Page 144 - Arabiab Studies (IV)

134 Arabian Studies IV
but the forts were more important. Capper gives a long
account of robbing a French Ambassador of secret
dispatches.
1781 PORTER, Lieut. John, Remarks on the Bloachce, Brodia and
Arabian Coasts, London, 1781, 11-15. ‘Muscat formerly bore
the name of one of the most Hospitable and best governed
Nations in the World, and not without some foundation, till
the Reign of the Present Imaum commenced, and now it may
very deservedly bear just the contrary; He himself by fraud
got the Government, and every individual of his subjects
endeavours to follow his laudable Example in cheating and
extorting whenever they can find an Opportunity.’ There
follows a complicated account of Muscat’s relations with
Carim Cawn of Persia who would like to conquer the country
but cannot get his army across the Gulf. Only Arabs, Banyans
and Christians are allowed to live inside the walls. The water,
which is one of the most expensive articles here for shipping,
is conveyed from more than a mile outside the walls ‘through
a small channel made with Chinnam and Stones’ into a
reservoir from which it is let out by a leather hose into a boat.
Muttro has a good hard, better than the one at Muscat for
hauling ships. ‘It seems strange that though all the Rocks
about this place are Lime Stone, and that the lime works out
of the Rocks itself without the help of Fire, there is very little
made use of, and the large houses in the Town are built with
Mud instead of Chinnam.’ The writer went to the Bath at
Bushire where the water was as hot as could be borne and ‘is
reckoned Sovereign for all disorders of the Skin’. About two
miles from Muscat is another town where the Vackiel has a
fine house and baths and a garden watered by a channel a
mile long. ‘Between the Ridges of these Rocks there appears
to be beds of many ruins.’ Two miles from Muttro were wells
as warm as milk, full of little fish ‘about the size of what they
call Tittlebats in England, which are full of fins and very
prettily spotted, but so very nimble that I could not catch one,
and the Country People are so superstitious as to believe
whoever catches one will meet with immediate death.’
1782-9 FERRIERES-SAUVEBOEUF, Comte, M6moires de Voyages,
Maastricht, 1790, ii, 23. Europeans have abandoned
Gombroon for Muscat because of its fortunate position,
secure harbour and plentiful supplies. The Prince gives so
much freedom to merchants that it is the general entrepot of
Arabia and Persia.
1785 ROSILY, quoted in Auzouz, ‘La France et Mascate*, Revue
d*histoire diplomatique, Paris, xxiii, 1909, 529-31. The
Muscatis love the French and hate the arrogant British and
the Imam who was away on campaign said that they could
have a factory. His ship was fired upon and the Governor