Page 360 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

XX.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 321

and striped horizontally with red and blue.
They are used either to bind round the waist,

or as turbans; their price varies from five to
ten dollars. The females spin and prepare
the yarn. At Beni Abu Hassan, I saw in an

open shed about thirty silk weavers at work :
the colours were good, but the workmanship

was coarse, and the devices rude. In the
northern provinces, the kamaline (a large

woollen cloak) is fabricated; but their quality
is far inferior to those brought from Nejd.
I have elsewhere had occasion to observe

that there are but few artisans in Oman. At
the principal towns blacksmiths manufacture

spear-heads, the crooked dagger, called a
jambir, and some rude knives : copper pots
and dishes are also made by another class ;

but silversmiths are far more numerous than
either. Considerable sums are lavished by

the females in the purchase of various silver
ornaments, and their children are literally
burdened with them. I have counted as

many as fifteen ear-rings on either side ; and
their heads, breasts, arms, and ancles, are

decorated with the same profusion. There
are also many workers in gold, but the articles

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