Page 87 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

48 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [CH.

more. They were then delighted, and we
became such excellent friends that, with the

assistance of a few presents and some fair
speeches, we parted with expressions of mu­

tual regret.
Our return was by a path more steep and

rugged, if possible, than that by which we
ascended, and I did not, in consequence, ar­

rive at the foot of the mountains until some
time after sunset. No asses were to be

found: the night was dark, with occasional
showers of rain : we lost our path several

times, and did not reach the tent until nearly
midnight.

During my stay here,I received the follow­
ing friendly and characteristic epistle from

his Highness, the Imam :—
“ In the name of God, most merciful, from

Sayyid the Sooltan to his Excellency, the es­

teemed, respected, beloved, the perfect Cap­
tain Wellsted, from the eastern government,
peace be with you from the Most High God;

and, after that your letter reached us, which

was a proof of your love in remembering us,
we greatly rejoiced at your arriving at Sur,

and your departure for Jailan, which is as