Page 226 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

XII.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 187

The quantity thus secured is enormous, and
what they do not require for their own con­

sumption is salted and carried into the inte­
rior. When, as is very generally the case,
the nets are the common property of the

whole village, they divide the produce into
equal shares ; but if they belong to a private

individual, ox1 a company, those only who as­
sist receive a share proportionate to their de­

gree of labour.
Upon our first arrival at Mesnaah, I went

to the Sheikh’s house, and, aftex- waiting up­
wards of an hour in a court-yard, amidst his

slaves, and without any protection from the
sun, I became somewhat angry, and passed
on to a small date grove, about a mile from

the town, where we pitched oui’ tent.
February 3Qth. At daylight on the follow­

ing morning I received a visit from the
Sheikh, who came to seek an explanation

for my leaving his town without seeing him.
He exhibited as much state as his means en­

abled him to assume, walking alone at a pace
ox * two before his followers, who were about

thirty in number. After he had seated him­
self, and made known the purport of his