Page 178 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 6 -10

260 THE SULTANATE OF OMAf

the W. of Wadi Fara‘, from which it is distant less than a mile. It
lies below the Hajar hills some 15 miles from Masna'ah, which forms
its port. Some have therefore assigned it to the district of Batinah ;
but there is no doubt that it forms the lowest point in the tract
known as Ilostaq, and it may therefore be properly included in
Western Hajar. The village consists of some SO houses, the inhabi­
tants belonging to the Miyayihah and Ya'aribah tribes. There are
no wells, and water is brought into the village by subterranean
conduits from Wadi Fara‘ ; there are extensive date-groves and
:
cultivation. The fort, which stands in the middle of the village,
can be held by a small garrison, and its position enables it to
. •.
command the routes in the neighbourhood, especially that to
Suweiq.
7. Jammah, a walled town of some 500 houses belonging to the
Beni Harras tribe, with extensive date plantations ; it lies opposite
Hazam one or two miles to the E. of Wadi Fara‘, and by some is
regarded as included within the district of Batinah. The town is
protected by a fort on a hill, which belongs to the Sultan of Oman ;
but he has never maintained a Vali or garrison here, as Jammah
was always loyal to him.
8. Ghaizein, a village of 200 houses on the 1. bank of the Wadi
el-Hawasinah, 7 hrs. above its mouth at Khaburah (see p. 252).
The village possesses live stock and some date-groves, and is the
principal settlement of the Hawasinah tribe.
9. Ghareifah, a village of 200 houses of the Beni Tsa, on the left
bank of the Wadi ‘Ahin ; it lies about eight hours from the point
where the wadi reaches the coast about half an hour to the W. of
the town of Saham (see p. 252).
10. HIbi, a village of 80 houses with some date-groves, at the
head of Wadi Sarrami, about a day’s journey inland from the town
of Saham. There is a fort in which the Sultan of Oman normally
maintains a garrison of 40 men under the command of an ‘Aqid.

•: • 11. Heyyadh, a village of 30 houses belonging to the Jahawar
and ShabCil tribes, on the right bank of the Wadi el-Hiiti, about
3 miles above the point where the valley leaves the hills; there
are a few date-palms and scanty cereal cultivation. The village
possesses a fort in which the Sultan of Oman normally mam-
tains a garrison of 10 men.
12. ‘Ajib, a village on the left bank of the Wadi Hatta, in the
extreme NW. of Western Hajar ; it lies a short distance above the
point where the valley leaves the hills, about four hours from the
town of Shinas (see p. 252) on the coast. The village consists of
70 houses of the Washahat tribe.