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SOUTHERN ARABIA. [CH.

The custom of the town forbids any other
person than the Sheikh from riding on horse­
back through it, but this was dispensed with
whenever we wished to make a short ex­

cursion into the country.
The government of this and other places
on the coast is at present in the hands of
certain dynasties or families, who may or
may not belong to the stock over which they
rule. The succession is nominally heredi­

tary, but the order of primogeniture is not
unfrequently set aside by some more power­
ful member of the same family. Upon the
death of the old ruler several candidates
usually appear, who contend for the prize
until it is ascertained who is the stronger, and
to him they all then quietly submit. Their
power is so far absolute, that they are only
controlled in its exercise by the influence of
public opinion, for should the individual by

his acts render himself especially obnoxious,
another member of the family would not fail
to take advantage of it to dispossess him.
The natural productions of this part of
Arabia differ in but a trifling degree from
those of Oman. On the mountains, dragons’