Page 123 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

84 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [CH.

CHAPTER VII.

Departure — Hospitable Invitation — Copious Dews — Dreary
Prospect—Inroads of the Sand—How arrested—Scarcity of
Water—Melancholy fate of a Bedowin Family—Wadi Bethel—
Abundance of Water in Oman — Water Skins —Anecdote—
Bed?ah—Its low situation—Subterraneous Watercourses —
Magnificent Trees—Abundance and Excellence of the Fruit—
Amazing Fertility—Accident—Medical Patients—Anecdote—
Encamp at Ibrah — Presents — Description of the Town—
Market—Inquisitiveness of Bedowin Ladies—An alarm.

Thursday, December \Oth. I quitted Beni-

Abti-’Ali this morning shortly before noon.
The old men begged I would come again,

and pass a month with them, in which case
they promised to build a house “ like those

in India,” and keep me in great state. The
ladies were equally pressing in their en­

treaties, and the whole tribe accompanied me
to the skirts of the village of Beni-’Abfi-Ha-

san. “ If you will visit us next year,” said
young Sooltan, “my father will have returned