Page 145 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

106 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [CH.

oases. Bedowins from the Desert rarely re­
side there three or four days without being

attacked with violent fevers, and my own suf­
ferings subsequently, unfortunately verified

the correctness of this opinion. The climate
of Batna and Bedi’ah is said to be salubrious ;

but in this respect Nejd is considered supe­
rior to all Arabia. The approach of some

Bedowins being this night discovered by
the neighing of my horse, in an instant

every individual was upon his feet with his
matchlock ready. The party, which con­

sisted of five or six, finding themselves dis­

covered, were now stealing off, and I had some
difficulty in preventing our party from firing

on them. Having set a guard, we slept un­
disturbed until the following morning. To

pilfer some article from the baggage was the
object our visitors had in view, but at daylight

we discovered nothing to be missing.
Tuesday, December \5th. At 7'45 we

continued across the same woody track as
before. The sumr trees {Acacia ver a) here

are of great size, and the gum exudes in
considerable quantities. I was chatting with

Hamed, who rode alongside of me, re­