Page 434 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

XXIV.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 395

from the Persians, and for this purpose he
proceeded in one of his largest ships to

Bunder Abbas. Nadir Shah, then King of
Persia, who, with a force of ten thousand

men, some months before, had made an un­
successful attack on that town, immediately

acceded to his request, and placed a force
under Tiki Khan, nominally at his disposal;

but that general, at the same time, was in-
structed to lose no opportunity of possessing
himself of the whole province. This being

accomplished, Seif returned to Maskat,
while the Persians landed at Ras el Khai-

mah. After many conflicts the greater part
of Omfin surrendered to them, and at length

they approached Maskat, but finding their
troops were not admitted into the citadels,

they invited Seif to a feast, and having plied
him with wine until he was insensible, they
attached his signature to a written order, re­

quiring the governors to admit them into
their forts. The order was obeyed without

demur, and the Persians thus obtained pos­
session without striking a blow. When the

unhappy Prince awoke from his intoxica­
tion, he found himself betrayed, and, over­