
hook and line. Some capital sport must

arise occasionally when the sharks, which
are here very numerous and large, gorge the

bait; for whenever this occurs, unless the
angler cuts his line, and that, as the shark is

more valued than any other fish, he is often
unwilling to do, nothing can prevent his rude

machine from following their track, and the
fisherman is sometimes, in consequence, car­

ried out a great distance to sea. It requires
considerable dexterity to secure these mon­

sters, for when they are hauled up near to the
skins they struggle a good deal, and if they

happen to jerk the fisherman from his seat,