Page 155 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

1 16 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [di.

picture ; the atmosphere was delightfully clear
and pure; and, as we trotted joyously along,

giving or returning the salutation of peace or
welcome, I could almost fancy we had at last

reached that “ Araby the blessed,” which I
have been accustomed to regard as existing

only in the fictions of our poets.
Upon entering the town, I was met by some

relations of Sayyid S’aid, who conducted me
to an open spot, where we pitched our tent.

These chiefs are at feud with the neighbour­
ing tribe of Ghafari, who possess an extensive

fort contiguous to the town, and do not ac­
knowledge the authority of the Imam.

The Ghafari are among the noblest of the
tribes of Oman, and, with the Y’harabi, have

at different periods respectively furnished an
Imam. Their power is now limited to the
possession of a few castles, from which they

occasionally sally and annoy the surrounding

country. The Sheikh of Minnik informed me
that, wearied with the constant broils which
his unruly neighbours thrust on him, he, a

short time before, had undermined their fort,

which was but a few yards beyond the walls
of his town, and that upon any return of dis­