Page 287 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

248 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [CH.

the history of savage nations, some nobler

traits were mixed with their unrelenting fero­
city. The persons and the virtue of females

were always respected, and the contrary be­
haviour would have brought on them the
deepest disgrace and contempt with their

own tribes. An unresisting Mohammedan
victim, after being stripped and plundered,

they very generally spared ; but death, or the
immediate profession of their creed, awaited

the unbeliever. And it is further due to them
to acknowledge, that it was only when their

vengeance became excited by a defence which
cost the lives of many of their companions,
that they had recourse to the remorseless

measures which I have here described.
The most undaunted bravery was certainly

theirs: if taken, they submitted with resigna­
tion to the fate they inflicted on others; and

when they fell into the hands of the Per­
sians, or other nations by which they are sur­

rounded, they were never spared. After the
destruction of one of their forts, several of
them were brought on board our ships as

prisoners. While uncertain of their fate, and
before their wounds were dressed, it was