Page 82 - The Pirate Coast (By Sir Charles Belgrave)

dresses of the wealthiest and the lowest classes of people ... t he
garments of the Prince, without his arms, could not have cost
more than an English guinea*. He sums up the Muscatis as ‘the
cleanest, neatest, best dressed, most gentlemanly of all the Arabs
that 1 have seen, who inspire by their first appearance a feeling of
confidence, good-will and respect’. How different from Fryer’s
opinion of them: ‘Fierce and Treacherous People, gaining as much
by Fraud as by Merchandise’ - but that was written in 1672.
Many men from the Pirate Coast arc now working in the oil
fields in different parts of the Gulf. They arc not popular among
the more sophisticated Arabs of the oil states, who speak con­
temptuously of them, and suggest that they are addicted to Black
Magic and other peculiar practices. But they are good workers
and when there is a shortage of labour, the urban Arabs are glad
enough to employ them.
When the naval party arrived at the palace which was at the
end of the main bazaar street, the ponderous gates were opened
by the guards who kept the visitors waiting for some time outside
the gates, while they announced their arrival - so different to
present day procedure in the Gulf, when official visits arc timed
to the minute, and important guests arc received with guards of
honour. Loch and his officers were then ushered into a court­
yard, along a passage to the audience chamber where, to their
great surprise, they found Saiyid Said seated on a chair with a
table in front of him, and chairs on either side for his guests.
Loch evidently expected to find him sitting on a carpet on the
floor. He was told afterwards by Adey, his interpreter, that the
chairs were specially provided in his honour, because he was the
Captain of a man-of war. This was probably untrue, but typical
of the type of remark made by interpreters to Europeans, who
always suggest to visitors that the personage on whom they arc
calling is showing them some special favour.
One side of the room in which Loch was received was open to
the sea and, between the pillars which carried the roof, there was
a beautiful view of the harbour where vessels of every type and
size were passing to and fro. In common with other Europeans
who met the Sultan, Loch was very favourably impressed by the
young Imam, by which title Loch always referred to him. He
described him as ‘extremely good looking, with a fair complexion,
dark, handsome mustachios and beard, and an aquiline nose. His
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