Page 262 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

XIV.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 223

the shadow of any influence, or was afraid
to exercise it, and his followers evidently
wished to share in the plunder. It was

time to act. I called ’Ali on one side, told
him to make neither noise nor confusion, but

to collect the camels without delay. In the
mean time we had packed up the tent, the
crowd increasing every minute; the camels

were ready, and we mounted on them. A
leader, or some trifling incident, was now only

wanting to furnish them with a pretext for an
onset. They followed us with hisses and various
other noises, until we got sufficiently clear to

push briskly forward; and, beyond a few stones
being thrown, we reached the outskirts of the

town without further molestation. I had often
before heard of the inhospitable character of
the inhabitants of this place. The neighbour­

ing Arabs observe that to enter Obrf a man
must either go armed to the teeth, or as a

beggar with a cloth, and that not of decent
quality, round his waist. Thus for a second
time end our hopes of reaching Der’ayyah

from this quarter; I did not however yet
despair, but determined to push on for Sib,

embark there, and endeavour, from the port of