Page 60 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 6 -10

208 ADEN AND THE INTERIOR

to the territory of the Haushabi and having the Subeihi on the
west and the Fadhli on the east. The chief of the tribe is the
Sultan of Lahej, who, normally, possesses great influence in the
interior and exercises sovereignty over certain sections of the
Subeihi. He receives a yearly subsidy of Rs. 12,984 from the British
Government for its occupation of the town of Sheikh ‘Othman.
The estimated population is 14,500, including about 2,000 men
of doubtful fighting value. The people are agricultural rather than
warlike, and, occupying one of the most fertile tracts of southern
Arabia, are by far the wealthiest of the tribes bordering on Aden.
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They and the Fadhli breed camels that are noted for their fleetness
and carrying powers. They possess more settled habitations than
most of their neighbours of the littoral.
The chief towns and settlements of the ‘Abdali district are:

1. Lahej, 21 miles from Aden, with a population estimated
variously at from 10,000 to 15,000, is a town with narrow irregular
streets, nearly all the houses being surrounded by zaribas into
which the cattle are driven at night. The most notable feature of I
the town is the market, Lahej being the most important commercial !
centre, outside Aden, of the whole district. The town forms an
advanced market for fabrics and manufactured articles from Aden,
;
and, in return, supplies Aden with fodder, vegetables, and firewood. ■
Transit dues are levied here on the Yemen trade, the chief articles
being coffee and kat. There is an important community of native
blacksmiths and craftsmen in metal-work, who turn out daggers,
sword-blades, spear-heads, matchlocks, and domestic hardware
and utensils, of rough workmanship, especially the decorative work
in silver. The bazaars are covered in and one is set apart for the
workers in metals. The town stands amid date plantations and
groves of lime, orange, banana, and'coco-nut palms, which extend
for miles, and in consequence the climate is particularly damp and
malarial. The water is very bad.
The palace of the Sultan, on the southern edge of the town, is the 5
most imposing building on the littoral belt. It is of mixed5 archi­

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tecture, from Italian stucco to Arab, built partly of sun-dried brick
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and partly of cement and stone masonry, and it is constantly being
added to. It overlooks a large open square where the Sultan reviews
his troops and has a saluting battery holding two guns of Crimean
pattern.
2. D&r el-Amlr, situated a little to the north of Sheikh ‘Othman
is the ‘Abdali customs post for the Aden traffic. *

iii* Fadhli. A large tribe, of warlike and independent character
inhabiting the sea-board from the British frontier post at ‘Imad t

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