Page 152 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

VIII.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 113

They are still worked, but the quantity of ore
obtained is very small, and scarcely covers
the expense. Kothra is a small hamlet with

an abundance of water in its vicinity: the

night was cloudy, with light drizzling rain ;
but within our tent we passed the time very
pleasantly, chatting with Sheikh Nasser and

his Bedowins to a very late hour.
Sunday, December 20th. Having taken leave

of Sheikh Nasser, who is the most intelligent
Arab I have yet met with, at 1130 we con­

tinued our journey, with a guard of about
seventy men, for the road between this place

and Neswah is said to be infested with rob­
bers, who plunder small parties in open day.

Our course was W. £ N., and we passed a
great number of villages, which appear on

our map. At 2 20, we halted 45 minutes at
Okahil, in order to obtain a fresh guard; the

men collected for this purpose were appa­
rently volunteers, who seemed to enjoy the

fun a good deal, although in some places
they proceeded with their matches lighted,

and under every preparation for an attack.
The robbers who frequent the Jailan district

arrive from the Western Desert in parties of
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