Page 156 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

VIII.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 117

turbance, he would destroy the whole nest of

them. I should have been incredulous to the
truth of a statement so entirely at. variance

with their usual mode of warfare, if, on con­
dition that I would instruct them how to lay
and fire the train, which they were afraid of

doing themselves, he had not offered to con­

duct me to the spot; but, of course, I de­
clined any interference.
Minn& is an old town, said to have been

erected at the period of Nushirvan’s invasion ;
but it bears, in common with the others, no

indications of antiquity : its houses are lofty,
but do not differ from those I have described

at Semmed and Ibrah. There are two square
towers, about one hundred and seventy feet

in height, nearly in the centre of the town :
at their bases, the breadth of the wall is not

more than two feet, and neither side exceeds
in length eight yards. It is therefore aston­

ishing, considering the rudeness of the ma­
terials, (they have nothing but unhewn stones

and a coarse, but apparently strong cement,)
that, with proportions so meagre, they should

have been able to carry them to the elevation
they have. The guards, who are constantly