Page 310 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

XVII.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 271

from the country by which it is surrounded,
and which acknowledges the sovereignty of
the reigning prince of Om&n, though in some

instances by a tie so slight, as scarcely to
deserve the name.

Oman thus considered, may be described
as a narrow strip of land of irregular width,

never exceeding one hundred and fifty miles
in its broadest part. It is bounded on the

east by the Indian Ocean, on the west by
extensive deserts, and extends in a direct
line from the island of Mazeira, in latitude

20° 48', and longitude 58° 56', nearly four
hundred miles, to Ras, or Cape Mussendom,

in latitude 26° 24', and longitude 56° 39',
where it terminates in the form of an acute

angle.
By the natives of the country this part of

Arabia is subdivided into four districts :—
1st, Jailan, comprehending Beni Abu ’Ali,
and all that tract of country to the south-east

of Bedi’ah ; 2ndly, Omdn from Bedf’ah, north­
west to Makiniy&t; 3rdly, Dhorrah, from

Makiniyat to Bireimah ; and 4thly, Batna,
extending in a narrow strip along shore,

from Sib to Khdrfakan. The general fea­