Page 273 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

234 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [ciL

throughout the greater part of the day. The
asses of Oman are nearly equal to those of

Bahrain, and a considerable number are an­
nually shipped off to the Isle of France.

Sehinas is but a small town, with a fort
and a shallow lagoon, affording anchorage
for small boats. It is said to yield to the

Imam an annual revenue of three thousand
dollars; but that is not more than is sufficient

to defray its expenses. During the expedi­
tion to Ras el Khaimah, in 1809, our force, in

an attack on the fort, lost several men. Its in­
habitants that year had thrown off the Imam’s
yoke, and, connected with the pirates, infested

the entrance of the Gulf for some months.
But soon after Ras el Khaimah fell they

returned to his rule, and its fort admitted
a party of Belhches soldiers, whom he retains

in his pay. I found the Sheikh absent,
and from those he left in charge we could
obtain neither answers to our questions

nor common civility. However, upon my
threatening to leave their port, and represent

our reception to the Imam, they became
alarmed, and towards the evening I was en­

abled, by their assistance, to forward the