Page 157 - Arabiab Studies (IV)

European Accounts of Muscat 147
smoking hubble-bubbles. The suq sells parched com, pepper,
senna-leaves cloves, dried rose-buds, glass beads and pencils
of antimony. Swords for sale come from Persia or more often
from England. Wells arc often dug at the expense of an
individual and bequeathed to the public: the Sultan supplies
an ox and a slave and people pay for the water. Muttrah has a
population of 18,000 with a walled quarter enclosing about
1,000 Lawatias who do not allow Arabs to enter as their
women are unmasked. Another quarter, with a gate opening
on the sea, holds 2,000 Baluch. They live in palm huts and
have a white mosque with two small turrets.
WELLSTED, J. R., JRGS, VII, 1837, 104 and Travels in
Arabia, London, 1838, i, 10-37 and 371-403. Visited in
November. Puts the population of Muscat and Muttrah at
60,000. The number of Banyans is 1,500 and increasing. When
a Banyan becomes bankrupt he lights numerous candles in his
shop and his creditors come in and beat him. They have a
large enclosure with 200 cows which armed Arabs are not
allowed to enter. They monopolize the pearl trade which is
reckoned at 15 lakhs. There are a few Jews who mostly
arrived after 1828, following persecution in Baghdad. They
are not discriminated against. They make silver ornaments,
change money and sell alcohol. Persians are mainly merchants
who deal in Indian piece-goods, coffee, hookahs and rose­
water while others make swords and matchlocks. About 4,000
slaves a year are brought in: eunuchs from Darfur are worth
about $300 and usually bought by Persians. The Sayyid is
very generous and every visiting Arab gets a present. He
could raise 10,000 fighting men in three days and later
another 20,000. He is the most respected prince in the East
and has been called the second Omar. Muscat probably
imports more than any harbour in Arabia except Jedda: cloth
and com worth $3,300,000 come in, paying 5 per cent. Little
is exported. The forts are ‘in a tolerable state of repair’, with
state prisoners in the western one. There are two batteries and
the guard seems alert. The land wall is 14 feet high with a dry
ditch and two gates which are closed at night. The main well
is guarded by a fort and a new aqueduct takes water to the
town. Muttrah has perhaps 20,000 people living in huts in
most of which an unveiled woman can be seen spinning.
1836 HELFER, Pauline, Travels of Doctor and Madame Heifer,
London, 1878, ii, 3-14. In the suq, as well as roasted locusts,
‘a favourite article of food’, every luxury from Europe, India
and China can be found. The most recherche stuffs, spices,
perfumes and precious stones contrast with the dirty streets.
The author has the same information about Banyans as
Wellsted. She visited the wife of Sayyid Said, taking a
12-ycar-old English boy as an interpreter. She calculated that