Page 222 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

XII.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 183

Burka was formerly the summer residence
of the Imam, and here he rid himself, by

stratagem, of his formidable uncle, Seif Ibn
Buddu.

At present Burka is principally remarkable
for its fort, which, owing to its great height
and size, is very conspicuous from seaward.

It mounts thirty pieces of artillery; but so
little attention is paid to them or their car­

riages, that not one half could be fired; yet
is it deemed by the Arabs impregnable; nor,

probably, so far as they themselves are con­
cerned, are they mistaken. An almost total

ignorance in such affairs is common to both
the attacking party and the besieged, and
the means and appliances of the former

would be insufficient to overcome the advan­
tages possessed by the latter. Seyyid Hilal’s

harem was confined here at the period of my
visit, and we were not, in consequence, ad­

mitted beyond one of the towers near the
entrance. From the summit of this I, how­

ever, obtained a good set of theodolite bear­
ings, and also a tolerable view of the town
and its neighbourhood. Surrounding the

fort, at a distance of two hundred yards from