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caused madness, and proved fatal to them after a few hours. If the allowances of the officers belonging to the Indian navy were granted on a fair estimation of the arduous duties imposed upon them, they would be on a far more liberal scale than they are at present. It is, indeed, sincerely to be hoped that, amongst the many generous measures which the Directors of the Honourable East India Company are carrying into effect, a greater equality in the amount of all allowances will be conceded to the services in India-civil, naval, and military,-than at present prevails; or, at all events, that we shall be paid more in accordance with the nature of the service, and the degree of responsibility exacted of us.

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COAST OF OMAN.

CHAPTER IX.

Coast of Oman-Arabian Tribes-Imaum of Muskat-The UlYezdy Tribe-Sterile Province-Election of a Shiekh-Religious Observances-Slaves in Arabia—Arabs of Oman-Women of Oman-Fish-Harbour of Muskat-Muskat Fruit-Honourable Company's Sloop of War.

CONTINUING Our cruise, we passed close along the coast of Oman, the "land of security," which, according to the best Arabian authorities, comprehends the south-easterly region of Arabia, extending from Cape Rasal-Hud, on the south, to Zebarah, on the north-eastern coast. This province is divided into two principalities-Rostak and Seer. Muskat is the chief sea-port of the former, and Ras-ul-Khymah, of the latter. It is partitioned also between two Arabian tribes the Beni-Yemen, and the BeniNasir. The sooltaun, or imaum, of Muskat,

is the head of the first, and holds the line of coast from Ras-al-Hud to Mussendom; and the chieftain of the Cassimees or Joassimees, that of the other-his territory extending from Mussendom to Sharga, which constitutes the Seer principality.

The Beni-Yemen consists of six distinct families, of whom the following are the leaders: Syyud Saiad, the sooltaun of Muskat; Azzan of Sohar; Nunneed of Rostak; Nunneed of Simoak; Nunneed of Zaheed; and the Beni Ghafrey tribe, under the chief Mahommed bin Nasir. The most powerful family is the first; and its present representative is, perhaps, the only chieftain in this quarter of the globe who possesses any pretensions to the title of a polished and accomplished gentleman. Unlike other Arabian princes, he seeks to increase his power by the liberal encouragement of commerce among his subjects, rather than by grinding them down, according to the universal usage of the country, with vexatious

234

IMAUM OF MUSKAT.

and oppressive exactions; and the result, as might be expected, is, that he is the wealthiest and most popular prince throughout Arabia.

Although the disposition of his highness is mild and amiable, he is not wanting in firmness, should circumstances imperatively demand it. When only a beardless boy, a rebellion was raised against him, headed by one of his own relatives. Perceiving that something of a decisive nature was absolutely necessary, he invited this relative to an audience, and when the latter had taken leave, and was in the act of mounting his horse, the imaum plunged his dagger deep into the back of the aggressor, in the very presence of his partisans, which speedily restored tranquillity.

Whenever he has undertaken expeditions against his enemies, he has evinced the greatest courage, leading on his troops, and exhorting them to deeds of valour both by precept and example. When the ship of war,

IMAUM OF MUSKAT.

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on which he had embarked to enforce the usual tribute from a tribe that had revolted, was boarded by a numerous and powerful enemy, he retired towards the cuddy with a few Lascars, and, turning two eighteen-pounders forward, soon cleared the vessel of the intruders, and this, too, when every one had given her up as lost. His first-rates are exceedingly fine vessels: the "Liverpool," "Caroline," and "Shah-Alum," in particular, which were built in India; whilst those which have been constructed at Muttra, within a few miles of Muskat, although less perfectly finished than they would have been in the dock-yard of Bombay, are very good specimens of the talents of the Arabian shipbuilders.

Syyud Saiad possesses the “suaviter in modo" in a superlative degree, and is a rigid observer of the forms of the Mahommedan religon: all his adherents speak of him with the affection of children to a parent. He dispenses justice in person;