Page 21 - The Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia

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The southern coast of the tenitory is flat and desolate,
>A,
except at its western limits where lies the fertile Dhofar plateau
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the Lind of Gad of biblical times, which still exports through
Salalah, most of the world’s supply of frankincense. West of the
•i Hajar Mountains the interior is almost entirely devoid of vegetation,
and borders on the Ruub al Khali (The Empty Quarter).
Little is known of the early history of the fertile Batinah
costal plain where the town of Muscat is situated, for the Hajar
Range, rising t’o 10,000 feet, provided an effective barrier landwards
> from the west; and this area only comes into historical record with
& the arrival of the Portuguese but, while this coastal plain has been
A*
subject to outside influence for over four centuries, the interior —
except in the Buraimi Oasis area - has had little contact with the
outside world.
Until 1970, when it was renamed the SULTANATE OF
OMAN, this vast territory had no postal service in the accepted
y, sense; and, as its only Post Office was in the sea-port of Muscat,
the general historical background is mainly confined to Muscat
itself.

“The Commentaries” said of Muscat early in the 16th
century, “It is a large and very populous city, surrounded on the
inner side with very large mountains, and on the sea-board it is
close to the water’s edge . . . The harbour is small, shaped like a
horseshoe, and sheltered from every wind ... It is a very elegant
town, with very fine houses, and supplied from the interior with
much wheat, maize, barley and dates... This city is part of the
Kingdom of Hormuz . ..”
In 1508, Afonso de Albuquerque arrived at the mouth of
the Gulf and proceeded to establish the Portuguese dominion which
was to last for almost 150 years. Muscat resisted attack obstinately,
but being compelled to yield and being unable to pay the 10,000
Xerafms (£625) demanded by Albuquerque, was sacked and burned,
and sundry of the inhabitants had their noses and ears cut off by the
Portuguese!

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