Page 27 - The Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia

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inscription and convert from the Hijra to the Gregorian calendar! One
such cover postmarked “Nov 10”, and back-stamped “Bombay Nov.
16”, is endorsed in Arabic “Received, from Sayid Molid 12 Dim al-
Qidali 1294”. The Hijra year 1294 corresponds to 1877 A.D., so this
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cover can be accurately dated as having been despatched from Muscat
on November 10th, 1877.
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Delivered in Karachi on February 20th, but without
any notation of receipt, so the year remains unknown.

MASkAT. MUSCAT
, M AY *. 5 • JUL. 4.

Type 5 Type 6 Type 7
Muscat Post Office returned to the Bombay Circle in 1879 and
acquired a new cancellation consisting of the letter “B” in a square of
horizontal bars (Type 5), at first used in conjunction with a c.d.s.
inscribed MASKAT (Type 6) and, subsequently, with another c.d.s.
inscribed MUSCAT (Type 7). Neither of these c.d.s. showed the year,
and it has only been possible to establish the order in which they were
used by reference to other details appearing on covers.
A cover with the MASKAT postmark of “MAR: 15” back-
stamped “Bombay Mar. 24” bears a manuscript note in Arabic, “We
received from Sayid Mohd 23 Rabi’ II 1298”, corresponding to March
26th, 1881. The same c.d.s. is known used to back-stamp a cover in
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