Page 289 - 7 Persian Trade rep Muscat 1_Neat

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lasts form the «liot of the coast towns while the various small ports along the coast, i hese
nMiVs sent into the interior dried. The p.'puhi- Hindus have maintained their connection with
lioa of Oman is estimated at 5(10,000, spread ov.-r Muscat for several hundred years, but thev return
(lo Valievs which intersect this mountainous to their country regularly and marry in their
country and the stretch of level ground which own country.
fringe* the shore from Muscat northwards. There arc no Europeans, but a few Christians of
So‘u:b of Muscat villages are met withen.‘he Goaue:se origin.
coas t, but they are mostly at the exits of the water-
courses wliich traverse the mountains which slope Public Health.
down to the sea or in bays and coves.
g5 miles south of Muscat is the harbour of The climate of Muscat and the coast of Oman
Sur, the tone being little smaller than Muscat. is hot and humid though mere bearable along
Sur is the centre of a flourishing shipbuilding the Iiatinch to the north of Muscat where the
trace, the dhows built there trading direct frith open ground stretches back some miles before
India, Zanzibar and East Africa and, in the reaching the mountains and is the* l??s enclosed.
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cold weather after the monsoon, sailing to Ba^ra In the interior on the heights of Jebe Akhdar
for the date, season. There is a large import at (the green mountain) cool spots could be found
Sur for the interior, His Ilighuess’s Customs were tier safe for foreigners.
benefiting but little from the trade. "While the days are hot the nigU? are especially
To the siutb, beyond Sur and Ttas-cMUdd, bad in the summer on the sea level when intense
the country is wild and the people uncivilised, damp heat is alternated with the fiery blasts off
there being no representative of tic Sultan until the desert, the temperature frequently rising at
Dbc-far where His Highness maintains a wali sunsrt. when, the only change iron the d.»sert
at the harbour of Mcrbat. TLis country from wind is the absolute airlessness and moisture-laden
Has-el-Hadd ohwjid> is practically cut off by the heat. •
force of the sea during the monsoon, there being In fhe year under report the heat was loss
no protected harbour in it. than csr.al, tie maximum only reaching 103°
To the nonh, in the Eatioeh, there are a series but the test of heat is the difference between the
of small towns, being the import and export dry and wet bulb rather that the actual height
centres of the v-lbvs at the mouth of which they of tie temperature.
are placed and of the country in the interior The place is unhealthy for Europeans net so
served by the valley. Each of these coast towns much oa account of actual dLse_se a3 for the
pes5£ss*s its market aad Customs House. enervatiig nature of the climate, debility follow­
The most important are Sib, Barka, Hasra’ah, ing on fever being a common cause fee invaliding
Khaburah and Schar. Kuryat, which lies * a the of the o.-cers stationed ia the p-Isoe of whom a
south of (Muscat, is of a similar nature. large percentage have had to leave on account of
ill health.
British Subjects. From November till March the weather is cool,
but never suffic-’eutly so to be bracing.
The total British males registered number 459.
In addition there are probably about 300 w arr.en Malaria Fever is rife from Novemb>r till April
There was no epidemic disease during the
and, children, asking a total of 1/200 to 1,300 year.
British suhjects.
The largest community consist of Khojas Agriculture.
of th.® 1thna Ashari sect residing at McUra.
They have been established in the place for many The culture of the date is the chief resource of
years and never return to India. An equal the pc pie, though wheat and a certain quantity
namber of this community have, through neglect of nee are also grown in the valleys of the
to register themselves, lost their nationality and interior. The sca-shorc is fringed with a belt of
have become Muscat subjects to. The two divisions dates, wherever water is obtainable, but the best
remain one community for all other purpose* and fruit comes from the interior.
Intermarry without restriction. There are a few Near the coast line the water which is
Mahomcdans of other sects.
obtained from wells is mainly brackish, Muscat
Hindus coming from Kutch Mandvi resM® itself pressing but one well which can be said to-
mainly at Muscat but are also found at Mcltra, be absolutely sweet, and from this well the upper
aad some of then are established at each of the classes obtain their drinking water. There is*