1111

YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

HISTORY Of
SEYD SAID,
SULTAN OF MUSCAT;
TOGETHER WITH AN
Account of the eToimtritj-j anb people
ON THE
SHORES OF THE PERSIAN GULF,
PARTICULARLY OF THE
WAHABEES.

BT
SHAIK MANSUR,
A NATIVK OF ROME,
Who after having practised as a Physician in many Parti
of the East, became Commander of the Forces of the
Sultan of Mascat, against the Geovasseoru
and Wahabees Pirates.

CrawIattD from the Original Italian i&.jS.
HITHERTO NOT PUBLISHED.
London :
PUBLISHED BY JOHN BOOTH, DUKE TREET,
PORTLAND PLACE.
1819.

YALE

ERRATA.
Page 4, .line 24, for Mahamet, read Seyd Mahamet. l
——$,  15, for 1802, read 1809.
 29,  7, for at that place, read in this last place.
 38,  11 and 22, for Alle, read Alee or Ali.
 39.  3, for Tarapana, read Tarabjk.
 43,  13, Toson Pasha. — Note this is the brother
of Ibrahim Pasha who was sent afterwards.
 43,  16 for abu, read or abou.
 58,  19, for Matlak, read by Matlpk.
 73, — —11 and 17, for Lechie Seek, read Zechie Suek.
 97,  4, for Sabseans, read Sabaeanees or Sabiani.
— — 123,  24, for the lower class, read every class.
 124,  24, for Shafee, read a Sliafee.
 136,  1, to turn a cannon ball. — Note, this is a
kind of Italian expression.
 136,  7, for Mauriting, read Mauritus.
 147,  2, for Raz-el-Keima, read Ras-el-keima.
 1#3,  3, for nilia. read melia.
 153,  20, for Captain  read Captain Harriet,.
 154,  6, for Ca.  read Captain Harriet.
 163,  24, for Irah, read Ir&k.

OBSERVATION.
In the course of this history the name of Mahomet has
been spelt differently : it would require some delay, to state
here the reasons of this change, but I refer the reader to my
letters in which I shall submit with all due deference a plan,
for writing in English all Oriental words.

PREFACE.
Addressed to those Persons who have kindly
subscribed to the Publication of
Shaik Mansur' s * Travels.

As circumstances, over which I had no control,
have compelled me to submit to you this small

* Upon the Author's first interview with the Sultan Seyd
Said, his name was asked; on being told Viucenzo, he said,
"I do not understand you, tell me the meaning of it in th«
Arabic language." The Author at this moment remembering
that his friend Padre Vincenzo, a missionary in Egypt, was
known to the Christian Arabs under the name of A bou Mansur,
immediately replied Mansur, which in Arabic signifies victo
rious. This coincidence gave the Arab Monarch, who
entertained the most warlike ideas, great delight, and induced
him to exclaim, with seeming pleasure, " Well then I shall
always call you Shaik Mansur." {Shaik means chief.

FKEFACE.
portion of the work, the publication of which
was announced in my prospectus, I think it
necessary, in order to avoid any blame that may
arise from the appearance of a breach of faith, to
relate as succinctly as possible, the unfortunate
events which have created an absolute necessity
for this alteration in my original plan.
Fortune, which from the very commencement
of my existence, has never ceased to persecute
me,, and crush in the bud every attempt to bet
ter my condition, has on this occasion made, me
the object of her bitterest caprice.
When I first arrived in this metropolis, to
suiTer the amputation of a leg which had long
been aiHicted with a chronic disease, the con
sequence of a neglected strain, I found it neces
sary, iu order to provide the pecuniary means
of effecting a cure, to confide the manuscript
journal of ray travels to a Bookseller of emi
nence j and, for the purpose of convincing him
of the perfect reliance which might: be placed in
the veracity of my narrative, I took the liberty
of addressing a letter to a gentleman whose
literary and diplomatic talents have obtained

PREFACE.
the universal approbation of the public, and
whose conduct toward myself has impressed my
heart with a sentiment of gratitude which no
thing but dissolution can efface. This kind
protector of my humble efforts deigned to reply
in a note containing the following expressions :
" With the experience that Mr. Vincenzo Mau-
" rizi must have had of the Persians, Arabs, and
" Turks, Sir Gore Ouseley confidently expects
" that his travels must make a very interesting
" publication." I cannot flatter myself that these expressions
in my favor are the offspring of personal parti
ality, but the genuine fruit of the high character
for justice and sincerity, which so much distin
guish that accomplished personage. I was
first known to him at T4eheran, in the month of
February, 1813, an epoch in which the king of
Persia was on the point of concluding a strict
alliance with France ; one of the conditions of
which was to be, that the English should be ex
pelled from his dominions, on account of their
political intimacy with Russia ; my duty at that
time led me to exert all the influence I possessed

»JRJEFACfe.
to forward this measure; the English Minister
of course Opposed it, arid was at length success
ful : the little intercourse We had hitherto had,
was therefore but little calculated to produce
any favorable feeling in his mind toward me.
Notwithstanding this testimonial of the op
portunities I had possessed of acquiring informa
tion, the Bookseller above-mentioned refused
to undertake the publication of my work, on
account of the risk which might attend it, and
more particularly as the relation of my travels
was written in Italian, it would require to be
translated into English at an expense, and with
a degree of trouble', he did not feel himself dis
posed to bestow upon my labours. My warm
est expectations being thus frustrated, I en
deavoured to procure a subscription, and Sir
Gore Ouseley, after having read the first ten
letters, again stepped forward to my assistance
and permitted me to place his name first on the
list. But now another difficulty presented itself;
where could funds be procured to pay for a
translation ? This impediment was removed
by the generosity of one of my scholars, who

PREFACE.
offered to put all the letters into an English
dress. Had not this kind benefactor sustained
a domestic misfortune, which has caused a tem
porary interruption' to his labours, I should not,
here be obliged to entreat the indulgence of my
friends ; but my ill-fortune seems to attach itself
to him whose, generosity has so much interested
him in my welfare. While these proceedings
were going on, another of my scholars pro
posed to translate that portion of my work which
is now presented to the public ; it is now there*'
fore necessary that I should state the motives
which have prevailed upon me to publish it-
separately from the remainder.
It has been intimated to me, by person's not
likely to be deceived, and I have since read in
the newspapers, that Ibrahim Pasha, son of
Mahamet Ali Pasha commander of Grand Cairo
in Egypt, has defeated the Wahabees army,
taken by assault Dereja, their capital, and sent
-Abdullahaz;is, their Chief, to Constantinople,
where the grand Signor has condemned him to
an ignominious death. The news influenced
me with a great desire to acquaint the world

PREFACE.
with the origin of this Mahometan sect, and
at the same time to give a sketch of the con
tents of the contents of my correspondence
with Europe while I was in the East. This
consists of eighty letters', which relate the ec
centric, and the varied lucubrations of my
mind ; my desire to present these to the public,
has continued daily to increase, and 1 was further
stimulated by the recommendation Ihad from the
most intelligent traveller and the most skilful
diplomatist who has for a long time appeared
in the East, a man whose moral and intellec
tual qualities secured to such a degree the af
fection of the Persians, that he gained an irre
sistible influence over the mirid of the king,
and perhaps prevented those Cossacks whose
exertions so effectually aided the efforts made to
secure the independence of Europe, from being
retained at home to defend their own posses
sions against an army of 100,000 Persians. The
exalted personage above alludedd to, could only
, indeed testify the opportunities I had had of
acquiring useful and interesting information ;
to detail with fidelitv the result of these faci-

PREFACE.
lities is my aim, and I have the satisfaction to
believe that my endeavours will be fostered by
the generous disposition of enlightened minds.
My work is certainly not so entertaining as
it might have been made, had I chosen to wan-
. . der freely through the fields of fancy, and pluck
the delicious flowers which appear to invite the
hand ; but from this course, so tempting to a
man, many of whose assertions could hardly
have been denied by contrary evidence, my
conscience absolutely deterred me ; all that I
state, simple and unadorned as it may be, is
true to the most minute particular.
In order that my subscribers may be able
to estimate the quantum of amusement and
instruction they are likely to derive, from £he
, , letters which shall be published as soon as my
most indefatigable exertions can procure a
translation,* I shall take the, liberty as above
stated of giving a slight sketch of their con
tents, as well as of my personal history, and
hope that this circumstance will not expose
me to a charge of indiscretion or of vain ego
tism.

PREFACE.
When I first left the .Collegio Romano,
where I was educated, at that happy period of
life, when the buoyancy of hope has not been
crushed by repeated disappointments, I found
hay country torn to pieces by the disastrous
consequences of the French invasion,, and pre
ferred abandoning the land of my birth, the
soil to which every pleasing association of child
hood was attached, to the risk of imbruing my
hands in the blood of those who were nearest to
me in relationship, because the difference of our
opinion necessarily placed us in a state of poli
tical hostility. They were bigotted to old
institutions ; I was inflamed by the spirit of
liberty, which at that time was fermenting over '
all Europe. I passed into Greece, to Constan
tinople, and thence into Asia, making a con
siderable stay in each country, and obtaining at
each step a knowledge of the language and
manners of the inhabitants, in the acquisition of
both which my profession gave me very uncom
mon advantages. At the capital of the Otto
man Empire I was physician to the Captain
P&sha, Seyd Ali, and was present during a

PREFACE.
naval conflict with the Russians. In Anatolia
and Egypt ray practice among private individu
als was very extensive ; at Mocca I was oonsi*
dered an accredited agent from the French
government ; at Muscat I attended the Sultan
professionally ; and had also the honor of com
manding his armies ; at Bagdad I prescribed
for the chief inhabitants ; and in Curdistan I
had the post of director of the artillery under
Mahomet Ali Mirza, son to the'king of Persia :
in this last capacity my services became known
to Mr. Lindsay, an English officer of rank em
ployed by that monarch. In Aderbijan I was
taken prisoner by the Russians, and being re
leased, proceeded to Teheran, where I was
nearly successful in the management of a very
delicate affair, in which General De Gardane had
completely failed. From Persia I went to In
dia, and having touched at Brazil in my way to
Europe,* met with an unfortunate catastrophe
which reduced me to the lowest degree1 of
misery, and the near prospect of dying in an
hospital, neglected and abandoned by all.
To the science of authorship I make no

PREFACE.
pretensions, but the recital of these adventures*
however unadorned they may be, must produce a
certain interest on the mind, and the truth of my
relation can be fortunately confirmed, at every
step, by the evidence of living witnesses. The
reader, sitting on the banks of the Thames, may
follow a long course of extraordinary incidents
which have taken place on the shores of the
Bosphorus, and the Persian Gulf, or near the
mighty streams of the Nile, the Euphrates, the
Tigris, and the Ganges. In the course of his tra-
vels, Shaik Mansur, who had left Europe a
youth unpractised in politics, as well as in the
regular manner of travelling, was gradually
transformed into an artificial diplomatist : this
change in his character is carefully traced, and
may please those who are interested in the con
templation of moral and intellectual phenomena."
The materials above described constitute the
substance of my eighty letters, which contain
chiefly facts which have happened to myself
and which illustrate the characters, customs,
religion, and manners, of many populous and
celebrated nations. Iu some places I have

PREFACE.
humbly ventured to criticise the policy o
various European governments, but have scru
pulously avoided repetitions of accounts which
are to be found in the works of former travellers.
I have occasionally ventured to tread the
path of literature and science, although with a
timid and cautious step ; and in my observations
upon the pyramids of Egypt, I fully coincide
with Diodorus Siculus, and I here affirm his hy
pothesis, according to which those vast edifices
were erected, in the then infant state of mechanical
knowledge, by supposing that the huge stones
which compose those stupendous monuments of
pride or folly, were rolled up an inclined plane
formed of earth, which was afterwards removed;
the annexed sketch will perhaps better demon
strate the idea which seems at least to give a
possible explanation of what has hitherto divided
the opinions of the learned.

PREFACE.
I have now given as shortly as possible the
narrative of my travels; a considerable part of
them has been already translated, and the whole
shall be published, as soon as my limited means,
assisted by the most earnest and unremitted
endeavours, will allow.
In stating the reasons which have induced
me to lay before the public a portion of my
labours in what may appear, and really is, in
some degree, a mutilated state;' it was absolute--
ly necessary that I should make a few remarks
©n the extraordinary event*, which my own ex
perience, and the foresight of more enlightened
ebservers-could not anticipate. These events
were as new to -me, as my own work will be
new to the public. To its decision I look up
with an apprehension, mitigated by the con
fidence that whatever sentence I may finally
receive, will be the result of a liberal and

* Several, Pashas of Turkey have attempted at various
times to penetrate into the dominion of the Wahabees, but all
their endeavours were unsuccessful : about 1805 Ali Pasha.
©f Bagdad reached with his army within fifty miles of Dereja;
want, of provisions, however, obliged him to' retreat.

PREFACE.
enlightened criticism. To those benevolent
persons who kindly subscribed to my publication
I return my most unfeigned and grateful ac
knowledgements : let them receive their reward,
in the knowledge that it was their support in
the dark day of affliction, when I was almost
overwhelmed by poverty, and disease, and
despair, which alone prevented me from abso
lutely sinking under the fury of the storm !
After wandering over- a vast extent of sea
and land in every quarter- of the globe ; after
witnessing the effects of almost every gradation
of government, from the most unbounded des
potism to absolute anarchy ; it was upon this
happy country that my Wishes were at last
fixed, and under- the protection; of her equal
laws, and most glorious constitution, I hope, by
the exertions of honest industry, to support
myself respectably at present, and to secure a
comfortable provision against the • approach of
infirmity and age.
It now only remains that. I should relate, the
circumstances which have enabled me to compose
this short account of the. Kingdom of Muscat

PREFACE.
and the history of its reigning sovereign ; as
well as to collect the various information which
has been compressed into the remainder of this
short work ; it was originally intended to form
a sort of appendix to the letters, and any want
of method and regularity which may appear in
its arrangement, is to be attributed to this cause.
I first arrived at Muscat in 1809; and Seyd
Said immediately appointed me his physician,
with a considerable salary. Beside attend
ing on the royal person, my private prac
tice was very extensive : it had always been
my custom to collect memoranda in every coun
try through which I passed, and this intercourse
with the principal inhabitants of the city, afford
ed unusual opportunities of acquiring informa
tion not merely about the dominions of the
Sultan, but also concerning the whole of the
extensive province of Homan, and the other
territories bordering on the Perian Gulf.
The circumstances attending the death of
Beder, could not of course form a general sub
ject of conversation while his murderer occupied
his throne, and especially before me, who was

PREFACE.
whatever related to their doctrines, government,
and manners ; I had also the peculiar good for
tune of becoming personally acquainted with
Matiak, a chief of high character and rank who
had long led their armies to victory, and greatly
contributed to extend their power and, renown
through every part of Arabia.
The account of the Muscatian dominions^ the
revenues of the present Sultan, and the descrip
tion of the countries bordering on the Persian gulf,
has been chiefly derived from a personal survey,
or in default of that, from the best living autho
rities which it was in my power to procure : —
where the accurate and indefatigable Niebuhr
could afford me any assistance, I have not hesi
tated to avail myself of it, and on the other hand
I have occasionally remarked any alterations
which have taken place since his days.
The personal anecdotes I have selected as
worthy of insertion, are such as appeared most
characteristic, of the opinions and conduct of
the people ; and here I would remark that any
traveller, wishing to observe the genuine and
uncorrupted manners of the descendants of

PREFACE.
Ishmael, such as they have been since the
earliest historical records, should pay the
greatest share of attention to the Bedoweens
of the desert, rather than to the more civilized
inhabitants of the towns and sea coast, who
are a mongrel race, daily, more and more
intermixed with Beliuchee, Jedegal, Turkish,
Persian, and other emigrants ; so that their pe
culiar habits and opinions are undergoing a gra
dual assimilation with those of the other inhabi-
ants of the East.
The difficulty of conveying, through the me-
dium-of theeye, the correct pronunciation of
Asiatic words, and the consequent confusion
that has arisen, are well known to every reader.
One appellation is sometimes so variously spelt
by different authors, as hardly to be recognized
for the same ; and we may attribute this unfor
tunate circumstance partly to the peculiar sounds
of the Oriental tongues, the distinctions of which
can hardly be perceived by an European ear,
and still more to the anomalous orthography of
$he English language. To obviate this diffi
culty, I have adopted a suggestion of the admi
rable Sir William Jones, by writing all Arabic,

PREFACE.
Persian, and Turkish words in the same charac ¦
ters which I should use to convey to an Italian
their real sound, marking at the same time the
accented syllables ; except where a term has
been so thoroughly naturalized in the works of
British classics, that it would now be pedantic
to attempt a reformation.
On the other hand, in order to assist the reader
unacquainted with the Italian language, I have
carefully inserted before some words their pro
nunciation, according to the English orthogra
phy, and I hope that this plan, which has* at
least, the merit of novelty, may be found to pos
sess other advantages, over any hitherto adopted.
And now to conclude, while I return my sin-
cerest thanks to the translator of this portion of
my work, for the assistance he has rendered me ;
I cannot help stating as a mitigation of the cen
sure which its numerous imperfections may
provoke, that he is a gentleman unknown in
the paths of literature, and unpractised in the
art of composition ; while the greater propor
tion of his time is fully occupied by the urgent
calls of a laborious profession. He has no

PREFACE.
claim, therefore, to any praise except that of hav
ing adhered as faithfully to the original text
as the idiomatic differences of the Italian and
the English languages would allow ; and he
hopes that this frank avowal will dispose his
readers to regard the result of his labors with a
disposition inclined rather to praise than to cen
sure.

ON THE CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERE OF THE CltY OE MUSCAT,
DURING THE TWELVE MONTHS OF THE YEAR.

Degrees of heat,
according to Faren-
heit'a Thermometer- (
at noon in the shade.

Rain

Fogs

Winds.

January.

from 80
to 84.

Never.

Never

Feb

ruary

from 85
to 88.

Never.

Never.

March.

'from 87
to 89.

Never.

April.

from 90
to 92.

Never. iv
Never.

May.

from 93
to 96.

Never.
Never.

June.

from 96
to 98
or 100.

Never.

July.

from 96
to 99.

Never.

Never.

August.

from 94
to 98.

Never.

Never.

September.

Sep

from 92
to 95.

October.

Neve

from 91
to 94.

Never.

Never.

November.

from 90
to 93.

Never.

Never'.

December.

from 85
to 88.

Never.

Never.

Though the Arabians reckon two Monsooms, which they call Shargy and Shemal, that is the first South-East and the
latter North- West, which Iblows in the different seasons of the Year ; nevertheless at Muscat the Wind is variable almost
every week; during the night it blows fromthe shore till brOad day-light, ihen it changes and blows froni the sea;
the Arabians call it Bahary. \

N. B. Wheh the Wind blows strongly from the North- West it is not liable to the usual variations.
In the month of July after a calm day, the Wind blows very warm from the Westward and is called by the Arabians, CABLENAMAS,
(that is from Meccaj.

There are the traces of many channels in the neighbourhood of Muscat, and Calajat, which doubtless formerly received the waters of
torrents. A small stream flows into the sea at Sibi, a maritime village between Burka and Muscat. The Arabian women procure
water from it to drink, they told me it was dry in summer. These circumstances render it probable thU heavy rains fall at certain
periods in the interior of Homan.

*

HISTORY OF
SEYD SAID
&ultatt of J&uscat

CHAP. I.
The manner in which Seyd Said, Son of Seyd Sultan
eben, or \ben, Hemam, or Himam,, obtained the
throne of Muscat, or Mascat. — Account of this city
and its territory.— Revenues. — Naval and military
forces.
A scrupulous love of truth ought to accom
pany every man in whatever he undertakes to
describe, but more especially when he pretends
to relate historical or geographical facts, the
whole utility of which is derived from a strict
attention to the rules of veracity; but when,
* I have always styled the sovereign of Muscat, or Mascat,
Sultan, as his subjects universally give him that title ; the
appellation of Heman, or Himam, never having been used by
them since the time of Seyd Said's grandfather.

2
to this moral principle the writer unites the
advantages of a complete acquaintance with
the languages of the nations he describes, the
peculiar felicity of having been personally pre
sent at the greater part of the events he relates, -
and a respectable situation which gave him an
opportunity of gaining insight into their causes
— it is clear that the greatest reliance may be
placed upon his accuracy % although his una
dorned pages should have no claim to energy of
style and rhetorical ornament. After this short
statement of my pretensions to entire confidence,
I hope that my Readers will derive all the
instruction and pleasure from this work which
my humble abilities enable me to afford them. •
About the year 1805, Seyd Sultan eben, or
then* Hemam,. or Himam, returning from a
naval expedition against the Geovaseom, or
Giovasseom, ( a people of whom I shall after*
wands speak) and resolving to abandon his fleet,
and retire secretly on board a small vessel to
Muscat, or Mascat, was suddenly encountered
fcy a band of Pirates in the gulf of Lenghee, or
Lenghl, and slain after a most desperate en*

3
gagement; a certain Shaik, or Seek, named
Abdallah, or Abdalla, by the powerful interces
sion of money, obtained possession of his body
and buried it near where he fell. This unfor-
t unate prince had for a long time disputed the
palm of victory with Saout, the third chief of
the Wahabees, or Vaabij had firmly opposed
his aggrandisement, and protected many places
from his attacks; during the siege of Bussora^
or Bassora, he kept the sea open for the recep
tion of supplies, iu spite of all the efforts of the
Wahabees, or Vaabi, and Geovaseom, or Giof
vasseom flotillas, and merited to such a degree
the approbation of the Pasha,, or Pascia, of
Bagdad, that he obtained a decree, ordering
the city he had preserved to pay him an annual
tribute; but when the enemy was repulsed the
obligation was forgotten, and constant refusal*
to liquidate this pension gave rise to disputes
between the cities of Muscat, or Mascat, and
Busaora, or Bassora.
We are now come to three sons of Seyd
Sultan eben, or iben, Hemam, or Himam, who
had no sooner heard of the death of their unhap-

4
py father than they mutually formed intrigues
which might facilitate their succession to his
dominions. — Seyd Bader, or Beder, the eldest,
assumed the reins of government, and although
he tyrannised over his' younger brothers, yet he
could not avoid granting them some few honors
and marks of distinction. He gave to Seyd
Said the command of Burka, or Burca, a town
about thirty miles from Muscat, or Mascat,
while that of Monsanah, or Monsanaa, an ad
jacent village, was bestowed on Seyd Salem,
the third in birth. This arrangement for some
time gave a truce to their intrigues, but the
tranquillity was of short duration. In the mean
time Saout, who was an active politician and
brave warrior, having learned the death of his
most powerful enemy, about 1806, despatched
a considerable force against Muscat, or Mascat.
The intestine dissen tions were calmed in ap
pearance on the approach of so powerful an
enemy, but the impoverished state of the pubic
treasury retarded those measures necessary to
arrest a torrent which threatened a general de
struction: at length Mahamet, or Maamet Cai-

5
fan, brother of the deceased Sultan, whose
conduct had -gained him the confidence and
respect of his nephews, having persuaded them
to lay aside their disputes, furnished some nioney
tp raise troops, and form an army capable of
repulsing the invaders* Seyd Beder, assumed
the command and advanced <to Bramee, or Bre-
mi, a town on the confines of his dominions,
to prevent the Vaabi from advancing. This
prince, whose courage was- conspicuous^ did all
in his power to repulse the assailants, but being
finally overwhelmed by superior numbers, saw
no other chance of escaping destruction, except
by the conclusion of a treaty with Saout, the
conditions of which would have been ignomi
nious, had they not been absolutely necessary.
The following were the principal stipulations : —
1st. That Seyd Beder should possess, without;
molestation, the kingdom of Mascat; but
, -should send annually to Dereia, or Dereja, a
tribute of 50^000 dollars.
2nd. "Tjhat an envoy from Saout should con-
staatly -reside at Mascat, to take care that

. 6
the citizens duly observed all the rites and
ceremonies of the religion of Abdulwahab, or
Abdul vaab.
3d. That 400 Vaabi cavalry should occupy the
neighbourhood of Burca, to prevent any
infraction of the treaty.
4th. That Beder, as a tributary chief, and
convert to the new sect, should obey in every
thing the orders of Saout, and assist the
Vaabi government whenever his aid was
required.Although by this convention, Beder, became
the humble tributary of Saout, yet the bitter
feeling of degradation was in some degree
assuaged by the acquisition of a powerful pro
tector, who thus publicly declared him Sultan
and chief of his family. It was commonly
reported that the 400 caValry were stationed
at Burca, at his own particular request, in
order to defend him in case his brothers should
excite any revolutionary movement; but all his
precautions could only retard the impending
evil, even if its approach were not accelerated
by such unpopular remedies.

7
On the return of Beder, to Mascat, he com
menced a system of arbitrary government;
but, in order to elucidate what follows, it is
necessary to mention in this place, that the
sovereigns of Mascat had long been protected
by a body of foreign troops, answering to the
Swiss guards of some European monarchs;
these ragamuffins were called Belluchees, or
Bellucci, and Jedegals, or Gedegals ; the former
are natives of Mekran, or Mecran, whom the
poverty of their own country compels to enter
into foreign service; the latter a robust and
courageous body of men from Sindy, or Sindi,
who had chosen to seek their fortunes under the
banners of the late Sultan. These veteran troops
were sincerely attached to all the sons of their
late master, and their fidelity, consequently,
became suspected by Beder, who wished it, to
centre in himself alone; he, therefore, made pre
parations for disbanding them, and, at the same
time, formed a body guard out of the 400
Vaabi,' stationed at Burca. Seyd Said, on
the other hand, observing with a jealous
eye the general conduct of his brother, and'

8f
the particular effects of the treaty he had
cdncludedj determined to miss no opportunity
of attacking hi ni, and the present appeared pecu-<
liarly favorable. He began by blaming publiely
the conduct of Beder, especially in the presence
of the Bellucci and Gedegals, who being well
aware that a design ' to disband them was in
agitation;, did not hesitate to adopt his views*
and entered into a conspiracy to dethrone their
master, the very first time he should disappoint
them. It happened some months after these political
intrigues were in agitation that Seyd Salem
arrived at Mascat, without the permission of
Beder, aud was threatened with death for his
disobedience; the affrighted youth fled secretly
to Burca, and Seyd Said received him into his
fortress; his incensed brother soon heard the
truth, demanded that the fugitive should be sur-*
rendered, abrogated some privileges previously
enjoyed by his protector, and at the same time
deprived him of a favorite and beautiful horse,
a bequest of their deceased father. Beder alsd
declared that if Said Salem was not delivered

9
up within three days, and all his other injunc
tions promptly obeyed, he should himself
proceed to Burca, and insist, in person, on the
execution of his commands. Seyd Said declined
• submission, and prepared for defence, at the same
time informing his faithful adherent the jemadar
or gemadar, or commander of the Bellucci
and Gedegals, of all that was going forward*
and that it Was his fixed resolution to put his
brother to death if he dared to shew himself at
Burca: in fact that prince, trusting in his
courage and insisting on obedience to his or
ders, sailed towards the place, accompanied by
a feW attendants ; but, while on his voyage to
the town, he was thus accelerating his destiny;
Seyd Said confided his intention to his cousin,
Seyd Maamet, iben Nasser, and fully concer
ted with him the manner of that fratricide
which he had so long meditated.
At this time Beder imprudently arrived in the
road Without having informed the 400 Vaabi,
who were foraging in the vicinity, of his in
tention; he immediately disembarked, walked

10
towards the city, entered the castle, arid pene
trated the very room where Seyd Said and Seyd
Maamet, iben Nasser were seated; a Nubian
slave stood sentry at the door, who was also
an accomplice in the plot, and from whom I
•have derived all the particulars of its execution
The unhappy man incautiously sat down be-r
tween his cousin and brother, and immediately
began to reproach the latter for his disobe
dience,, repeating every thing which he had
formerly signified by letter. . Seyd Said,
without uttering a word, most dexterously dis*
armed the Prince of the dagger that hung at
his side, and plunged it. into his left breast; the
black slave at the same time closing the door ;
hut the wound not being very deep, Beder in
stantly started up, and, finding the door shut,
threw himself from the window on a heap of
dung, which prevented his receiving any injury
from the fall, and entering the stable, where he
found a horse saddled, according to the custom
of the Arabians, who always have them ready
in order to facilitate an escape in the hour of
danger, mounted and gallopped towards the

11
place where his faithful Vaabi were quartered.
Seyd Said, Seyd Maamet iben Nasser, and the
Nubian, mounted also and followed him, di
recting their course through a Wood of date
trees by the dust which the horse of their vic
tim raised : Seyd Said, being well armed and
mounted on the courser bequeathed to him by
his father, at length passed Beder, and turned
him towards the right, where Seyd Maamet
iben Nasser encountered him, and with his sabre
struck him so severely upon the right shoulder,
that, losing their balance from the vehemence
of the blow, both himself and his horse fell to
the ground. Taking advantage of the fall of
one of his assassins, the unhappy fugitive still
boldly pressed on, though losing blood at every
step, and almost reached a spot, whence he
could have seen the tents of his Vaabi friends;
his escape now seemed even probable, but at
this moment the Nubian overtook and transfixed
him with his lance.

12

^sce a Beder .in piu d'un Inogo il sangne,
E ne versa per tutto a gran torrenti ;
Gik nelle seeme forze il corpo langue,
Siccome fiamma in debili alimenti.
Said al rimirar del frate esangue
Par che voglia inseguirlo a passi lenti,
Ma s'avaroza quel servo traditore,
E getta m terra merto il.suo signore.
Come una quercia che d'annose chiome*
Edits* e pesante va croUando al suolo,
Piegando le cervici vinte, e dome
Dal ferro, che rimbomba in tutto il polo.
Cosl Beder; ed al gerraano, oh come 1
jC?r.©41ogli il cuore da un' pcculto 4wl»»
Mentre la voce stessa di natura
Gli predice ogni male, ogni seiagora.

iSeyd Said, well, foreseeing the consequence
©f his crime, returned into the castle,, accompa
nied by the grower part of his adherents, and
partievdmriy directed :Seyd Maamet iben
Nasser to secrete himself within the font ; at the
same time he despatched another of his satellites
to spread exaggerated reports throughout the
country, and to alarm the Arabs, by a relation
that Beder had been slain by the Vaabi.

13
While these measures were in progress, the
400 cavalry having accidentally heard from a
woman the fate of Beder, while peacefully fo
raging their horses, armed themselves, mounted
and surrounded the castle of Burca, demanding
that the chief of his murderers should be deliver
ed up to them. Seyd Said protested his innocence,
and ordered them to make diligent search after
¦Seyd Maamet iben Nasser, whom he declared
to be the only regicide. The' VaabU who were
well aware of the falsehood of this assertion,
from their knowledge of the intrigues that
had so long been in agitation, forced the gates
of the castle, declaring that the assassin was
still within its walls. Seyd Said, finding the
case hopeless, prepared for defence, when he
was delighted to observe a cloud of dust raised
by the Arabs, who crowded towards the town,
in order to revenge the death of their prince
on his supposed murderers; every part was soon
filled with confusion, and cries of death to
the Vaabi, who finding it impossible to prove
¦their innocence, or to contend against such
^superior numbers, retired into the open country,

14
which afforded them facilities for defence1, and
4fterwardsimarched to Dereia, threatening Seyd
Said with the vengeance of the' redoubtable
Saout. The Arabs of the country quickly pur
sued, which restored the town to a degree of
tranquillity, and gave to Seyd Said an opportu
nity of embarking with two or three of his most
faithful adherents, and proceeding to Mascat,
without having communicated his design to
Seyd Maamet iben Nasser ; there finding the
whole population in his favor, and especially
the, Bellucci and Gedegals, he caused himself
to be proclaimed Sultan, in the 26th year of his
age, and ascended a throne sprinkled with a
brother's blood.
After some hours Said Maamet iben Nasser
left bis hiding place, and having before agreed
with Seyd Said that the supreme power should
be divided between them, if the conspiracy
succeeded, was astonished to hear of his accom
plice's treachery, and hastened to Mascat in
ouder to clainfchis share of the booty. When
the new Sultan saw him arrive, he attempted to
i
keep him? at ?bay by; fair words/ promising to

15
fulfil their agreement in a few days; in the mean
time he was secretly blaming his conduct to all
the principal people, and declaring him to be
the sole murderer of Beder, while he did not
hesitate to communicate to the Gedegals1 and
Bellucci the whole extent of his pretensions.
These mercenaries, in concert with the Sultan,
unanimously resolved upon his death, but Seyd
Maamet iben Nasser, who had learned suspicion
from his own treachery to another, soon per
ceived the design that was in preparation, and
fled secretly to Zecchie, a town of the interior,
about, five days journey from Mascat; at this
place, where he bad formerly resided, he pre
pared for defence, and wrote to implore the
protection of Saout, while Seyd Said enjoyed
in tranquillity the fruit of his atrocity, and
Seyd Salem was content with the possession of
Monsana. • The young prince began his reign by paying
much deference to the chiefs who bore the
greatest sway in the country; but in the affairs
of government he principally consulted his uncle,
Seyd Maamet iben Calf an, who seeing! no

16
means of repairing the mischief that had already
happened, thought that the safety of his nephew
would most conduce to the welfare of the king
dom, and therefore advised him to behave with
greater prudence in future, and to send a Shaik,
or Seek, to Dereia, with a conciliatory letter
for Saout.
The following were the contents of the dis
patch: it first expressed the grief and indigna
tion of Seyd Said at the atrocity of the crime
which called him to fill a brother's throne; arid
mentioned that his only murderer had >fled to
Zeochie, in order to escape the punishment he
merited, and pretended to have claimed the
protection of the Vaabi; that the Sultan could
not believe Saout would wish to defend the
assassin of his former friend, but expected on
the contrary that he would take measures for
imprisoning him, should he fall in his power; at
the same time he declared his readiness to fulfil
all the stipulations of the treaty concluded by
Beder, and assured Saout that the 400 cavalry
might consequently return to Burca, and enjoy
peaceably all the privileges that had been before

17.
granted them. The letter concluded with a
review of all that had passed, accompanied by
professions of the greatest respect and venera
tion for the Vaabi doctrines and government.
Saout, who had been already informed, by his;
resident at Mascat, of what had really occurred,
answered with equal dissimulation, and complied
with all the requests of Seyd Said, excepting'
that relating to the return of the 400 Vaabi;
this he declined, because, in reality, nobody
chose to hazard himself in so dangerous a sta
tion ; he also expressed a wish that Seyd Maamet
iben Nasser might be pardoned, and left in
peaceable possession of Zecchie. By this policy
the court of Dereia designed to foster the rival
of a tributary, whom they had so much reason
to suspect. On the other hand, Seyd Said com
pletely perceived all the hollowness of this
pretended friendship, while the inferiority of
his force, however, obliged him to dissemble/
and reserve his design of taking revenge on
his late accomplice, and restoring the indepen*
dence of his country, to a more favorable op-*
portunity,

18
Seyd Said is a good looking young man, of
moderate stature and florid complexion ; his
manners are lively and agreeable, and he pos
sesses a sound understanding, which always
makes him eager to acquire information from
the Europeans who arrive at Mascat, concern
ing those arts which his own countrymen cannot
teach him. His constant love of justice, and
distinguished clemency, the effects of which are
felt, not only by his own subjects, but even by
his domestic slaves, make us endeavor to forget
the deep atrocity of that crime which placed
him on the, throne.
The city of Mascat, his residence, is situated
upon a promontory, extending some distance
into the sea, in 23 de. 32 min. north latitude,
and being surrounded by rocky and lofty moun
tains, which reflect the rays of a burning sun,
the heat is very troublesome to the inhabitants,
and still more so to foreigners who are unac
customed to it. For a particular account of the
weather, I heg leave to refer my readers to
a meteorological table at the end of the work ;
but to give a more lively idea of the effects of

19
the climate, I cannot avoid relating a circum
stance which fell under my own observation : —
An Arab had been killed by the blow of a sabre,
which laid open his brain, and on examining
the wound it appeared that the dura mater was
completely divided; and this membrane was so
coarse and hard that it resembled the sole of a
slipper, a phenomenon so extraordinary that I
can only attribute to the powerful influence of
the solar rays. The Arabs of this province never
cover their heads at any period of the year, ex
cepting only the chiefs, the merchants,* and a
few of the citizens of Mascat. A few Be-
doweens, Beduini,.or Bedu, also wear the fes,,
which is so generally used in other parts of the
East. As the heat is so excessive, the Sultan
and some principal chiefs visit Burca in the
months of June and July, in order to enjoy a
more agreeable temperature than the city affords.
The port of Mascat is circular, and is formed
by an islet about an Italian mile in circum
ference, which is immediately opposite the city,
and renders the anchorage very secure; some
wells in the neighbourhood afford a supply of

so
«ibeBl!f# Water? vegetables, and ? fruit ''Mho
abattridj^thfe 'Idtter consists of dates, , ktaotftre,
i©rimg5esT&c. &C* « Poultry are reared ih^llar^e
¦quantities, the cattle are nliiherOttsy'and *6"%e
bought very cheaply. The sea, affords piettryof
fish, which, together with rice ahd dates^foVm
the chief sustenance of the inhabitants; and1 ihe
.surplus of the former, » extraordinary as 4t-'m#f
appear, principally supports their oxen, cows,
-add; other cattle. If the master of a ship 4s
itfe&frous of having the very best water, he should
-fillr his casks at some wells about a mile inland ;
although that of the Sarcar (which igfuttiished
%uthe government) is very tolerable, since -'the
Sioltan has caused a canal to be dug, rwibidh
jaojtwfeys it to the beach. Upon the whole t&ere
itflno place so well provided with this first' ne
cessary in the Gulff'of Persia; a> circumst&nee
Wihidh has perhaps mainly contributed to its
-commercial superiority, j •> jufoB' y??: s 5ly« «¦ <-
*6 The shores Of the Museatiaftt'teYrit&ry abound
«ith«an* infinite number of shell fish -of fine
flaWKtc and <j beautiful shells^* a*g¥eat portion* of
&kMiume>-:wdiBrffe$lfy<, foandi«>w4thapt "4t*habi-

21
tants; they are often dragged up from the
bottom of the sea, where the brilliant variety
of their colours render them conspicuous at a
considerable depth, for the water is as clear as
crystal, When the sky was unclouded during
the absence of the moon, I have found the
nights almost as light as when that luminary;
in European countries, shines in all her splendor,
from the brightness of the stars, and the corus
cation of the waves, on whose bosom each pla
net and constellation was painted in its original
glory ; to this may be added, that the sea uni
versally abounds with many tribes of phospho
rescent animals. The lofty rocks which surround
the port of Mascat, are totally without vegetable
covering, except, a few stunted bushes ; yet foxes,
called talep by the Arabs, are found on the
island which forms its entrance ; these animals
can have no means of sustenance, except the
fish they may chance to catch; water there is
none but what may remain in the crevices bf
the rocks after rain, but this must be an un
common resource, as sometimes not a shower
falls during a whole year ; in that case, therefore.

Jfe d^ftPfl of .^ftfeifljifercaut^fi the sebljH fepid
Within Jjhj^ifcegifhafd » v-oMsd o«t '.«1jc
^io^^^e^eKipaSfeoflMasc^.^lfi^pJlr buflf of
attDnjajcandjfwhefDl left it, xSieydi ismd attari Jiwstfy
^rejQtirig a handsomeg palace > iwfthe js^teioof
®jfopean architecture; which, wheujc^nqrleted,
iisvtttifejjm an agreeable contrast* withuthe twme
rimemiM\>®tk <af the town. A church fcnillidJy
tffelibrttBgueae, in 1530, is still in existence ;
4»«fi^p»aih.njs^iit resembles a monastery,- rand
serves as a platee- of judicature ;<! the} present
t-aanlfejdBl frr^sBiiis doubtless corwpjtediftomT the
=38^H^liejejiKgrie|aij' which signifies ^ch^rchotq
leaiSe^aioSaJdBhasjSurrounded his, capital twitkla
sthfvr Wjatt^ibbtithe barrier of steepdifockjt)0»)h1b%
sttataei-has fioi'med,: and on which waitch towters
adrejerectted, and sentries constantly pJatceflprf-
3ilferd^3>wjBnuch:more secure protections i3hWo
a-nld^Eoitu^imsecas^les'defejidtbe, port, ol whieh
goaaiis foi'tttidable from itssize and advantageous
2<$beia.tfl0tid8t\ tteisumrnit) of a peninsnlactedxirock :
J4^# largest istialledi bgsithe A^abspiMaraneedor
iMefiWlijfoandsf the; smaller; Jehkeepm tGtelafla ;
petKaf sbthesennames aqajj heart sonse jnesbmb-

Miftfe^ teJttefe ©r%mal appcMtio^. lo 4%e% Sffe
also two batteries erected byithepAwthk nulii'w
to Thtf pro^«lation of Mascat is »&n^d¥rsft)le,
*too"tighfiite feixafctbamount is uncertain' from" the
ioosi&atat influx of foreigners, produceduby>i*s
tb&tefapkrootrade ; .the .merchants are numeroufe,
a&eme fflfJthetaf^pOssessing capitals of a<miMdh^>$f
vdbUhm^ among the citizens are 400®qBttWa»s,
or* :i Banian^ whose industry is up8ttic$lai%
'conspicuous ; there are few JeWs^aadnari^SiniJ-
rtaaas% except accidental traveller?, as aoviaa
an 'In the want of correct data, »I idhaftn&ot
proliably exceed the reality by st&ti»|p#te©Wnm-
«bfeto «f iahabitants, in lBQZ^ '„ to < hake^im^e^t
ri6QjaOOjio The common dress i&aidoakarf white
rlkrenj dr- fine muslin, wi*h;at«rba(ni to;fcowetirthe
•feeafl; ibtit such tespensiwet articles cari>aa»lyibe
oaflBi'dedby those in good circumsitances fe-idslie
d poos' here as; inrltheig/reateri part of A^bli,bAre
half naked>$ and atrisalu gKnerrilJ/dnsteni among
lhemf)tQRiwHean^ lektbamngirdle cwhiehjj&Seps
r 4hehroGagMtog«ftth*ir \ >dhi$ d lfcg#nrei isa 'gsojj teght
tihat^t .fiiirn^4da4atriee: jongthaf sk|Hi/3of4ithiBr4'|ihs
-undasarwacfco hold gsper^dfannnh^^dj^afekldfe ',

mvxhprtfi 'whafclvfeP (they possess ; fo*lan Aatab,
l&fet another < Diogenes, usually carries all Ms
worths upon* his person. » The wmne»*eldt)m
vnear veilsi except the wives of the Sc«k6/J«5piffl&
imitate the general dress of 0riental14adiesnah&
the richer class of courtesans from JPersaay9atwfo
other countries, who swarm in this capital, and
are* * considered the most beautiful <w.om«A'ibf
MtffiiatiQi smomiMi . -v • i;-- ¦<>:.> .fe.Mii .«.¦ viiqjsTsoqot
The municipal administration of Mascat is«
dfe^ctly^istip^ife^ftded by Seyd Saidhimself/or
iA4lSS»atfsen«ee by some of his nearest relations*
afid ilie»|l»Ii*c% resembles that of other Oriental* *
c*fites?i«i*b^ittg absolutely despotic, ando-oftefP
directed by superstition and caprice; -how©vi£roi
the! property of individuals is ge%etally>ls»fe}«
arid^rparticularly of Europeans, on accoTa»tHo^3
tfte! respect in Which the English ate^hehJ jriot--
Withstanding that the <Arabs detest the Franks, v
'ari&' a*e' often laying plots [iaf§ri«s*i tb§d*,.*tii&>
t^atfeler-W&l sdmetito'e^meettwMii instances of;
gj^^lM&hWfr -whWffee? m©S$-i$ta!ifliy in ^MMfe
©Pfesisl&ntife7* **»" ^n.ii.-'f com srij wo -onwms
Wtms*i&Urifry, fexpl^df^fia^bufef^astHir

2a<
totally without amusement, and/seeing n^specimi
men of the "human face . divine "rlbutr th*
broWjri sombre countenance of the Arab j a sttran*
gtef «uf&m»« degree of melancholy,' which/of ten
at length affects his health; as the reader will
peueeive^from my own experience in another
pWfe of this work. wow isroo f^'lto
roTfcerffoliowing are a few observations ^©or» the-
topography of this country, which some jottEtt^H
into the interior enabled me to collects « erfT .
About three miles from Mascat, , tbe ipo^d}
divides into three, of which, that on thfcsrigjhfej
leads ovfer steep rocks to Mutrah, oriMs4&bfbfti&
town situated On the sea shore', about. <tw#rniite*f>
totthe north-west of the capital ;- the eentr*HPoad*E
after?four hours journey, conducts the -, travelled*
teoBjfeanyior Rian, an inland village; while that.;
omthe teftruns in a south-easterly directions b$f|
theanaTstime village of Sadab, or Sedab.e..,(A^,^
Rian there is a point-where the road#rfromj tfe£fi
interior province* unite ; and here, als^.fHas.s^fj
a wall, which forms a semicircle round fMasci]t,r,,
crossing over the mountains near Felk^pr9|$^Jq^
wheKe^eyd' iMaasoie^ iben Calfan b^ %*wy

hrfautifui'wa8tella«ed hotise. Th^malloaoAiaSi
aaflF«5(l(cvis;rehdeif«di extremely^tite^y>«J«flt&
staeafti ©^twate^i which rises iri one >p'8flino0i<i&
^0he,'abo¥e(wall^ which is builtwfj hwge" stose*
laid one upon the other, isfrom 4J to 8>01fe©t>Oi«
height, and extends s from Matia ttoKfSedlilfcQnfr
distance of about 20 miles. ;aain^ to nwoi <m1j
balfiy" proceeding from Rlan to the ^dutif-^otttfc»
Wt/'W^p arrivesfeat the town of Bushife*, /elr
-Btfs3ie*P, dt«feoderate day's journey, or about' 24
, miles, from Mascat, where the road fdivid>@s -into
a^o § ktew Wadd»|fu in a ^outh-easterly idirtcitioii
ttCttsEt^aig^fa? and the other to the iriountaim
, TOf JBbgtii*uif or Iberi-ruai, on theJ%outhiswii§8t.
8j^«oB«feejfe*i^reiisbme warm springs^ t& iwhifch
^b8^MntMJi«9fflts«oef 'the surrounding Vcdfrit%
^©MttnuaM^^esort; for the purpose >-©f abafarihg .
Hfivthedlh-avgUer directs his fouiMjey* fVefl* iSiawt©
the west, leaving Buscier ontheleft,hewill3reaeh
• ?&d pf dvirfclfslef Isffl«alQiri|oZe4ieble ; while; by
Itfceepirigsolb bthe JMerttewelrt) heuwill^stew-ti the
Ufcqpstsfild arfUagwsr fo^mitagfthtf maritime pt»«.es-
^«SflS&teftfiStdOsBO t To tifeonflDfeMte^ S^diigaid
bfeigfigooysifc afttaolty «t»etbbingufttom «^tfe-

m
wes&oMl j^»th,e*6t, alongbthei Isfaa^fcJto&jAhtt
J?e.rsi»nrG»lf» about 300rltali*»ia*iles;«w^elhis
dpn|ini^»^ donnoti generally sestendfiWitte thesi**
4«»b)8 n^we! than] four or five days jo\wrieyjft<tr
ftbamltlO^ miles. Setting out from the lofty
*a«tett§|riSinof Rasalgata, at the foot of wh»eh»i*
the town of Suree, or Stiri, and more to (the
»fiB>oV^t^fe'Calayat,,or Calajat, both^mpufifled
fey,fe»^4e{flawisf( one arrives in the proviteKS
which form part of Afaar ; — Griialan* fronQhil-
l^tit, 8?#AQfeieif &c. ri« „»&agBM a ni .ealim
floi^hei frontiers of this Qftui^r^trtTSewdsovbje
#mik>m&atiu terminate near ithe (%^«BSemt,
jghijBhijjso.si^ifttedj about lodt d&ysnjOTiSWKsbliar
riieMwiQOj mifes» rfromthe sea. , ^m$hmkdk>i$p
^ftntiteoVaabi«fjP(Pdj near it icpmitt^A&§fkide§ffi$t
^feii&dex^ndgKto Dereia,their capitalsjififB»«eis
•m&sit&m&yl dsprin « passing t!iroughithlsljv%Jt
•jwiMeMB^ssd t/tei aril no laiozuti y.'afVB^lJwft'iilt'
fd %Mfce a^iASoSnBj^miji suWirtheq &fee
&£ ffWt&etlijemi $&«effchwe dHid dfteotewaedf
fiy^s^rtajfiJMa^dft^dirthejtp^fittce bfede»gi«g
i*e^^G3ava.s*ajib»ioalUliat pwfc{^hsaflo^iBM>jis
^ffrtte iMangniiftheit© t^eacrifetdV aj^goifepsl

^th%^ejar$ef} portion of , Arabi^^Hed Ro
man,., .An enterprising traveller might certainly
succeed in passing by land from Muscat to
Mocca, according to the. inform^tiont I , have
received from a friendly Bedu, who asserted
that springs of water like that at Fele, were
every wh^re to be found; and that the, villages,
though seated among burning rocky mountain^,
were enabled to afford all the other necessaries
of life, by the comparative fertility of the land
at the foot of them. Nobody, however, under*
takes this journey, because the Arabs generally
believe the people on the other side the moun-*-
taiqs of Iben-ruai to be cannibals, .who detvsitr
white men and negroes indiscriminately, »<m.u
. This opinion arises fromthe interrupted com
munication between the Muscatians and' the
people of Adramauth, on whose shores vessels
never even anchor. The present .Sultan, besides
his dominions on the western-shore of the Per
sian G,nlf> which we . haste, been hitherto describ
ing, possesses all the maritime, part of Mecjan,
as far as the territory of Kutch, or Checc* in
Sindi, together with the city of J$ewte$ Abaej-jbv

orJGottdrutri,"on the opposite shorir of 'rhe^'gulf
and the Grids' of Kesm^LareVahd^rn^l
the%fatid'of Zanguebar, called ';by the v Ardbs
Soi'mstelee, or Suaeli, alsb acknowledges ms
swav. ¦$ '-• " ¦*-W'- ' vIjum^U' iMw'" h*rt-i'(->'i
*J -TPhe^hrve trade is carried on to a great extent
$/$$&&£ place, which is much frequented both'b^
Europeans arid Arabs, for the purpose Of pu4-
chasing the negroes, constantly arriving from
the interior of Africa; and it is^ computed" that
the Sultan derives an annual revenue of 75',0d©
dollars from this impious traffic.^'"'"" Hiiii f '*Bi
•*iuThe customs of Mascat are farmed to^'ffitfn
Beniani at a rent of 180,000 dollars arittually*
6,000 are paid for liberty to export salt fildM"lMfe
mines afOrmuz, while Kesm, Larek arid Builder
Abasi, produce about an equal sum. The "Bel-
lucci of Mecran pay a tribute, "which/ thoug'h
sma4k is indeed rendered heavy by their extreme
poverty, but the Sultan derives his chief rev*^-
nues<from the provinces immediately utidefr'tlfe
jurisdiction of Mascat.' The demands^ oh 'the
treasury* are not Hirg*/ although" Seyd Said
retain* constantly in his pay, 2J000" foreign

30
soldiers*'' who have been already described, and
some huftdreds of Arabs, together with -his own
negro slaves, which form* when united, a body
of about 3,000. men ; he also possesses several
three-masted ships which in time of peace are
sent to India as merchantmen ; while in time
of war, they receive on board a considerable
number of troops, and exercise in the Persian
gulf. In case of hostilities, he has the means
of- increasing his army, to 15,000 or 20,000
infantry, and 1,000 cavalry, to whose equipment
all the merchants contribute, as the ordinary
revenues would be insufficient to support so?
great ari addition of expense; altogether, pubhe
and private, the city of Mascat possesses* forty
square rigged vessels, from 300. to 700 tetts£-
which are almost all English prizes purchased
at the Isle" of France during the late war, beside1
daurs,' (a large kind of Arab ship) and small
vessels^ wliich will be incidentally described in
other p" Ms of this publication.

31

CHAP. II.

A description of the provinces, cities, and people, on
the shores of the Persian Gulf, with observations* oft
the changes that have taken place since the time of
Niebuhr. — Historical sketch of the Vaabi. . „,

Although this Chapter appears to be a digress
sion from the History, it is here inserted, in
order to elucidate more clearly the remainder
of the work. . » >3^n nam.
T© the, north of the kingdom of Mascat are
the- towns of Chinas, or Cinas, Cor-kielb, oii«
Cor-ehielb, Corfokan, or. C'orfoccan, Shargayu
or Sciarga, Algezira, or Elgezira, Benias,y.er
Benjas, and Ras-el-Keima, which are all pos
sessed by an Arabic tribe, called GiovasseOm,
wholly unnoticed by Niebuhr; and, whose capi
tal is the city last mentioned. Their founder

32
waSi-a Seek named Giasom, who pitched his
tent on a poiut of land a little elevated above
the sea shore, which being very conspicuous to
all ships passing by, the sailors called the place
Bas-elrKeima, which, in Arabic, signifies* the
point of the tent; and in process of time,
a town being built, the original name was
transferred to it. Seek Giasom had a numerous
offspring, who, profiting by the advantages of
tfeeir situation, became in a few generations a
considerable tribe ; .and finding their possessions
insufficient to t maintain them, passed over the
Gjulf, and ffarmed an establishment on the coast
gf i Fars, where they built the flourishing tovops
df.Chiarek, qr Ciarek, Lenghee, or Lenghi,and
iLeffc; besides many villages, whose inhabitants
.SJfojEm one state with their brethren on the other
side of the Gulf, and still bear the original ap-s

inqlfevriBg; the reign of Abdullahazis, or Ab-
dtalJ4?isi second commander of the Vaabi, the
^Giftvasseom embraced the doctrines of the rising
sect, and became engaged in constant hostilities.
with all their ^neighbours, but particularly the

33
ruler of Mascat : in the year 1808, their Sultan
was named Messaghara, or Messaghera, and his
exploits, as chief of the most destructive band
of pirates that infest the Arabian seas, will
occupy a considerable part of our attention
hereafter. On the north-west of the Giovasseom domi
nions is situated the island of Baharem, or Baa-
rem, famous for its pearl fishery, and the town
of Katife, or Catife, belonging to a Seek named
Maamet iben Salama, whose vicinity to Dereia
has compelled him to submit to the superior
power of Saout. The first place of any conse
quence to the north of Catife, is Grain, or Grein,
possessed by an Arabic tribe called Atoub,
which- is not mentioned by Niebuhr, unless it
be the same which, he calls Etba. The people
of this tribe are in alliance with the Vaabi,
but not under subjection to them, and are uni
versally, considered the most skilful and intrepid
mariners of Arabia. More to the north, on
the western shore of the Gulf, is the town of
Zubbarra, .whose Seek obeys the authority of
Jus neighbour the governor of Bassora.

34
fHawjng thus coasted the western shore of this
g#e*t inland sea, we must pass the Euphrates,
called by the Arabs. Shat-el-Arab, or Sciattel-
Arab; the first people that then present them
selves are the tribe called Tchiab, or Ciab, whose
possessions extend to Shister Jjespul, or.Scister-
Despul, and are almost inclosed in the Persian
provinces, to whose monarch part of them are
subject, while the remainder acknowledge the
sway of the governor of Bassora; so that not a
shadow of the power which they enjoyed in the
time of^iehuhr now remains. Bender Rega,
or Bender Riga, is only a deserted village, but
descending the coast of Hendiau, or Indian, we
find the town of Buscier, the principal point of
entrance into Persia, and at this time subject to
the Shah, .or Scia, who .appoints, from time to
time, a governor; at this place an English consul
alspr constantly resides, to overlook the^ interest
of ,the,.East India Company. The town, is
bu^$g$p#n, a poinft of land stretching into the
sea,, .find is surrounded by a wall. , Farther to
the; south-east is Kan-goun, or Can-gun, a place
<. of some importance, situated at the extremity of

35
a bay bearing' the same name; itJ is under the
jurisdictions of Bttseier. About GO miles from
Kan-rgun, is the town of Aseio, belonging to *
Seek Nasser; and to the south the country^
as already described, is subject to the Gio Vas
seom. To the south-east of Bender Abasi is
Mennavfee, or Mennavi, governed by a Seek,
who pays tribute to Seyd Said. Along the
remaining coast of Mecran,,the only port is'-
that of Kormaro, opposite to Mascat j and oc*
cupied within a short period by the Giovasseom,|•'•
who have expelled the Seek appointed by* *
Seyd Said. •t.Tobusd ic
All the places described in- this chapter, 'pro
duce' a large quantity of dates, excepting' the
cOa'st of Persia, where the trees are not sufficient-'
lynumerous even to furnish the native population?^
with this staff of life. The rocky and sandy7^'
territory of Mascat is adorned With a fewgar"^1*
dens, fertilized by the water drawn frontmetgh-^0
bouring wells; the plains of Burca and §&ilha,iklJ(*
or Saara, are much more productive ; whilCRos- '
tok, or Rostoc, situated a day's journey, ot* about '
24 milesfrom the sea, is called the garden of Ara-

36
baa* From Bassora the dates are ex ported to other
countries* and Bender Abasi is the place Of depo-
sitforthe exquisite fruit brought fromthe interior
of Persia, and from thence sent toMascat.
I 'shall now endeavour to give a succinct
account of that extraordinary people whose
rapid progress has so completely changed the
political relations of almost every country in
this part of the world.
• About the middle of the last century, a man
named Abdul wahab,. or Abdulvaab, a native of
Hellah, or Ellaa,, on the banks of the Euphrates,
pretended to have a vision, in which a flame ap
peared to issue from his body and burn to ashes
all the neighbouring country ; he confided the
extraordinary circumstance which had befallen
him to a Mullah, or Mulla., and the interpreter
of the will of heaven declared that this- sign*
portended the birth of a son, who should become
the founder of a new religion, and perform
extraordinary actions. Soon afterwards the wife
ef Abdulvaab really became pregnant, and bore
him a son, who was named Maamet.*
This happened about the year 1757.

37
The tribe of Neshdee, or Nescedi, to win dh the
family belonged, soon imbibed the doctrines
whi alt appeared to be sanctioned by divine au
thority; and Abdulvaab, as general of an army and
prophet of a rising sect, had an opportunity of
spreading his political power, and the opinions
of the new faith, which he considered himself
commissioned to promulgate ; while his son
accompanied him, and was shewn to all as the
precious pledge of Almighty approbation to
wards the Vaabi religion. After Abdurvaab's
death Maamet succeeded in this command, but
being blind, was obliged to employ, as his
deputy, in all affairs of state except those rer
lating to religion, a person > named AbdallaISs,
an -adopted brother of his father's. whioK/>
This minister followed up the victdries of the
deceased prophet with the greatest facility .; • As
tbe first barriers of opposition had been already
overthrown, it would be very difficult, and
perhaps usekssy to- name' all the Seek who
resisted in arms the aggrandisement of the
Vaabi, or the i. particular periods of their se
veral conquests; but at the death of the chief

m
last mentioned, almost all the interior of the
Arabian peninsula acknowledged their political
and religious sway. Abdallazis succeeded to the
supreme authority, arid greatly extended the
iiftiits of their pOWer, having sacked Mecca and
Medina ahd destroyed the tomb of Mahomet,
whom he declared to be a deceiver, and not a
tnessenger of heaven ; he also penetrated to the
gates of Aleppo and Bagdad, massacred a
caravan of Persian pilgrims on their route tot
visit the burial place of :0ffr or ffl, at Ellai, t
and plundered that depository of the accumu
lated Wealth of ages. Bassora, also, Was threat*
ened with destruction, but a relation of the
enterprize of the Giovassenl, against that cele-;
brated town must be deferred to another part
of this work.
Saout succeeded Abdallazis in his power and
good fortune, and dying in the year 1813, was
replaced by Abdallazis the 2nd, present com--
mander of the Vaabi. In the above mentioned
yekr Maamet Eli Pasha of Cairo, retook Mecca
and Medina, which he still retains, but has
been unable hitherto to push his conquests into

39
the interior, on account of the scarcity of water
and provisions necessary to support a Turkish
army. In 1814, the Othmans advanced to Ta^
rapX*$> a short distance from Dereia, but were
Soon obliged to retreat froin the incessant
attacks of the Vaabi cavalry, who surrounded
the line of march, and destroyed all the wells;
which their general Toson Pasha,, son of Maamet
Eli Pasha, caused to be dug. I cannot give my
reader a better description of this singular
people, than by transcribing a conversation
which took place between myself and the envoy
of Saout at Mascat;
I began by observing that I wished to visit
Dereia, and practise' medicine there, and should
be glad to be informed whether I should run
any risk in doing so.
Mahamet. On the contrary, the employment
will be very profitable; because, although we
hate infidels, yet we esteem men of talent, and
particularly physicians. If you embrace our
religion, you will reach the very summit of hap
piness. Author. What are the articles of your faith?

40
Mah. We do not differ from other Musa-*
leems, or Muselims (Mussulmen) except in think
ing that Mahomet arrogated to himself too
much authority ; and, that the Koran was sent
to the earth by the hands of angels, and not of
that man, who has even dared to falsify many
of its doctrines; we also consider that the pro
phets, and especially Maamet iben Abdulvaab,
were beings like ourselves; and, therefore, not
worthy of being addressed in prayer, although
deserving of admiration and imitation for their
piety and moral conduct. There is but one
God, the Koran is his word, and mankind his
children, who are bound to love him, in return
for the proofs of his affection they are constantly
receiving. True believers are strictly enjoined
to persecute infidels, and oblige them to adopt
the true faith. Not only fermented liquors
are prohibited by our law, but music, the
smoking of tobacco, and the drinking of
coffee, are considered to have a tendency to
evil. We rigidly inculcate an adherence to the
precepts of the Koran, without tolerating any
tjeretics like the Othmans ; and if we permit

41
ft few infidels to live in our dominions, it is only
in the character of slaves, who are obliged to
uncover the head in our presence; so that you
will be permitted to live at Dereia, even should
you refuse to adopt our creed; recollecting,
however, always to behave with humility and re
verence towards every Vaabi.
Aut. Pray what sort of town is Dereia?
Mah. Dereia lies between two mountains.
which contain many springs of delicious water ;
its territory produces plenty of dates and vines ;
the meadows feed large herds of cattle, which
furnish us with milk, cheese, and meat in abun
dance ; the arable lands supply every other
necessary that agriculture can furnish, and afford
us the means of rearing much poultry. Dereia
is also renowned for the manufacture of habah,
or aba,, (long black caps) which are worn over
all the East, and form a lucrative object of
commerce. Aut. It follows, then, that your country fur
nishes you with every necessary, not only to
support its population at home, but also to ena
ble them to sustain the pressure of foreign war.

42
Mah. The expense of foreign expeditions
is not entirely defrayed from the internal reve
nue of our dominions ; the great treasure which
was taken from Mecca, and from the tomb of
Eli, at Ellaa; is not yet exhausted ; besides
which, all our neighbours endeavour to avert
hostilities by the payment of regular tributes.
Aut. But much money is quickly consumed
by the expenses, of war.
Mah. Not according to our manner of carry
ing on hostilities. Every individual by our laws
is a soldier, and obliged, to serve without pay ;
after remaining with the army for a year, he is
permitted to return home, except in critical
circumstances ; then all the furloughs are re
fused, and every Vaabi is compelled to stay
with the camp, until fortune becomes more
favorable to our arms. Each soldier rides a
camel, which is furnished by the state, should
he by chance not have one of his own; this
animal also carries his ammunition and arms, and
sometimes" in crossing extensive deserts, two
men are mounted on every camel ; thus we ar
rive on the field of battle, with a numerous

43
infantry, whose limbs have not been fatigued
by long marches. Our cavalry you know to
be excellent, as our horses are able, from long
habit, to bear exercise and hunger without
losing their strength and spirit, which renders
them of higher estimation than those of other
nations. The provisions consist of a skin of
water, and another filled with dried dates, fried
in butter and united into one mass, called aluha,
or alua, for each soldier ; with the addition of a
sack of barley for each horse. The camels feed
on the few stunted bushes found in the desert,
and upon the stones of the dates ; and, in
case of necessity, will exist upon a pound
Weight of water a day ; if, however, after sink
ing wells, none of this element is to be found,
the men drink the milk, and in other circum
stances, live also on the flesh of these useful
animals, the weakest being killed first. The
alua is prepared by the troops in their own
houses, if they have the means; if not, their
richer- brethren ought to furnish them with it,
and a wealthy person would be in great danger
of being killed on the spot for refusing to per-

44
form this act of charity. As, we fight in the
cause of God himself, every one is obliged to
exert his utmost force, and a soldier who turns
his back on an enemy in battle, is considered a
renegado, and put to death. But, to return to
your last observation, the public treasury only
furnishes those necessaries which private indi-?
viduals cannot procure, and, in which powder
and ball are generally included. Dress costs us
little, as in most part of our territories, the
summer is very hot, and the spring and winter
temperate. Trusting in God, and in these holy
words, ' Alaha akbar/ or 'Allaa acber,' (God is
great,) which strikes terror into our enemies
on the day of battle, we will conquer the whole
world. Aut. Permit me to enquire what road yom
travelled in coming from Dereia to this place.
Mah. After journeying ten days over a desert,
entirely without inhabitants, except a few wanr
dering Arabs, from whom provisions may be ob
tained, especially yaourt, or jaourt. * I at length
* Yaourt is acid milk, prepared so as to resemble fresh
cheese, which, when mixed with water, takes" the name qf
iran. or airan.

45
reached the maritime city of Catife, where 1
embarked, and arrived at Mascat, in ten days
more, with the assistance of a favorable windi
Aut. Why did you not come entirely by
land, like Matlak?
The answer of the Envoy to this question is
omitted here, because we shall be obliged to
translate it when describing the situation of the
Vaabi army in. 1810.
Aut, Do you believe that the Pascia of Egypt
is able to levy and maintain so numerous and
efficient a force as common report gives him?
Mah. Toson Pascia, the Vizier's son, has a
sufficient force to conquer all the cities and
villages situated on the shores of the Red Sea,
but we' shall always be masters of the desert,
from our superior ability of enduring fatigue
and privations. When the Othmans grow
tired of their fruitless attempt to subdue us,
we shall again recover the few towns they
have taken from us. Toson Pascia. wishing
to cross the desert of Dereia, attached a body
of pioneers to his van guard, in order that they
might prepare a sufficient number of wells to

46
furnish water for the rest of his army which
followed at some distance. We soon received
intelligence of his plan, and by a sudden attack
with our rapid cavalry, cut to pieces the de
tached corps, near Tarapana, before their general
heard of the danger. The same success attend
ed us on other occasions, so that the baffled
invader was soon obliged to retreat to Mecca.
When he had retired, Saout caused all the wells
from Dereia to Mecca and Medina, to be filled
up with stones, a measure which will ever pre
vent us from being conquered.
Thus finished my conversation with the
Ambassador, of which I have stated all the most
interesting particulars.
Judging from what has been just mentioned,
as well as from other information, I have no
doubt but that an European might reach Dereia,
.and perhaps be amply repaid for his toil; yet the
danger appeared so great, that I resolved to
refrain from gratifying my curiosity, by accept
ing the invitation of Seek Maamet.
The safest disguise under which a traveller
could penetrate into the heart of the Vaabi

47
dominions, would be that of a watchmaker.
I once knew an Armenian and two Persians,
who all carried on this trade, and had resided
a considerable length of time at Catife, in Baa-
rem, the nearest sea-port to Dereia; one of
them had even seen that city, and described it
as resembling other Arabian towns, in being a
confused medley of stone houses and straw huts,
boasting, therefore, no external beauty, but, at
the same time, abounding in all the necessaries
of life. He also mentioned having seen in, the
vicinity some large stones, with inscriptions in
a character with which he was unacquainted,
but which are probably either Greek or Latin,
as the imitation he drew of them with his finger
on the sand, resembled K E A. This Armenian
appeared to be a man of curiosity, and declared
that he was very desirous at the time, to copy
these monuments of antiquity, but that he re
frained for fear of exciting the jealousy of the
Vaabi, who considered him merely as a trades
man, and not as a man of letters. He also told
me that he did not find clock-making a very
profitable business, but was much employed in

48
repairing and ornamenting sabres and other
weapons, which seemed to be the sole delight
and pride of that warlike race, A Turk who
had served in the army of Maamet All Pascia,j
and afterwards resided at Mascat, confirm
ed the account of the Armenian, as far as
related to the inscription on the stones, and
asserted the name of the place where they are,
to be Tarapana, near Dereia; it is riot impro
bable, however, that they may allude to different
inscriptions. The Vaabi boast that their cavalry manage
the lance, and their infantry the sword, much
better than those of any other nation, and a
•sentence often in. their mouths, is, u Bedii
abuf sef, Frenghi abtf metfa.", The Be-
doween is master of the sword j and the Frank
of the artillery : Abu, the literal meaning of
which, is father, being commonly used to express
the excellence of an individual in any particular
employment, as in the two instances above
cited. Among these austere sectaries no title
of honor is ever given, except the appellation
of Seek, and that is never bestowed on an infh

49
del; so that when a Vaabi prisoner at Saara,
heard me addressed by the name of Seek Man
sur, he could not refrain from bursting into a
loud fit of laughter. The appellation of Seyd
has been entirely abolished, ' because it was
first established by Mahomet, whom they con
sider an impostor. We may here remark
that this title, which was at first considered as
a mark of the highest distinction, among the
inhabitants, of the East, is now so degraded as
to be commonly bestowed at Cairo, even upon
Christians; while no European, except a rene-
gado, ever obtained in Egypt the title of Seek,
To conclude, among the Vaabi we see all
that courage, activity, and perseverance, which
mark a rising nation ; all that boldness of design,
arid energy of execution, which distinguish a
new and vigorous government ; in a word, all
the advantages of despotism, and few of its
inconveniencies, The Bedoween, who still adhere to the Sul
tan of Mascat, are the single people of Arabia
dare to oppose them, and these, in reality, form

50
the only national corps in whom that Prince
can place any reliance.
If the reader should wish to peruse a more
detailed account of the Vaabi, together with a
list of all the tribes at present united with
them, I would refer him to a work published by
M. de Corancez, late Consul General of France,
at Aleppo; but now resident a Smyrna,

51

CHAP. III.

A Sequel to the History of Seyd Said, who unites
his forces to the English squadron acting against
the Giovasseom. — Col. Smith re-embarks, and the
Muscatians are defeated. — Critical situation of the
Sultan. — He fortifies his maritime towns. — Some of
them are besieged, and the interior of his dominions
devastated.
In the year 1809, the Sultan began making
warlike preparations, without giving the least
hint what power was the object of his intended
hostilities, as had been previously agreed upon
between himself and the governor of Bombay.
The Gioyasseom pirates had long swept the
Gulf of Persia of Arabian vessels, and embold
ened by constant success, in the year 1808,
they had ventured to capture an English mer
chantman called the Minerva, on her passage

52
from Bombay to Bassora. This unfortunate
ship was taken near the isle of Seek Said, and
the greatest part of her crew were massacred,
according to the usual custom of the Vaabi on
such occasions ; the captain being literally cut
to pieces on the quarter deck, while the pilot
took refuge in the powder magazine, with a
lighted match in his hand, threatening to blow
the ship into the air. An Armenian lady, born
at Buscier, and married to Mr ..Taylor, an Eng
lish officer, was treated with great respect,
and begged the pilot, whose name was La
Roche, to abandon his desperate intention, the
Giovasseom Seek, at the same time, promising
to save his life, upon condition that he should
embrace the religion of Abdulvaab. The un
happy man accepted this degrading proposal,
and; became a Musellm, as he afterwards related
.to me himself at Bender Abasi. After this
succes, the pirates with a flotilla of 40 sail,
-attacked a eorvette called the Morningtori, but
the wind being fresh, were repulsed; had a
calm prevailed, " she would probably have un
dergone the fate of the Minerva. It now became

53
necessary to adopt efficient measures, in order
once more to secure the freedom of navigation,
and in November, 1809, we saw a squadron,
composed of the Caroline and Chiffonne frigates,
the Mornington and Thanet sloops, two brigs,
and several transports, anchor in the port of
Mascat. The city was filled . with joy : and
Seyd Said, trusting in his powerful allies, im
mediately declared himself an enemy of the
Vaabi, and ordered the envoy of Saout, to
leave his dominions. At the same time he
levied an additional force, so as to encrease his
troops to 6,000 men, and equipped his flotilla
with the utmost possible speed.
The English having received a supply of
water and vegetables, and hired twenty-four
Arabian boats to assist in the debarkation of
their troops, gave the Sultan a magnificent en
tertainment, and then sailed for Ras-el-Keima.
Such are the advantages afforded by science
and discipline, over untutored valor, that in the
short space of forty days, the towns of Ras-el-
Keima, Sciarga, Lenghi, Lift, and many others,
were destroyed and a great portion bf their
H

54
garrisons slain, while the besiegers only lost one
captain, who received a ball in his forehead,
during the attack of the first mentioned place,
and about fifty men. The piratical flotilla was
entirely, burnt, while in the mean time, Seyd
Said despatched a letter to his friend Sultan
Messaghera, advising him to make peace with
the English, and unite the forces of the Gio vas
seom, with those of the provinces belonging to
Mascat, in order to reduce the exorbitant pow
ers of the Vaabi. Messaghera adopted this ad
vice, but his subjects refused to act against their
brethren, and Saout immediately deposed his
rebellious tributary, and caused him to be sent
in chains to Dereia. The unfortunate destiny of
his ally, however, did not arrest the enterprize
of the Sultan, and I embarked with him on
board a large ship, called the Sally, and pro
ceeded to Burca, where the whole armament
was to rendezvous ; there it amounted to 5,000
infantry, and 300 cavalry, besides another large
ship called the Ghengiaver, and about eighty
smaller vessels. We disembarked, and my pro-:
feptpr conducted me into that very room of the

55
castle where the fratricide had, been perpetra
ted, which placed him on the throne. Here
dinner was served, and after the meal was ovef ,
he thus addressed me, " Mansur, up to the pre
sent day I have loaded you with favors, and it
is now in your power to shew your gratitude,
by assisting me in this war." I answered that
I should always be ready to shed my blood for
him. Seyd Said immediately gave me the ne
cessary instructions, and the following morning
we embarked, the Sultan leading the fleet,while
his brother, Seyd Salem, conducted the army
along the shore. At Saara we formed a junc
tion with the troops of Seyd Azan, a relation of
Seyd Said, amounting to 1000 infantry and 100
cavalry, together with a few boats, and we then
entered the Giovasseom dominions, prepared to
put every thing to fire and sword, according to
the barbarous maxims of Arabian warfare. I
was on board the Sally with the Sultan, and
the coast soon presented a spectacle alike apal-
ling to the eyes and ears of all who were not
lost to every feeling of humanity. No resist
ance was at first attempted, yet the shores re-

56
echoed with the cries of the unhappy wretches,
principally women, who fell beneath the sword
of the destroyer, while the flames of their huts,
built only of straw, attested the ruin and de
struction of many a miserable family. When
We had reached Cinas, a town defended by
artillery, and situated in a plainj the army
"Was halted, and the fleet anchored near the
coast. Seyd Said, considering that an as
sault would cost him many men, even if suc
cessful, determined to advance to Cor-Chiel, a
town less strongly fortified, whose fall appeared
likely to intimidate the citizens of Cirias into a
surrender. This project was adopted, four
guns were disembarked, and a large breach
made iri the Avails, after a fire of only five hours ;
the BeHueci and Gedegal then attacked with
great intrepidity, forced an entrance into the
town, and massacred all who fell in their way.
"Seven hundred of the inhabitants, however,
having fled into a large house, built of stone,
defended themselves With the courage of de
spair, while every other part of the town was a
prey to the flames. I prepared a battery to.

57
destroy this last obstacle, when Seyd Said pro*
posed to the Gio vasseom to spare their lives,
*ipon their giving up their arms, baggage, and
all the dependencies of the place. The terms
were accepted, and the garrison retired into the
mountains, where uniting with the Beduini,
they formed a considerable force, which at the
end of three days, was again ready to attack us ;
and Seyd Said then perceived the error he had
committed, in not adopting my advice, and im
prisoning these Marauders, which he might have
done without contravening the articles of capi
tulation. The confusion wliich prevailed in the army
was so great, at the re-appearance of an enemy
whom they supposed annihilated, that I became
alarmed for the personal safety of the Sultan,
and begged him to swim to a small boat provi
ded with guns, manned by Portuguese, which
I had prepared and kept ready for any accident;
for the Arabs, after gaining a victory, immedi
ately disperse in search of plunder, never con
sidering it possible that the enemy should rally.
"Our armv, however, behaved better than usual,

58
retiring across the plain in tolerable order, while
the flotilla made sail to Mascat, leaving Cor-
Chiel and Cinas, in the hands of their ancient
possessors. On our arrival in the harbour, we were salu
ted with a general discbarge of artillery, as if
we had gained a splendid victory : and thus
terminated our first expedition.
The English Squadron arrived at Mascat, about
the same time, with an intention of returning to
Bombay, but remained in the roads some days,
while negociations were going on with the Sultan,
who, burning with a desire to revenge on Cinas
the disgrace he had received, earnestly begged
Coh., Smith to unite his forces with those of
Mascat, and to destroy this obnoxious town.
At this moment a Bedii arrived, and brought
news that a powerful Araabi army commanded
Matlak, had left Dereia, and was advancing
with the utmost rapidity to succour the faithful
and punish the rebellious allies of Saout. A
junction of the Arabians and English, therefore,
now became desirable to both, and the united
armamen^once more advanced against Cinas

59
in the month of January, 1810. In this expedi
tion I was on horse back with the land forces,
in order to render professional assistance to
Seyd Azan of Saara, who was afflicted with a
severe chronic disorder. My companion on the
march was named Seyd Maamet iben Elal, a
man of extraordinary courage ; our advance to
Saara was marked by no event worth relating,
till between Saara and CinaS, we observed a
considerable number of Giovasseom cavalry ,who
often skirmished with our detached parties and
killed some stragglers, but did not feel sufficient
confidence to hazard a general attack. Evening
coming on, Seyd Maamet iben Elal and I, at
the head of 50 Bellucci, were directed to recon
noitre another body of cavalry who were ad
vancing upon our right ; we challenged them
in Arabic, "menenti?" who are you? they
replied, " erigial, Sadik Mai Seyd Azan,''
" men, friend's of Seyd Azan ;" upon which we
ordered them to come into our rear. The
darkness of the night prevented any more mi
nute inspection into the identity of our pretended
allies, and we proceeded forwards without the

00
least apprehension of a surprise, when suddenly
we heard the cry of " Allaa, Alias," and were
instantly attacked by these supposed friends*.
who in reality vsere Giovasseom. The confu
sion which this unexpected circumstance pro
duced may be better imagined than described ;
nothing but the flashes of pistols and carbines,
and the gleams of sabres, were to be seen : Seyd
Maamet iben Elal received a wound from a lance
below his left shoulder, and the business soon
Wore a very uncomfortable appearance. How*
ever thejrue cavalry of Seyd Azan fortunately
appeared, and the enemy fled so suddenly that in
the morning it was commonly believed we had
fought by mistake among ourselves* an event
which might easily happen in the confusion of an
Arabian army. On reaching the neighbourhood
«f Cinas>we found that the English squadron had
already arrived', and disembarked their troops*
With guns and mortars, sufficient to attack tb«
place. The Sultan's cavalry took post in the vici-?
ty, to bring the earliest intelligence of the arrival
of theVaab'r, whose near approach Was now reor
dered certain by information derived from some

61
people who had travelled from Bremi. The exact
purport of their intelligence was that Saout on
hearing the fate of Ras-el-Keima, had raised a
¦small army composed of the flower of his sub*
jects, with 1000 camels to enable it to pass the
desert with greater rapidity. Upon the receipt
of this alarming news every means were used to
to induce the garrison of Cinas, to a speedy
surrender, while on the other hand the constant
offers of the inhabitants to negociate, were evi
dently intended only to gain time for Matlak's
arrival. Col. Smith, at length resobring to
conclude the affair, ordered his artillery to open,
which in eight hours effected a practicably
breach. At three o'clock, P. M. a tower with
a large part of the wall adjoining fell to the
ground; screams of distress, mixed with cries
of " AUaa Acber," instantly broke forth from
the interior of the town, while the allied troops
advanced to the assault in two columns, that on
the right being composed of English. In order
to avoid the possibility of any mistake which
might have arisen, from the exact conformity
itt dress and personal appearance between the

62
Gioyasseom, and the inhabitants of Mascat,
a piece of European sail cloth was given to
each of the -latter, which they were ordered to
wear in their turbans, and which effectually
prevented any error. The besieged defended
the breach with the greatest courage, till at
length Col. Smith, having placed some guns in
such a situation as to play upon them with
grape, the slaughter became excessive, and
they soori began to fly in confusion. The assai
lants followed them ithrough the streets, putting
all they could overtake to the sword ; 30 men,
and 75 women, however, contrived to escape
the massacre, and taike refuge: in a detached
tower, resolving rather to die bravely fighting,
than surrender to their pitiless conquerors.
But, when they saw the flames which were con
suming all that the former capture of (the town
had left, rapidly advancing to their last asylum,
they accepted the conditions offered, and be
came prisoners of war. It is impossible to state
exactly the loss of the Giovasseom in this
assault, it probably exceeded 700 men, whUe
that of the assailants amounted only to 15

63
English, and 50 Arabs. The few male prison
ers I understood were sent to Bombay, while the
females were landed after an imprisonment of
four days on board the English ships ; but the
fate of these unfortunate women, was even more
pitiable than that of those who were massacred
pi the first fury of the assault, in all probability
they were afterwards murdered by their own
countrymen, in consequence of the well known
Mahometan law, which condemns to death
any woman who has been connected with an
European. In the mean time Matlak with 2000
of his troops, had directed his course towards
Ras-el-Keima, but finding there only a few»
Giovasseom employed in restoring their ruined
capital, and hearing of the imminent danger
of Cinas, he made a rapid march to the
right, in hope of arriving in time to s.ave it.
The town was already destroyed when we
perceived in the horizon immense clouds of
dust, the cause of which was speedily divined ;
and we also perceived that the numbers of the
eijemy had been greatly encreased by the inha
bitants of Bremi and other towns through which

64
they had passed. Col. Smith immediately drew
up the English corps in order of battle near the
sea shore on the right, at the same time beg
ging the Sultan to pitch his camp on the left.
These manoeuvres were executed with celerity
and exactness, but a considerable part of the
Mascatian troops, and particularly the cavalry,
who had wandered about the country in search
of plunder, were placed in a very critical situa
tion. Twenty-five of these men, affrighted by the
arrival of the enemy, and pressed by the rapidity
of his march, hurried with precipitation towards
the camp, but being confused by the imminence.
of their danger they did not perceive the stand
ard of Seyd Said, and fled towards the left,
where they fell in with the English advanced
post. The captain who commanded it, not
¦being able precisely to distinguish whether they
were friends or enemies, ordered them to turn
towards their camp ; but, either ignorant of
what was meant, or terrified by the close
; pursuit of the Vaabi, they still pressed on ; the
• English then supposed them to be part of the
hostile army, and the discharge of a battery

65
loaded with grape, laid the whole 25 dead upon
the plain. Matlak who was very near observ
ing the destruction caused by the artillery,
determined to retire into a neighbouring date
wood, out of the range of this battery, and
there wait for a more favorable opportunity of
attacking the English. His troops remained in
this position three entire days, while the allied
army still occupied their post near the sea-shore.
At length Col. Smith, finding that the campaign
was likely to be drawn into a great length, in
formed the Sultan that -his instructions directed
him to destroy the maritime towns belonging to
the Giovasseom, but not to pursue them into
the desert, where his want ofcavalry would pre
vent him from acting with any chance of suc
cess, and that he was therefore determined to
re-embark his troops, and return to Bombay.
Unable to effect any thing alone, Seyd Said,
likewise upon the receipt of this message, re
solved to sail home. Thenextmorning very early,
the English were all on board ; the Sultan em
barked in the flotilla with part of his Arabs ;
while the remainder, amounting to about 40tM)

66
under the command of Seyd Azan* remained
encamped near the sea shore to observe the
motions of Matlak. That brave, though fero
cious chief, no sooner perceived the departure
of the English, than, like a lion thirsting for
his prey, he fell upon the affrighted Mascatians.
The battle, or rather massacre, which took
place under our eyes, lasted about two hours,
at the end of which time, Seyd Said saw his
army completely ruined, 2000 being slain on the
spot, while the remainder only saved themselves
by the agility of their horses and camels. At
the beginning of the attack, I had been ordered
to approach the shore with two gun boats ; the
conflict was over before I could fire on the
enemy ; but numbers of the miserable fugitives
threw themselves into the sea, and swam to
us ; and our boats became at length so over
loaded, that we were afraid of being swamped,
and were obliged to repulse . with our sabres,
many wretched beings, who afterward^,
before our eyes, perished in the waves. The
English were much astonished at the cowardice
of their allies, and expressed their opinion of it

67
to the Sultan, who could urge but little in ex
cuse for the behaviour of his warriors. Both
the squadrons remained at anchor the night
after the action, and in the morning when we
were about to weigh, a horseman appeared on
the beach, bearing a piece of white cloth at
tached to a lance, with which he made signals,
requesting a conference.
The English commander immediately sent a
boat on shore with his interpreter, to enquire
the object of this proceeding. The horseman,
who was no other than Matlak in person, ex
pressed his earnest desire to conclude a treaty
with the English on the following terms :
1st. That neither the Vaabi, nor their tribu
taries, should in future molest any English
ship, or subject.
2nd. That the English government should
afford no assistance to Seyd Said, in the unjust
war he had provoked, by throwing off his alle
giance, and 'refusing to pay the stipulated
tribute. The interpreter returned on board with the
proposals, and after some deliberation, Col.

68
Smith consented to a suspension of arms, and
finally declared that he would remain neutral
in the event of any further hostilities between
the Vaabi and the Sultan. This line of con
duct he did not think treacherous or impolitic,
as no express convention had been concluded
between Seyd Said and the East India Com
pany, while the late catastrophe had sufficiently
proved that little advantage could be derived
from his assistance. The provisions and water
which Mascat had furnished to his own arma
ment, he considered amply repaid by the de
struction of Ras-el-Keima, Cinas, and the other
strong holds of the formidable Giovasseom.
The degree of good faith and morality, de-
. veloped in this proceeding, I leave to the consi
deration of my readers ; but as a stroke of
policy, it was certainly worthy of praise, as it
secured permission for the English flag to float
unmolested over the Persian gulf, and extended
the renown of the East India Company, through
countries where it had been before unknown.
The suspension of arms was therefore changed
into a treaty of peace, sworn to on both sides

69
with the utmost solemnity, while the Giovas-
seom furnished, perhaps, a more stable: guaran
tee in the shape of hostages, chosen among the
first families of their tribe. Col. Smith having
thus accomplished the object of his expedition,
left the Gulf and returned to Bombay.
The English squadron having departed, we
made sail to Bender Abasi, took on board a
reinforcement of troops, and afterwards pro
ceeded to Saara, in order to assist the wreck of
the army defeated at Cinas ; Seyd Azan com
manded it, and was so closely pursued by Mat-
lak, that he was compelled to take refuge in his
capital, with a few hundreds of his followers.
The Vaabi immediately invested Saara,
and on our arrival we found them encamped on
the sea-shore ; but the destructive fire of our
two gun-boats quickly compelled them , to re
move their station to a distance, after having
sustained considerable loss. However, the be
siegers revenged their fruitless attempt, by de
stroying all the cattle they could find in the
territory of this unfortunate town, burning all
the huts, and cutting down all the trees. Nor

7b
did the work of destruction terminate here;
for Matlak, leaving his son, with a small division,
to continue the blockade, carried fire and sword,
at the head of a larger body of troops, through
the greater part of the Maseatian dominions.
Before his departure, he proposed terms for the
conclusion of' peace, and a conference was held
between himself and a Seek of the Sultan, near
the walls of Saara, at which I was present, but
which ended ineffectually on account of the
enormous sum of money demanded by the
Vaabi. During the whole negoektion-, I was
much surprised at the civility with which Mat
lak conversed; and' "al? the gentleness of his
whole deportment. Be recognized' me as an
European by the floricmess of ' my complexion,
and mentioned that he had heard I was Abur
Metfa, (father of the cannons), he> also related,
with great appearance of feeling, that a few
days before, a shot had killed several of his
men, who were employed in cooking their- rice,
under the shade of a date tree. This circum-
jStance* had happened in the following manner :
Cfee* day^ while coasting the shore with my gun-

n
boats, I could see nobody on the beach, but
observed a considerable smoke rising from a
grove at some distance ; I immediately ordered
a Portuguese gunner to direct his fire in that
direction, and the accident, so much deplored
by the hostile general, was the result of his
dexterity. During the progress of the negocia-
tion, which lasted three days, I observed that
many of the garrison of Saara were constantly
passing to and from the Vaabi camp, which
gave me reason to suspect that some treachery
was in agitation, as the doctrines of the new sect
had many believers among the troops of Seyd
Said; while the long-protracted conference
appeared likely to afford means of discovering
the number and disposition of the forces which
his recent disaster had left him. The second
day, therefore, that the white flag was hoisted,
I stationed myself at the gate, and interrogated
each of our men as they passed through, about
the motives of their behaviour.- A considerable
degree of perplexity marked their replies, which
increased my suspicions! and at length ob
serving one fellow labouring under the weight

n
of a large bundle, I seized him and insisted
upon kriowing what it contained. His only
reply was a successful effort to extricate him
self from my grasp, while I followed him at full
speed, pistol in hand, threatening to fire if he
did not shew the contents of his burden. This
measure was successful : the bag when opened,
was full of gunpowder, and I immediately car
ried the traitor, with the proof of his guilt, be
fore the Sultan. Seyd Said interrogated him,
but the only answers he could obtain, were sup-?
plications for merey, in the name of Mahoiriet ;
yet notwithstanding the unimpeachable evidence
of his crime, and the manifest propriety of mak
ing an example of such glaring treachery, all
the punishment he received, was a blow with
a stick, and the disgraceful appellation of" Kia-
fer ! " Traitor ! And here, in order to afford
the reader a clear idea of the Vaabi tactics, it
may be worth while to give a short sketch of
the movements of their army after the rupture
of the negociations above related. As soon as
Matlak had advanced to Bremi with his army,
which, by the arrival of strong reinforcements,

73
was increased to 8000, it was divided into
three columns, one commanded by the general in
person, and the other two by his son, and by Seyd
Maamet iben Nasser, the former associate, but
now bitter enemy of the Sultan. One of these
divisions marched along the shore, the second
directed its course into the interior, while Mat-
lak himself took the middle road, and overlooked
the movements of the whole. Seyd Maamet
iben Nasser laid waste the province of Ismael,
and thence advanced to Lecchie, and the moun
tains of Iben-ruai, while Matlak and his son
occupied the remaining dominions of the Sultan,
together with the immediate territory of Burca*
and Mascat. In the mean time, Seyd Said
had retired with the squadron to his capital^
after having fortified Seek, Matra, and Burca.
At the last named place, I had an interview
with this unfortunate prince, whose situation *
was indeed deplorable; and he asked my ad-
'vice with much earnestness, upon the measures
best calculated to extricate him from; ruin. •¦ < I
took the liberty to suggest some steps Which/
though not quite consonant to the political mora*

74
lity of Europe, except as taught by Machi&Vjelli*
Would have been rejected by very few oriental
despots on that account. Seyd Said instantly ob
served that they were contrary to the precept*
of the Koran, and the law of God, In order to
try how far his acute feeling of moral obliga
tion would carry Mtn, I replied, that When th*
Immediate interest of kings arid nations waft
concerned, it was sometimes necessary to put
the divine commands on one side, and the abso
lute necessity of the case on the Other. I had
scarcely finished the sentence, when, frightened
at opinions so detestible, he exclaimed with
energy, that he would Sooner lose both kingdom
and life, than thus break through the commands
of God, and the dictates of his conscience, I
might perhaps have suggested, that no crime
more grossly violated the laws of the creator
than fratricide ; but this would have been push
ing the dicussion to a dangerous point; and I
therefore let it drop, telling hint that his own
heart would be his best monitor, while- it con
tinued to be animated by such noble sentiments.
M. Dallons, a French merchant who. had been

75
sent en a mission to Mascat, by General De Caen,
governor of the Isle of France,was present at se
veral of our conversations, and advised the Sultan
to conclude a Peace with the. Vaabi, and to em
brace their religious opinions. Seyd Said however
always rejected this proposal, and relied upon the
assistance which the English East India Company
were bound to yield him, both by policy and good
faith. I was at last completely *disgusted-by see
ing the confidence he placed in a power which
had so entirely deserted him ; and I one day tooke
the liberty of mentioning that the entire differ
ence between himself and the English, both in
religion and customs, was so complete a bar to
a lasting union, that he might derive more as
sistance from an alliance with the grand Signi-
er, or the King of Persia, than with them.
The Prince observed that a treaty with the
governor of Bombay, would render him more
respectable in the eyes of the whole English
nation; I replied that when two nations, the one
powerful, the other weak, entered into a last
ing alliance, the latter, in the course of time,
always became subject to the former ; and that

76
as his dominions were much inferior, in strength,
to those of the English, the grand Signior, and
the King of Persia, he should attach himself to
that people whose religion and customs, most
resembled those of his own subjects. I begged
him to recollect how his former allies had ridiculed
himself and his troops, because the tents of their
private soldiers, were better furnished than his
own. Here a sense of his Unhappy situation
seemed to break upon the Sultan, in all its hor
rors, and after exhaling the agony of his soul
in repeated exclamations of "Allaa Acber," a
cup of coffee ended our conference. While
these deliberations were going on, Matlak had
invested Burca so closely, that it was impossi
ble for the inhabitants to penetrate far enough
from the walls to procure wood for firing; a
sortie was therefore resolved upon, and night
was fixed as the time of the attempt, in 'the
hope of surprising the Vaabi. Seyd Said de
clined taking the command in person : and
here we may observe, that active personal cou
rage was by no means his characteristic quality.
which arose, as was told hie by a Mullaa,from

77
his firm conviction in the truth of an Arabian
proverb, answering to the Latin adage, " Qui
gladio ferit gladio perit." The direction
of this enterprise was therefore conferred
on Seyd Maamet iben Elal and myself, and
we issued from the gate of Burca exactly
at 11 o'Clock, P. M.— with 150 cavalry armed
with carbines and pistols ; While the can
non of the fortress fired without ball, in order
to distract the enemy's attention, and conceal
from him the real point of attack. We direc
ted our course through the Vaabi camp, firing
at every one we saw, though at full gallop ;
we then made a turn to the right, but when we
reached the northern gate of the town, it was
with great difficulty that we could persuade our
friends to open it; and sometime elapsed before we
found ourselves once more in safety within the
walls. When the sun arose, the army of Mat-
lak had disappeared, having retreated a distance
pf twenty miles, although their loss could not
have been great ; not an individual of our men
having even been wounded. The blockade of
Burca being thus raised, we retired to Mascat,

78
which the hostile army soon approached ; and
the Sultan shut himself up within the walls of
his palace, to offer up prayers to heaven, which
alone seemed able to ward off the impending
ruin.

79

CHAP. IV.

Seyd Said obtains aid from the King of Persia, and
gains an advantage over the Vaabi.— Is defeated.—
Matlak murdered by the Uabee, or Uebi.— Alliance
with the Pascia of Egypt. Success of Seyd Said,-—
Naval war tvith the Giovasseom.
About this time, finding that the expectations
which had led me to Mascat were not likely
to be realized, and that the Sultan no longer
listened to my advice with the same attention
as formerly, or treated me with the same regard,
I left Arabia, and did not return till 1814. I
was not, therefore, present at the events which.
took place in the interval, but shall relate them
according to the best information it was in my
power to obtain, after the most diligent inquiry.
In the end of the year 1811, Seyd Salem was
despatched by his brother as envoy to the court

. 80
of Teheran to obtain a succour of troops, and
with the greater hope of success, as the Shah or
Scia, had been for some time engaged in hostili
ties against the Vaabi, on account of the pillage
apd massacre of several Persian caravans on
their pilgrimage to the tomb of Ali at Hella. The
Ambassador was courteously received, and after
a few weeks, despatched, on his return home,
accompanied by a body of Persians under the
command of Sadi Khan, a scion of the illustri
ous house ofKajarorCagiar. This auxiliary force
was composed of 1500 cavalry, 4 pieces of light
artillery worked by Russian deserters, and a
considerable number of Zumbelek, a sort of
swivels mounted on camels and fired from their
backs, and of which each animal carries two
Seyd Salem marched wi^h all possible expedi
tion to Bender Abasi or Gondrum, and thence
transported his troops to Burca in the beginning of
1812, on board some vessels which had been sent
by the Sultan for that purpose. They were recei
ved with the greatest demonstration of joy, and
being joined by 4000 Arabs, immediately opened
the campaign, and endeavoured to force Matlak

81
to a general action. That intrepid chief did
not decline the combat; it took place at Nakal,
a village situated a few miles from the sea,
between Mascat and Burca ; and the Vaabi,
after an obstinate action,were defeated with loss,
and obliged to retreat into the provinces of
Ismael. The allied army, proud of its recent
success, soon encreased to the number of 10,000
men; because the Arabs who have seldom
much interest in the disputes of their ru
lers, almost invariably join the strongest side;
and this practice is carried to such an extent,
that I have known a man, four times in the
course of one year, join the Vaabi, and as often
return to the orthodox faith of Mahomet. Mat-
lak was pursued, and obliged, by the inferiority
of his forces, to retire to Zecchie. Here he
raised fortifications, in conjunction with his
friend Seyd Maamet iben Nasser, whose fidelity
he could not doubt, arid sent pressing instances
to the court of Dereia to hasten the march of
reinforcements. In the mean time Seyd Said,
thinking that the power of his most formidable
enemy was crushed for ever, had left his land

m
forces under the command of Seyd Maamet
iben Elal, and Sadi Khan, and prepared a flo
tilla to attack the Giovasseom, and burn Ras-el-
Keima. This town since the departure of the
English had been rebuilt, and already contained
a considerable population ; its inhabitants ' had
not, however, forgotten their old trade of piracy,
but with a few small ships, took every Arabian
vessel that did not hoist British colours, under
which many sailed, from a conviction of the
perfect security it conferred upon them.
At the time that Seyd Salem set out on his
Persian embassy, the Sultan had written to the
governor of Bombay, and obtained permission
tp purchase some cannons and mortars; for the
Arabs possess all the imitative propensities of
monkeys, as I have mentioned before, and hav
ing observed the destructive effects of European
artillery, at the siege of Cinas, did not doubt
that those warlike implements, in their own
hands would be equally irresistible. The guns
and mortars were soon bought and conveyed
to Mascat ; when Seyd Said, wishing to prove
them, summoned a Persian bombadier who

83
pretended to be perfectly acquainted with their
use. The proof was made on board a ship cal
led the Fezalem ; but this pretended engineer,
almost as ignorant as his master, lighted the
fuze of the shell before he applied his match
to the touch-hole; the fire and smoke which Were
the consequence' of this mistake, greatly alarmed
the Sultan, who piously implored the help of
Maamet and Fatima. The confusion, however,
was great, the mortar was discharged just in time
to prevent any accident, as the bomb exploded
in the air at a very short distance from the ves
sel, without injuring any body ; owing, as it Was
supposed by the pious Mascatians, to the direct
interference of the Prophet.
Seyd Said, having armed the flotilla with his
lately purchased artillery, and strengthened its
crews with the Persian bombadiers, directed
his course to Ras-el-Keima> where we will
leave him for the present, and return to Matlak,
who had no sooner learned the departure of his
principal enemy, than he recommenced his ac
customed intrigues.

84
His creatures began by spreading a report
that the king of Persia, under colour of suc
couring Mascat, really intended to subjugate it.
Many believed this idle tale ; some.who did not
quite credit it, were piqued at a supposition
which so greatly, in their own opinion, libelled
their courage and patriotism ; and disputes
immediately arose in the camp, as to whether
the Arabs or Persians had merited the prize
of valour in the late victory. These dissensions
at length reached a dangerous height; the allied
chiefs felt the general contagion ; disputes and
quarrels were incessant, and disgust seized
possession of every breast.
L'acciaj6 allora la discordia prese,
£ la pietra focaja, e picchio un poco ;
L'esca poi sotto ajla Superbia stese,
E fu attaccato in un momento il fuoco.
Matlak saw the effects of his policy, and
judged that the proper moment for action had
arrived; the hostile armies were completely dis
organized, and he attacked them near Ismael with
his accustomed activity and courage. The resis
tance was feeble, and the defeat complete, for

65
in fact their army was utterly destroyed ; my un
fortunate friend Seyd Maamet Iben EM, to
gether with all the Russian deserters was slain,
and the artillery taken, while Sadi Khan
fled to Burca with only 100 horse.
The Vaabi general, after this victory, instead
of proceeding to the relief of Ras-el-Keima,
marched directly to Mascat, burnt Mutra one
of its suburbs, and took such a position as to
intercept all supplies from the surrounding
country. Seyd Said had no soorier learnt the
defeat of his army and the imminent danger of
his capital, than he returned with all possible
speed to its assistance, but could only arrive in
time to see its dependencies ain flames, and to
lament the irreparable consequences of his fol
ly and want of energy. At length, however,
his mind in some degree, recovered its elasticity;
he first sent back Sadi Khan, to Bender Abasi,
loaded with reproaches ; and then immediately
applied himself to strengthen the fortifications
of Mascat, and. of the other towns, which still
acknowledged him their sovereign ; while even
within their walls, murmurs were raised against

M

86
him, on account of the clouds of calamity which
had darkened his reign. In the mean time,
Matlak laid waste the interior provinces, and em
ployed on all occasions, both threats and premis
ses, to compel their unfortunate inhabitants to
embrace the Vaabi religion. The Bedu, com
plained continually of these cruel and invidious
attempts on the faith to which their ancestors
had so long adhered. Matlak despised their
murmurs, little reflecting on the danger to which
he exposed himself, by irritating that feeling
alluded to by the Ambassador of Henry IV. to
Elizabeth Queen of England, when he said,
Vous connoissez le peuple, et savez ce qu'il ose,
Quand des Cieux outrage's il pretend venger la cause.
The consequence of this presumption, he soon
experienced, and added another to the thousand
existing proofs of the maxims, that especially
in war, no enemy is too insignificant to be des
pised ; and that when we consider ourselves at
the height of prosperity, we are often nearest
to our ruin : according to the Italian proverb,

87
Ai voli troppo alti, e repentini
Sogliono i precipizj essez vicini.
Fortune, wliich had so long assisted Matlak
in all his undertakings, at length deserted him.
One day when he was returning from Ghilan,
to the province of Ismael, attended by a small es
cort, he was assailedby the Uabee, or Uebi, a war
like tribe, dwelling in those parts, and slain after a
most desperate conflict. These Arabs cut off
his head, and carried it, together with his arms,
to Mascat ; while the Sultan could scarcely
believe, even after the irrefragable testimony
before his eyes, the news of his enemy's death ;
so indelible had been the impression of his cou
rage/and his talents. Thus perished, in No
vember, 1813, that foe whose very name
had so long struck the Mascatians with terror,
a victim to the temerity fostered by too con
stant success. He possessed a handsome person,
and a warlike air : united with some traits of
gentleness, which insured him at once, the re
spect and affection of his followers. One may
perhaps attribute that semblance of the most
intrepid courage which so strongly characterized

88
him, to the cowardice of his opponents, and may
fairly presume that, had he been opposed to
the English, the course of his victories would
have been interrupted ; yet we cannot help ad
miring the prudence he had displayed at
Cinas, where he remained a considerable time'
in the presence of Europeans ; and shewed that
he was well acquainted with their superiority,
by refraining from attacking them. In fine,.
without exaggeration, I may declare him to*
have been the ablest politician and most skilful
general, who has for a considerable space of
time appeared in the east.
¦ The command of the forces in this parfcof Ara
bia, was immediately conferred on his sonby Sa
out, but this young man possessed neither thecou-
rage nor talentsof their late leader, and the Vaabi
soon lost all hopes of subjugating the Sultan.
At the same time that the head of Matlak was
brought to Mascat, a small boat- arrived fr«a&
Gedda, in which was Messaghera the dethro
ned Sultan of the Giovasseom, who had escaped
from Dereia to Mecca; and placed bjnaself un-
dssr the protection of the Othmans.

89
The Paseia of Grand Cairo had been for some
time engaged in hostilities with the Vaabi, but
had never before bethought himself of concluding
an alliancewithSeydSaid. However, after the arri
val of Messaghera, the ancient friend of the Sultan
Maamet All Pascia considered that such an
instrument might be useful, in making a diver
sion on the opposite coast of the peninsula, and
accordingly sent him to Mascat, entreating
Seyd Said to protect him, and if possible restore
Mm to the possession of R as-el-Keima. By the
same channel he took care to spread the news of
the great suceess which had hitherto attended
his efforts, and demanded a succour of ships,
boats, and especially provisions, which would be
so useful in his future enterprizes. Seyd Said
immediately began to entertain hopes of retriev
ing his ruined affairs, and felt his vanity gratified
in the respect shewn him by the powerful Court
of Constantinople. He soon after despatched a
ship to Gedda, loaded with provisions and am
munition ; and at the same time assured Toson,
son of Maamet Ali Pascia, that he might depend
on all the assistance that Mascat. could afford,

90
while his efforts were directed against the com
mon enemy. A Flotilla was also equipped,
and the command conferred on Messaghera;
that he might endeavour to recover his ancient
territories by force, or by awakening the dor
mant affection of his former subjects.
Ras-el-Keima was too strong to be attacked
with any prospect of success; but on the opposite
Shore of the Gulf Lenghi, and all the other
possessions of the Giovasseom were obliged to
submit to their old master, "who had increased
his forces by the powerful influence of Mas-
catian subsidies; so that this warlike tribe are at
present divided, one part continuing faithful to the
Vaabi, while the remainder are subject to Messa
ghera. The happy Seyd Said, who so lately could
hardly protect himself, was now in a condition to
give away thronesto others. ThePasciaof Gedda
informed him from time to time that the cities
of Mecca and Medina were reconquered, and
that the Vaabi were driven from the coast of
the Red Sea; but when he attempted to pene
trate into the interior, his former good fortune

forsook him ; the courage and activity of the
foe, joined to their capacity of enduring priva
tions, and the impossibility of subsisting an
army in long marches across tbe desert, pro
tected the walls of Dereia from any insults, and
after all their misfortunes, the Vaabi retained
complete possession of the whole interior of the
Arabian peninsula. Philosophers and Poets
have alike observed, that when the wheel of
Fortune turns, it usually retraces its revolutions
with extreme rapidity : it was so on the present
occasion; for while the news of the repeated
successes of Toson were constantly arriving at
Mascat, a report reached the town that Saout,
commander of the Vaabi, a man whose courage,
activity, and sound policy, had been the prin
cipal source of their victories, was no more: he
died at Dereia, and was succeeded by Abdalla
Aziz the 2nd. to whom public opinion ascribed
talents of a very inferior order. This rapid
course of favourable events restored happiness
and tranquillity to Seyd Said, who so lately
appeared to be on the very verge of destruction :
his dominions began also to reap the fruits of

92
tranquillity; orders were given for rebuilding
the towns that had been destroyed, the husband
man returned to the cultivation of those fields he
had so long deserted, and the government of the
provinces was restored to its former organization.
The Bedu arrived at Mascat in crowds to
felicitate their legitimate prince on the happy
change in his circumstances, and to assure him
of their fidelity; the merchants too once more
Commenced with eagerness their gainful specu
lations : Seyd Said in the mean time resolved
to increase the strength of his flotilla, and for
that purpose ordered a large ship to be built at
Bombay. However Seek Sale, chief of the Giovasseom
of Ras-el-Keima, did not lose courage at the
untoward aspect of his affairs, but on the con
trary determined to prosecute hostilities with
all imaginable vigour. A great number
of boats belonging to him infested the neigh
bouring sea, and miserable was that crew
who fell into his hands ; for death, attended
with wanton insult, and the

93
most horrible tdrttires, Was a degree bf mercy
reserved, but for few. Abdalla- Aziz, wished
to signalise the beginning of his reign, arid to
show that, in losing Saout, the Vaabi had fbrifid
sHlother chief who could either lead, or direct
their forces to victory. He began his opera
tions by remitting 10,000 dollars for the pur
pose of equipping a very large dav, (a kind of
vessel much resembling a Mediterranean 5te-
bec) arid ordered her to cruise in the gulf,
smd capture all the Arabian merchantmen she
eetuld meet. She carried twelve guns, and her
grew Cbrisisted of 400 choice men. After put
ting to sea, Giafer, the Seek who commanded
her, dit-ected his course to Mascat, and appear
ed near the port, before the affrighted citizen's
had learned that ^uch a ship' existed. It
would require the kindling pen of poetic genius,
to describe the terror which instantly seized
them, at this unexpected apparition.

Scorse nell'ossa ai terrazzani il g«To,
Qiiando vidder, colui venir dal ceilo.

94
Pale and trembling, they looked on each other
without daring to utter a word, or to suggest
measures capable of warding off the impending
danger. Yet the Sultan was in his palace, surr
rounded by a multitude of Bedii, beside his rer
gular troops, and the port was crowd ed with ships
among which that so lately arrived from Bom
bay, called the Caroline, attracted universal
admiration. To reassure hiss terrified subjects, the equal
ly terrified Seyd Said, was obliged tp put on
at least the appearance of intrepidity, He
accordingly embarked on board his new ves
sel, attended by a thousand men, armed with
lances, and among whom were a crowd of his
own slaves, together with many of his intimate
friends and relations ; two other three-masted
ships were also equipped, and the whole put to
sea and approached the dav which was cruising
near Mutra. The Caroline immediately fired,
though the enemy was out of the range of her
artillery, and, disdaining to reply with a single
shot, made sail towards Cape Calajat. Seyd
Said, delighted with what, appeared to be a
flight on the part of his enemy, and satisfied

95
with the abundant harvest of glory he had reap
ed, returned into the harbour amid the joyful
exclamations of victory, and ordered the two
reriiaining ships to pursue the foe. His direc
tions were obeyed ; the two ships reached the
height of Cape Calajat ; there they saw Seek
Giafer capture two richly -laden barks full of
Beniani and Arabs, and put every man of the
Unfortunate creWs to the sword, without daring
to approach within less than three miles of the
spot Where this bloody tragedy was perpetrating;
they afterwards returned home to carry the
news of their courage and success to their mas
ter, while the dav put to sea iri search of more
booty. The reader may suppose I am descri
bing the mimic < Wars of a pantomine, yet all
that I relate is strictly conformable to truth. As
Seyd Said could not accuse his officers of
Cowardice, without a tacit reflection on his
own conduct, and yet the murmurs of the peo
ple required a sacrifice, he thought it best to
attribute their behaviour to treachery, and to
punish them by the disgraceful appellation of
Kiafer. However, the merchants were not

96
quits s^tisfif 4 > tkejf lordly complained pf the
hwifap of paying taxes for the support of
troops who scarcely da^4 tP Ipph an pn^inj
ir} th$ face > *$? at }engtn> *^P purity pf fhpiir
gfti$h convinced them that all their m^sfqrtunes
$?ere guided Dv $at predestination tP which
every pious, l^lahometap so submissively h,PW$.
In thfi mean time Seek Gjiafer, haTiQg beep
^qine4 bj a small ^ipyaisepm flptdla, direc^d
3ny course tP KdTOzo, a M^V, near &uch, oy
]£epc, pn the coa^t of Meekran ; tbrge s^ms
^fere immediately desjpatphed from T^ascat* \9
its, re|jgf ] put return^ as usual, unsuccessful.
^et *# % reader think th.^t» in tfl»ft^ n^r-
r^tjpg the errors and disgraep qf my fprnjpr
mastpy, I a,|n. actuated by amy animosity to
wards him: my principles ftlike fi)rbi$ m?
tp conceal, tp mjarepresept,, or to pxagprj|tp
the truth; the ensuipg part Pf this ^qrk
w^l, show the sincere a,tta,chment with Fhjc£
I served him, and which was. alike inspired hy
h^s unvaried kindness to myself, and by the
many traits of goodness, which djum^na|ed
even hij| failings.

$7

CHAP. V.

Domestic life of the, Arabs. — -Observations on their
characteristic qualities. — Cursory remarks on them,
and other Asiatic nations. — Description of tht
Jfeniani, £pb@M W& I^Qtia,.
%t would be a useless waste pf words tp
repeat here what former authors have said
concerning the general manners of the east;
where customs, however, from the lapse of time,
h$,ve undergone any alteration, I shall not fail
tp notice the change. It may be interesting to
the reader to learn something of the private life
pf the Arabs > and, in order to gratify this
curiosity, I have collected the following ob
servations, which, though trivial in themselves,
yet may perhaps afford a more distinct idea of
.{h£ character pf this people, than the nidjst

98
complete and laboured narration of public
events. An Arab rises as soon as it is light, begins
his religious exercises by crying La ila illellah!
and then extending his hand over the body of
any Mahometan person who may happen to
repose near him, he rouses him with the excla
mation Al Sela! al Sela! (pray to God! pray
to God!) Even at sea, the first who awakes
always invites his neighbour to prayers in this
manner, though he may chance to be completely
a stranger ; and this custom is never omitted,
nor does the persdn awakened display any
sign of unwillingness, unless when the night has
been principally passed in labour instead of
repose; which is often the case with servants
and slaves, who always seem extremely sluggish,
unless they are stimulated into action by their
masters. In the city, in the field, or on board ship, the
Arabs usually repose in troops ; so that a Mulla
is generally to be found in each separate assem
blage : if by chance, hoWever, no priest should
be present, the oldest man, or he who is sup-

99
posed to possess most theological learning,
begins the prayer with a verse from the Koran,
El selatu aker, men in num — that is, " Prayer
should be preferred to sleep;" the rest all
answer him in the same strain, though their
gaping soinetimes contradicts the assertion. It
js to be observed that, in obedience to the
Moslem dogma, which teaches that man should
never presume to present himself before God,
but in a perfect state of mental and corporeal
purity, they never address the Creator without
having first washed their hands, faces, and feet:
and if water cannot be obtained, as during long
journeys across the desert, it has been recorded
that pious men have used sand in the perform
ance of these ablutions. — The first repast or
breakfast is called el moza, and consists of bis
cuits, fried fish, pastry, tea and coffee, among
those in good circumstances ; while the poor are
obliged to be contented with dates and a little
boiled rice. About noon a sort of luncheon is
served up to the wealthy, called " El Cadde,"
which consists of meat dressed in a variety of
different manners. But the principal meal for

100
poor as well as rich is called " ascia, or assha,"
and is eaten about the time of the settitig sun j
it is composed of a large pillau of rice mixed
with pieces of stewed meat, or sometimes fowls*
those who Cannot afford so expensive a disbj
Content themselves with rice and fish.
The Arabs are, in general, a very sober face;
excessive corpulence is unknown artiong
them : this may perhaps be attributed, in a
great degree, to the extreme heat of the cli
mate; yet they are not naturally indolent,
though commonly supposed to be So ; many
ef their artificers are as assiduous as those ift
Europe ; and I have seen a man whose employ
ment Was boring pearls, and who continued
regrilatfly at work for the Whole day. Sdtrie*,
indeed, pass their" time iri a state of listless
inaction ; brit this is owing to the natural inse
curity of property incident to eVfefy despotic
State, which places the produce of iridwstry iri
jeopardy, and, of course, retrieves the* grand sti
mulus to activity.
At most seasons of the year,- the. jiPef are
happy to engage their services* fd anybody

101
who is able to give them employment, but
when the season for gathering dates arrives, it
is very difficult to procure a servant. That
staff of life furnishes every body, with
subsistence, at a very low price; and it is not
thought a crime' of deep die, even to steal a
small quantity of what nature produces in so
great abundance. At that time of plenty and
happiness, those who are not naturally disposed
to activity, sit all day under the trees, reciting,
in a musical tone, verses out of the Koran ; and
when sleep overcomes their faculties, they sink
to repose under the hospitable boughs; which at
once afford both food and shelter. In excuse for
this apparent sloth, we must recollect that from
many of those amusements which engross so
large a portion of the European's time, a half
civilized - Arab is entirely debarred by his reli
gion, which prohibits, in the most absolute terms
all games of chance, and, by implication, theatri
cal exhibitions. Would not the goddess Vacu-
na, have a still larger number of votaries in Paris,
and London, were it not for the stimulating de-

102
lights of the Opera, the Ridotto, the Theatre,
orthe Faro Table?
': Manufactories of fire-arms and fine sabres^
though sufficiently common in Turkey and
Persia, are absolutely unknown in the wide ex
tent of Arabia ; all that' are used, either in war,
or : hunting, must be imported from other
countries. At Mascat, saltpetre is pro
cured in considerable quantities ; yet owing
tp7want of skill in its preparations, or to the
badness of the charcoal, the gunpowder there
is; so bad as to be fit for little else than firing
salutes; that which is imported by the English
or other Europeans being stronger in the pro
portion of four to one. The pearl oyster gives
employment to many of the inhabitants of Oman ;
the common fishery to a still larger number : the
Bedii are constantly attending their herds of
camels and other cattle : the few who may be
called learned, pass the day in studying the wri
tings of their prophet; or the numerous com
mentaries which have been composed upon them;
some of which are now of almost equal autho
rity with the inspired volume itself; while the

103
iSultan and his Seeks decide the causes that arise
among their vassals,' or perform a variety, of
evolutions on their beautiful horses. IKiring
the whole of my service under Seyd Said. I
never once saw either himself, or his ministers,
engaged in calculations about levying a new tax
to increase the receipts. of the treasury:, to
motives of interest indeed the Arabs are always
-alive,' especially where money is concerned'; hut
the possibility of gaining it must not depend on
remote contingencies, and be followed through
all the mazes of fiscal subtlety. TheMascatian
women; are principally employed in cooking
food for their families, and reading- the Koran
if they are able : the spinning-wheel arid the
loom are little in use, as the extreme heat
renders much clothing unnecessary, and that
usually worn can be imported from India cheaper
than it can be manufactured. That system of
political ceconomy which teaches, the enlightened
rulers of Europe to debar themselves' and their
subjects from the enjoyment of many comforts
and conveniencies, merely because they are pro*

104
duced in foreign- countries, has never- travelled
into this barbarous portion of the torrid zone,
The Arabian children are sent to school, and
taught reading and writing; they also learn the
Koran by heart. It is very ridiculous to observe
them with their master, as they all have a habit
of moving their heads from side to side like so
many-marmots. There can be little occasion for servants in a
country where the personal wants of any indi
vidual are very, few ; the rich, however, possess
black slaves, who beat the coffee-berries, in order
to disengage them from the husk, and perform
other, offices requiring little exertion. It. is
amusing to hear the sound produced by the pestle
and mortar of the negroes, while; engaged) in
this employment; they descend in regular time,
and at a distance might be taken: for a chime of
bells. The household troops off the Sultan and
Seeks are principally formed of these foreigners.
Banquets are uncommon in Arabia ; the retired
habits of the Orientals, and the seclusion of
thep: women, conspiring to render the; men

105
fond of the domestic society wliich their families
afford ; but I was once present at a grand enter
tainment given by Seyd Said to which fifty
guests were invited : the spot where they met
was on the sea-shore, between Sibi and Matra,
where a cannon foundry had been established
under the superintendance of a Persian refugee :
and the time fixed was when some mortars
newly cast were to be proved. The honour of
this royal invitation was not entirely free from
danger; for one of these clumsy implements
burst at the distance of only fifty yards from
the place where I was standing, and from
which I had just caused the spectators to re
move, fearing that the ignorance of this pre
tended engineer would produce some fatal ac
cident. The fragments of brass flew about me
in all directions, and one struck the umbrella
just above my head, but without causing me
any injury ; however, the Sultan, who was
placed in security behind a wall at a consider
able distance, exclaimed, " poor Seek Mansur,"
and instantly despatched his slaves to congra
tulate me on the extraordinary escape. But

106
what was most wonderful, the rascally Persian,
in order to shield himself from disgrace, -and
perhaps punishment, most strenuously persisted
that the mischief was wholly to be attributed
to me! This little accident, however, did not
disturb the festivity of the day. Dinner was
laid in a house built of straw, contiguous to the
foundry, and the repast began about one o'clock.
A long piece of calico was placed upon the
ground, and upon this were laid a vast number
of dishes of rich Chinese porcelain, containing
fifty fowls roasted, many Dolma, or messes of
meat, each wrapped in a leaf of the beet, which
together with cabbage and spinage, is cultivated
in almost every garden; plates full of ribs of
mutton, &c. In the centre 'were two large
wooden dishes, supporting lambs baked whole,
and stuffed with rice; and to all these delicacies
was added a great quantity of pillau. After
this course was removed, appeared what might
be called the desert, consisting of Maraba, or
preserved pineapple, orange-peel, ginger, and
nutmegs; and the feast terminated with a large
quantity of the best oranges, brought for the SuU

107
tan's use from Bender Abasi. The only beverage
was pure water, and the guests sat cross-legged
without any attention to the laws of precedence;
they consisted of Arabian Seeks, merchants, the
Persian artificer, the relations of Seyd Said,
and this monarch who placed himself very
near me, and laughed most heartily at the
accident which had happened in the morning.
It is to be observed that an Arab never drinks
during the time he is eating, but merely takes
one draught after he has finished. When all
was over, everybody repeated alam-dulilla ! God
be thanked ; and then each person embarked
on board his own boat, and returned to Mascat;
all that remained of the dinner being abandoned
to the slaves, the Oria, and other attendants,
who did not suffer a morsel of it to be wasted.
Though the Arabs are not a very lively
race of men, yet after supper, they often
amuse themselves at various, games ; sometimes
twelve cups are inverted, and under one is placed
a ring, in discovering which consists the art of
the game; or they suffer their eyes to be closed
by means of a thick bandage, and endeavour to

-<•*¦

108
guess who it is that strikes them : they have
many other diversions of the same kind, which
all agree in being very trifling, and proper to
please none but children in Europe. The Mas-
catians retire early to rest; for, excepting when
on a journey, or at sea, they lie down before
10 o'clock, and before midnight their first sleep
is usually oVer. The poor repose upon the bare
ground, those in better circumstances upon straw
mats, or upon couches, woven with straw, and
supported upon four legs, like an European bed;
the richest merchants and Seeks alone possess
these couches interwoven with cotton; and co
vered with a Persian carpet. They never sleep
upon mattrasses or sheets, but lie down in the
clothes they have used during the day, and
which even the chiefs do not change more than
once or twice a week.
Five times during the day, at stated hours,
each pious Moslem offers "his prayers to the
Lord and Father of all, and these seasons of
devotion are observed with the greatest punc
tuality; the third, called " El Kiendi," is the
most holy, and is fixed aboutthree hours before

109
the setting of the sun, when the shade of the
head falls three yards from the feet. At that
moment every Mascatian turns to the west, that
is towards Mecca; and if circumstances demand
his presence in foreign countries, he never em
barks without endeavouring to learn the exact
direction of his course, in order that he may
always know the relative situation of the sacred
city; but as geographical knowledge is at a
rather low ebb in this part of the world, I was
often much amused at sea to hear the learned
disputes which arose about this knotty point, and
on which it would have been the height of pre*
sumption for a Ghiaur or Giaur to intermeddle.
The agitating pleasures and energetic labors
of Europe are alike unknown amid the insipid
tranquillity of Oriental indolence. An Arab
has no occasion to lose tiriie in shaving, in
brushing his coat, or polishing his boots: from
the incessant activity which vanity and the love
of applause demand from their votaries, in more
civilized countries, the fashions of his own
country Completely relieve him. Even the
agriculturist in this vast peninsula is free from

110
that life of severe and unremitted toil, to which
so large a portion of the population of Europe
is always condemned; for the date-tree, the
staff of life in this climate, yields its nutritious
and abundant produce, almost spontaneously;
and as for corn, so little of it is grown, that the
greater number of the people have probably
never eaten an hundred pounds of it during the
whole course of their lives; but it is to be re
membered that this observation does not apply
to Bagdad and its territory. In some towns of
the peninsula the women weave a few shawls;
but this is a degree of industry rarely' to be
observed: the management' of their families,
cleaning the few articles of furniture which are
to be found in their ill-provided apartments,
together with the" colouring their hands and
eye-brows with the juice of the kenna, the
numerous ablutions required by their religion,.
and a desire of rendering themselves agreeable
to their husbands, occupy the greatest portion
pf their time. Only one part of the city bf
Mascat displays that appearance of. life and
animation, which is so strong a feature of com-

Ill
mercial cities in Europe : this is the square near
the custom-house which is constantly crowded
with merchants, clerks, brokers, and pilots.
If an Arab should chance to possess any taste
for music, he amuses himself all the day in
beating a little drum, or playing on a guitar
with only two strings, or blowing a bag-pipe.
The extreme simplicity of these instruments is
the more extraordinary because harmonic sound
appears to affect the organs of these people
most powerfully : they are fond of singing ; and
even prayers are delivered in a sort of recitative.
Though the law of Mahomet affords the same
free scope to the gratification of appetite in all
countries, yet the Arabs do not take the same
advantage of the liberty it gives them, as the
Turks ; few among them possess more than one,
or, at most, two wives, and the Sultan himself
never had more than the latter during the whole
time I passed in his service. The nuptial festi
vity is generally graced with a few drums and
bag-pipes, whose sounds are any thing but in
harmony : the bride boasts not the gold and
pearls which are worn by those of Persia and

112
Anatolia ; and a frugal supper concludes the
entertainment. Funerals are equally simple ;
the corpse, after being washed, is wrapped in
white linen and carried to a cemetary at some
distance from the city, accompanied by a few
friends, who afterwards partake of repast at
the house of the nearest relative of the deceased,
whilp the mournful cries and lamentations of
the women, who are separate from the men,
attest the bitterness of their grief, for the loss
they have sustained.
In a state of society where the relations be-
tween individual^ are much less complicated
than in Europe ; where the code of laws is con
tained in a single book, and where the distri
bution of justice is always summary, it is not to
1 be supposed that civil litigation or criminal
prosecutions are very frequent ; an advocate or
solicitor would indeed starve at Mascat ; the
prisons are generally all but empty. In a whole
year, I saw but one man condemned to death,
and he was an Indian Rashboot, or Rascebiit,
whose offence having been a very extraordina
ry one, may perhaps merit relation- He had

113
claimed a debt of five hundred dollars from a
rich Banian who farmed the customs of the
port : this man, whose character for integrity did
not stand very high, for he was accused, by
public report, of having defrauded the labourers
employed by the Sultan of their wages, and
also of keeping back three months pay from a
poor French pilot, who had served on board the
royal flotilla, — disputed the claim, on various
pretences ; until at length the Rascebut threa
tened him with violence, unless in the space of
twenty-four hours, he should liquidate the de-
, , mand. The Beniani immediately applied to
Seyd Said, and obtained the assistance of a
soldier for his personal protection. On the
following day, the Rascebut came to his house,
killed the sentinel with a single blow, entered
the door, by force, and, with his sabre already
reeking with blood, cut off the head of his de
tested foe. At the end of three days, he was
found hid in a mosque and was delivered up# to
the relations of the murdered Arab, according
to the custom of the Bedii in such cases; who
tied, his hands and feet, and pierced his body in

114
many places with a sword, before th$y gave
him a coup de grace.
I used sometimes to visit the places of con
finement, and never found more than seven
prisoners in them, on one occasion only five,
two of whom were negro slaves, arid the other
three Arabians, all punished for disobedience, or
robbery of their masters. Every body knows
that m Mahometan countries, time is reckoned
by years divided into exact Lunar months,
one of which called Ramazan, is observed as a
perjrd of fasting and humiliation ; no one du
ring the space of twenty-eight days, eats or
drinks between the rising and setting of the sun,
and the refreshment which is absolutely neces
sary to sustain life must be taken during the
hour of darkness. The Arabs, inhabiting a
country whose temperature is almost intolerable
from intense heat, would of course suffer more
than any other people from this article of their
faith ; but I have often observed, that they obey
it with the most scrupulous exactness. During
my residence at Constantinople the month
Ramazan felt in a cool season of the year,, via

115
fiborit the christian November, consequently
the thirst endured by the most zealous Mos
lems was not absolutely intolerable ; but when
it falls in July or August, I should think that
an absolute privation of liquid nourishment
would almost surpass the efforts of human endu
rance, even in those comparatively cold coun
tries. The rich might, anddo, endeavour to miti
gate the tedium of abstinerice, by sleeping
great part of the day, but what is to become of
the poor who can only procure subsistence, by
unremitting toil? Their suffering* ust be
dreadful; and here, as in many other instances,
the evils of penury are greater than at first
sight they appear. However, of all the nation?
that inhabit the globe, the Arabians, fror? their
physical organization, from habit, and from the
influence of their , religious opinions, appear
best adapted to succeed in undertakings which
require the greatest powers of patience; nor
will their strict observance of the daily fast
during the Ramazan appear so extraordinary,
when we consider their course of education, .if

116
I may so express myself, which lasts during their
lives. An Arab is perfectly contented with a
few dates, and many old men have scarcely
ever tasted ariy other food : he walks barefooted
over a sand heated by the rays of an almost
vertical sun, and receives them on his naked
head without uttering a single complaint : even
in this situation a long days journey does not
fatigue him ; and when night comes on, the
ground is his only bed ; although suffering un
der the attacks of pain and disease, not a syllai
ble of impatience escapes his lips ; and when
the overwhelming flood of misfortunes over*
takes him, he only exclaims Allaa Acber ! God
God is great.
I never heard an Arab murmur against his
prophet, or his creator, arid this arises from a
soft df iriheretit spirit of fortitude and resigna
tion ; for he no longer looks up to the Koran,
With the same implicit faith and fervent zeal as
formerly ; he no longer is animated by a Wish
to make proselytes, and would not bestow a
dollar on a christian to abandon the religion of

117
the gospel. If, therefore, the inhabitants of
this vast peninsula are considered, and in some
respects deserve to. be considered, a degraded
and slothful race of beings, we must attribute
the justice of the charge entirely to the nature
«f their government and the laws under which
4hey live. The Vaabi have sufficiently shewn
that they might be made under the impulse of
an active leader, and with a reward placed be
fore their eyes, worthy of exciting their dormant
energies. If these persevering and intrepid
sectaries have not extended their doctrine and
dominion over all the East ; if they have not be
come as formidable to their neighbours as their
ancestors in the first ages of Islamism, we
ought to attribute their comparatively trifling
success to the general growth of civilization,
and to the invention of gunpowder, which, by
rendering war more expensive, and more scien
tific, has given to wealth and discipline so asto
nishing a superiority over untutored valour.
The subjects of Abdalazis are not less enthusiasm
tic, not less persevering, than those of Abubekir,
©r of Omar, but they have not, like their ances-

118
tor?, to contend against the degenerate vassals
of an Heraclius or a Yesdegerd, but against
Persians, and Turks, nations whose wealth and
energy enables them to employ, in a considera
ble degree, the multiplied resources of European
warfare, whose religious prejudices have been
awakened by the rapid progress of an heretical
sect ; and the profanation of cities wliich they
considered the most holy on the globe.
When Matlak attacked the Mascatiap army
on the sea shore near Cinas under the very eyes
of their sovereign, the assault was made with
a vigour which it is impossible to describe; the
firing was soon over, and it was the sabre of the
Vaabi which, in half. an hour, exterminated, or
dispersed all that opposed theim But the sub-,
jects of ,Seyd Said, compared with the natives
of the desprt, are an abject, and dastardly race
without .religious enthusiasm without confi-.
dence in themselves, or their leader, who at the
head of an army, .indeed? little resembles the
ntrepid and en terpris ing Matlak. They possess
not enough of science and discipline to com-
pensate for their want .of zeal and energy; they,,

119
have little to gain by victory, and less to lose
by defeat. I once observed to a soldier of the
Sultan's guard, that he ought rather to desire
than to avoid a death in battle, as, according' to
the ' promises of the Koran, he who falls 5 in
combating against infidels, is secure of happi
ness in paradise : he answered immediately,
" dates are sweet and life is dear." In fact the
votaries of Mahomet have lost mucfo of the in
tensity of their faith; and even the Turkish
Dervishes torment themselves more for the sake
of money here than to obtain an eternal reward
hereafter. The Arabs' generally are no longer that sa
vage race of men which either fled at the sight
of an European or treated him with barbarous
contumely; he' may now traverse their ex
tensive territories in the dress of his native
country without danger, a crowd of women and
children of the lower class, indeed, may some
times surround him, whose curious appearance
may incite them to examine his countenance
and attire, and to express their admiration of
his superior attainments, by saluting him with

120
the title of Abu Metfa (father of cannons ) for
these simple people commonly consider all
Franks to be artillery men, Neither, the Ara
bian, Turkish, or Persian ladies are so shy as
they formerly were. Magistrates protect • an
European unless when he has conducted him
self so as to be no longer worthy of esteem.
The merchants trust with confidence in his
promises, and often repeat that the word of a
Frank is as good as ready money, while they
know that the English government spends sq
large a sum in order to send a single dispatch
from London to Bagdad. The French expe
dition, to Egypt, the victories of Romanzoff
and Suwaroff, the. passage of the Dardanelles by
the English, and the successes of the army
maintained by the East India Company, have
secured to Europeans a high degree of admira-
tiofl30tiiiong the Moslems of Asia, which is not,
hoWev^pfunmixed with fear.
Far ff$ta*being interrupted in his researches, the
naturalisteay now generally reckon upon assist
ance, stimulated into action by the hopes of re ward.

121
Physicians, Painters, Architects, and Engi
neers daily receive, in their travels, .encreased
marks of respect, but the first mentioned class
hold the highest place in the esteem of an
Oriental. The Arabs are very hospitable ; and
to eat in company with a Christian is no longer
an extraordinary circumstance among them.
The Turks are often seen openly drinking
wine, eating Pork, and transgressing, in many
other particulars, their ritual, and ceremonial
law. The Aggelee or Agheli, a description
of Arabian soldiers who act as guards to travel
lers in crossing the desert, or the Rivers Tigris
and Euphrates are worthy of the most entire,
confidence from the chivalrous fidelity with
which they perform their engagements. The
Turkish couriers, called Tartars, treat the
persons confided to their charge like bro
thers ; the Charvadars, or Ciarvadari (Muleteers,)
indeed, are great rascals, but even they will
behave honestly if the traveller is specially
recommended to them by a respectable mer
chant, either Mahometan- or Armenian. It is*
commonly believed that a knowledge of Arabic

122
is alone requisite far an European in these
countries ; from my own experience, however,
I would substitute the Turkish; as the Tartars,
Ciarvadari andAgheli, are frequently acquainted
•With that language as well as their own, while
the Armenians and Greeks, who are numerous
every where, are always able to converse in it.
In Persia, also, the Turkish language is much
esteemed : most rich Arabian merchants speak it.
In Tartary, Aderbijan, Georgia, and Afgan-
iston, it is generally understood; and I have
niet with Bellucci who used, with perfect pro
priety, its idiomatic phrases. Even Matlak,
with whom I Conversed during one of his nego-
ciations with the Sultan of Mascat, was able to
express his ideas in this generally diffused.
dialect. ^Finally, the Turkish is spdkeri by the Mahal-4
lem or pilots, and by many of the Magrebi, or*
Moors, who form- a large portion of the sailors
belonging to Arabia; and except. in the interior
of that vast peninsula, a complete acquaintance
with the .language of Constantinople, will carry
traveller /with coiivenierice through every psftrt

123
of the Bast. The dialect of the Turkmans aud
of Aderbijan, differ a little from that of Ro
mania, but not sufliciently to render conversa
tion between the people of those distant pro
vinces at all embarassing : as an instance of the
few corruptions which time and separation
necessarily introduce, the inhabitants of the first
mentioned countries usually say ben biliptur,
instead of ben bilmiscium, I have understood.
When the Tartars are proceeding from Bag
dad to '.Constantinople, they generally, convey
letters from the inhabitants without ever demand
i«g any remuneration ; and in this they are imi
tated by the Chappars 'or Ciappar, (messengers)
employed by the King of Persia, who are per
suaded that their kindness in this respect will
procure from God a blessing on their travels.-
The Sai, or Arabic couriers, however, are not
$o disinterested ; but require to be paid by the
weight of the sheet, like the post in Europe; and
in this they have been instructed by the,Europeans
living in Aleppo, who. derive considerable emo
luments -from this kind of traffic. ,
T-he-4ower class of people among the Maho-

124
metans are divided into four principal sects:
Sunnee or Sunnl, Shafee or Sciafi, Caraajee
or Caragi, Melakee or Melachi, who formerly
hated each other with all the virulence of reli
gious bigotry ; but opinions at. present are
much altered, and I have often seen them in
the same mosque offering up their prayers to
gether to the common father of all created
things. The individuals of each sect still occa
sionally, like zealots in other parts of the world,
abuse those who differ from them, but every
person is considered a moslem, and deserving
of eternal happiness, who will pronounce the
famous formula, ' There is but one God, and
Mahomet is his prophet.' The Vaabi alone are
cursed as unbelieving heretics, for the contempt
which they cast on the author of the Koran.
The differences of belief principally relate to
fabulous "accounts of the civil war between Ali
and Omar and the subsequent persecutiori of
the Fatimati family ; but in most parts of the
East these disputes are considered with compa
rative indifference. At Constantinople; hew-
ver, a Shafi who should arrogantly profess his

125
heretical opinions would certainly incur much
personal danger, while at Bagdad I have seen one
of them even beat a Sunnl in the open street.
With regard to the essential article of mar
riage, the laws are greatly]at variance in different
parts of the East. In Persia a man may marry
and divorce his wife within twenty-four hours,
merely by procuring a particular instrument
from a Mull a : in Arabia the matrimonial tie is
not so easily broken: while in Turkey, again,
the men generally avail themselves of the tacit
permission of their law to change their wives as
often as interest or inclination prompt them.
However, in all these countries, but especially
in Arabia, I have known many men live happily
with the same woman for many years, and not
.dismiss her even when they espoused another
wife. In all parts where the religion of Ma
homet prevails, the ladies are slaves, and are
sold in the same way as cattle. It once hap~
pened that an Arab who owed me some money,
begged me to delay pressing for payment of the
debt, until he could procure a favourable match
for his daughter, who was extremely beautiful;

126
he had been already offered 1000 Piastres, which
he considered too low a price; and was deter
mined not to dispose of her under 1500. An
Othman Tartar told me that he had a wife in
every city on the road he usually travelled,
Although the Orientals thus treat their women
as if they were an inferior order, and not their
equals in rank, yet in public they invariably
behave to them with the utmost respect.
Asiatic despotism takes little interest in that
department of police, which is so troublesome
to travellers in many parts of Europe. People
pf all nations and all religions, may arrive and
depart without molestation. In the inspection
of passengers, the custom-house officers of Asia
might learn much incivility from those of Eu
rope. When Mr. Somaripa, secretary of the
•FrericlrConsulate, arrived at Bagdad, the Cas-
nadar, or treasurer of the Pascia, sent his officers
to his residence to examine the trunks ; they
merely, however, opened and closed them, with
out even looking inside.
TheMekieme (a place where causes are de
cided) in Bagdad, differs little from some of the

127
Judicial courts in Europe, in pliability of moneyj
as will appear from the following anecdote:
Cogia Davut, an Armenian of Ispahan, used to
make a trade of prosecuting people unjustly,
and the judge never failed to make his market
of these unfortunate persons, who always found
it wisest to sacrifice some part of their, property
in order to save the rest; and when this wretch
was obliged to leave Bagdad on affairs relating
to his commerce, the Cadi could do nothing less
than, send him some presents, which again pro
duced a fresh harvest of litigation. If the cause
is at all intricate, it is brought by appeal before
the Pascia, who, like another Alexander, usually
cuts the knot, instead of untying it.
The foreigners on the shores of the Persian
gulph are generally Sabseans, Lotia, and Be-
niani : the first of these people are Christians ©f
St. John the Baptist, who occasionally pass for
Moslems, because they can repeat a few prayers
from the Koran: the second are a wandering
tribe, something resembling the gipsies of Eu
rope, who are found in great multitudes about
Matra. : the Beniani are numerous every where,

128
but particularly at Mascat, where the Sultan
has granted them many privileges, and where
their good conduct and wealth bring -them uni
versal esteem and respect. In this distant coun
try they retain a zealous adherence to the
worship of Brama ; and the environs of Mascat
are full of cdws pampered with food, which the
natives of Hiridostan are at the expense *>f
maintainiug, because they declare that, after
one of <his incarnations, their divinity ascended
to heaven upon this animal. They all, like the
Jansenists, have a great veneration for other
animals, and -never on any account eat either
flesh -or fish. It would be considered a heinous
affront to kill even a fly iri their presence: and
the Arabian fishermen sometimes bring them
live fish in order 'to obtain money, upon fthe
".promise of again throwing them into the sea.;
•a circumstance which makes these careful aner-
chants peculiarly anxious to avoid meetings
which demand the exercise of so expensive a
dogma of their creed. One of these people was
a fellow-passenger with me in a voyage across
the Persian gulph; and I observed that, before

meals, he always threw some bread into th*
sea, in order, as he said, to please the divinity
by giving food to some of his creatures.
Although the Beniani live entirely upon ve
getables, rice, milk, and butter, yet they ar*
generally fat, rod -possess strong constitution^
while the leprosy, so common among other clas*
ses in the East, is rarely to be met with among
them. It is a remarkable circumstance, that
assa-feetida composes the seasoning of the great*
M&t part of their ragouts. When the consci
ence of aBenian accuses him of the commission
of a crime, he offers barley or some other ^eata-
ble to his cow, and the same ceremony is obser
ved when he is particularly anxious about
the success of an undertaking ; in the first
case this gift is considered an act of atonement
to the creator .; in Ihe last a propitiatory sacri
fice. The industry of the Beniani,. places all
money transactions in their hands; they are
the great Bankers , of Arabia, and so far resem
ble the Jews in Turkey.
There is »o example of a Benian lady hav
ing any connection with a Christian or Moslem,

130
Aidr do the men ever marry Arabian wOiriettj
partly in consequence of religious prejudices,
and partly to preserve the purity of their race*
It is a well-known Asiatic custom for their fe*
males to stain their hands and^eye brows, but I
have seen some at Mascat who had coloured
all their skin, with a tint somewhat resembling
that of a yellow. Foreigners would on no ac*
count form an union with these women, as ruin,
and perhaps death, would be the inevitable
consequence of their imprudence. It is a fact,
extraordinary as it may appear, which has fal
len under my own observation, that Europeans
are subject to a gradual decay of the vital pow
ers with such a connection. With temperance,
howeypr, the country is not unhealthy ; for du
ring the whole of my residence in Asia, I enjoy*
ed good health, except during one slight attack
of fever. However, it is commonly believed
that Mascat is an unhealthy place, on account
of the death of two English Residents, and
three Frenchmen within the space of one Year,
(1809.) But there was a common .report that
Monsieur Piran was poisoned by the Arabs.

131
Black slaves are constantly to be purchased
in the Bazaar, or Markets, of Mascat, and the
Sultan permitted me to buy a female African
named Turungia, which means orange ; one of my
Arabian servants was able to converse with her
and informed me that she was a native of Gondor
in Abyssinia, that she had been transported by
land to Barbara and thence to Mocca. My in
terpreter taught me a few words of her lan
guage; and I discovered that an European
was called Zungo, Zungo, though the precise
meaning of the words I could never discover.
Nini Jappa signified, What do you call this
thing? and, by the help of this formula of
interrogation, I learned from the poor girl' a
great many words which it would be useless to
insert in this place ; however I will mention
that cunenda means to go- — to come — to depart
—to climb — to run ; &c. &c. cup} expresses
to breaks — to fall — to do evil to a person ; from
these evidences it would appear that the
language is very barren, and that a know
ledge of 200 words would be sufficient to
make the traveller understood very tolerably.

132
fftien dne of the Sultan's negroes meets a
female of his own class, he s&l&tes her with the
title of 'fjamhp," which signifies love, the an
swer is 't iambo Sana? " are you well my friend ?
the man replies, f'sana saria," well, well.
Poor Turungia was always dreadfully afraid
that I should eat her ; so that at last, in order to
¦ddift her apprehensions* I gave her away to an
Arab. Some persons, who are not aware of
the spirit of toleration which has been gradu
ally en creasing attiring the inhabitants of these
countries, may be surprised that the Sultan
should have permitted me to purchase a Maho
metan slave ; but the prejudices against Chris
tians have so much abated, that at present, the
intercourse of an European with a native Cour-
tizan Would be considered a matter of no conse
quence at Mascat, while in Turkey it might
bring the offenders into great personal danger.
At Mascat, as in other half-civilized countries,
a firm belief in the power of magic is very ge
neral. The Arabian sorcerers pretend to have
the power of clianging a man into a goat ; and
this act bf diabolic authority is supposed to be

133
so frequently exercised, that the purchaser of *»a
goat always takes particular notice of certain
marks by whicli it is thought that the animals
who have undergone this transformation may
certainly be recognized.
A servant of mine once assured me that a
goat had begged his master not to kill him, in
very good Arabic, and the same man was dread
fully affrighted at seeing me one day beating a
pretended magician, who declared that he wa
alone hindered from venting his indignation
against me,, from a fear of displeasing my pro
tector the Sultan ; at length I laid hold of his
beard, and dragged him before a Mulla, to
convict him of imposture. The affair reached
the ears of Seyd Said, who was at first very
angry, and threatened to have me punished ;
but he took rather a different view of the cir„
cumstances, when I represented that the Koran
expressly forbade the proceedings of all such
deceivers. However, had I not been well
aware that the Vaabi war, which was then ra
ging, rendered me almost necessary to>the Sul
tan, the exploit might have turned out an

134
unfortunate one for me. My servants for a
long time expected*" every morning to see me
rise with a plentiful crop of horns springing
from my forehead. It would be useless to enu
merate every instance of Arabian superstition,
nor indeed would the task be easy> as so much
depends, in affairs of this kind, upon the turn
of mind in each individual ; all, however, attri
bute a talisinanic power to certain words, arid
also to substances on which they are incribed.
Alriiost every Mahometan wears constantly
round his arm a hollow ring of silver if he can
afford it, if not, some other metal, in which is
enclosed a verse taken from the Koran, writ
ten on a piece of paper or parchment ; this is
supposed to protect the wearer from a great va
riety of evils, and the enigmatic obscurity of
the passage greatly of course encreases its
value. Sometimes, instead of quotations from
the writings of their prophet, the Turks and
Arabs make use of words written by the hand
of the most holy Dervish they can find ; and it
is needless to add that the latter species of Tar
lisman is discovered by experience to be eqhal-

135
ly efficacious with the former. The enlight
ened reader will not fail to recollect that credu
lity of the same kind was once universal over
all Europe, and perhaps even now is to be
found among the ignorant of some countries in
this civilized portion of the globe : — let him
not, then, pass too heavy a censure on the in
habitants of the East ; whom circumstances
debar from every opportunity of improvement.
Mr. Niebuhr mentions that the Arabs con
stantly chewed a piece of chesnut in his time ;
and the same custom has been continued to the
present day ; the chesnut, together with a small
piece of a plant called Ashish, or Ascisce, and
some slack lime, is wrapped in a leaf, called tam-
bul, about the size of a boy's hand, and its effects
are supposed to be very favorable to the health.
The arms of the Arabs consist of along lance
and a sabre, the shield is made of the skin of a
whale or some other large fish about the thick
ness of a finger, united to the sword by the
girdle, and in form much resembles the plates
out of which the Italian peasantry eat their pot
tage ! Their strength is so great as almost to

136
turn_a cannon ball, the fire arms are generally
matchlock. But there were not 500 of these
clumsy weapons in the 5000 men commanded
by Matlak, Seyd Said has lately, indeed, pro
cured pistols from Bombay, and has armed all
his cavalry with them, and General Decaen
from Mauritiag, sent him a present of two
pieces of light artillery ; and Governor Duncan
some mortars, so that the army, of Mascat are
now equipped in the European fashion. In
time of peace the Sultan and the Jemadar of
the Belliicci carry bucklers very richly orna
mented ; but in the day of battle these make
way, for the more usefiil though less splendid
means of defence above described. The skill
with which the people of Arabia, and especially
the Vaabi, manage their horses, is even superior
to that of the Mamelukes.
The Turks and Persians and Arabs also are
comparatively skilful in the mahagement of
artillery, and have learned some European ma-
noevres which are almost useless, however, except
against soldiers of their own stamp, when the
Russian columns advance against them at the

137
charge step, with bayonets fixed, the cannon
eers abandon their pieces. One of the best
measures of opposing an oriental army, as
a Russian General told me, is to attack their
camp with guns of the heaviest caliber, and
after the noise has sufficiently alarmed them
to assault it with infantry. As long as
the enemies are at a distance the Mahomet
ans stand firmly, but if they see them advancing
to a close engagement, which is little practised
among themselves, a general confusion com
mences, and each man endeavours to save him
self. When my familiar intercourse with Seyd
Said began, the first request I made to him
was to provide me with a good horse, as a
means of security when his soldiers abandoned
me, nor was he offended at a demand the necessi
ty of which he could not deny.

138

CHAP. Vt

Observations on the Arabs, and characteristical anec
dotes, which illustrate their opinions and manners. —
Account of the Author's departure from Mascat.

If I had been an unbending formalist, and had
not endeavoured to make the best of every cir
cumstance that befel me, my residence among
the Arabs would have been one black scene of
unhappiness and mortification, and I should
often have rendered myself miserable without
any just reason. For example; these people
call by the approbious name of Kiafar, (infi^-
del,) whoever does not venerate Mahomet, and
observe the precepts of the Koran. I was, of
course, considered to be in this predicament;
yet, notwithstanding, I received many marks

139
of kindness and regard. One day an acquaint
ance who wished to compliment me exclaimed
" Mansur ! you are a Kiafar, but you are a
brave, good, and honest man, notwithstanding !"
Some persons would have been very much grie
ved, at having an appellation applied to them
which is often used towards animals, and which
conveys a most injurious idea; but, instead of
that, I only laughed at the extraordinary terms
in which the intended praise was conveyed.
Another day, a man called at my house with
two sick horses belonging to the Sultan, and
desired me to cure them. I, whose office was
that of the royal physician, felt hurt at seeing
myself treated as a farrier j and, having dis
missed the man and his horses, immediately
proceeded to the palace, making a complaint of
the insult I had received. ;Seyd Said said to
me " Mansur! do not be angry because I send
horses to you: Why do you not obey my com
mands, and endeavour to cure them?'' Observ
ing that this was spoken with a serious air, I
replied, in respectful terms, that the profession
which I exercised, and in which I had come to

140
Mascat, was thatofa physician, aijd not a farrier.
. f... . . l/' ¦' - - ¦
The Prince still condescended to reason with me ;
and observed — " When my soldiers, or even
iny slaves, labour under an illness, I let any
body prescribe for them ; but if an excellent
horse is sick, I send him to yourself as the most
skilful surgeon, because I could not replace him
for less than a thousand crowns: while, one of
my subjects costs me nothing, and a slave can
t-i- . ( •'•-¦. •-¦••
be bought for twenty-five dollars." To this
argument I replied — " The Mascatians^ay^pp
worth only twenty-five dollars, or nothing, but
the men of whom I speak, and whom consider .my
equals, are much superior to any beasts of bur
den." The Prince immediately burst into a fit
©f laughter, in whieh he was joined by all around
him; and thus finished our dispute.
Sonne days afterwards I again took occasion
to make myself merry at the expense of the
Arabs. I had gone to examine the water of
some wells with an hydrometer, and was imme
diately surrounded by a crowd* of people, who
eagerly enquired what I was abput, at which
they set up a loud laugh, exclaiming, at the

141
samp time, that the Europeans were certainly
mad. I replied, they would not think me mad
when they heard that an old Portuguese author
had mentioned large treasures having been
thrown into that well, where the heaviest water
at Mascat was to be found; that the object of
my researches was to discover this secret, and
that, should my endeavours meet with success,
I should consider myself the lawful heir of what
my European countrymen had left behind.
The Arabs, hearing the word treasure, which
has always a magical influence on them, began
to exclaim that I had no right to examine the
wells, and instantly jumped into the water, one
upon another: here I left them wallowing like
so matty hogs, and returned home, convulsed
with laughter.
On another occasion, while walking near the
sea-shore, I observed a group of people standing
round a large earthen jar, full of gunpowder,
which had been given out for distribution from
the Sultan's magazines. I told them that an
open place, where the Bellucci were passing

142
every moment with narghills * in their mouth*,
was not a proper situation to expose so inflarii-
mable a substance. They only laughed at my
timidity, which appeared so unusual in a Frank.
I therefore passed on, but had hardly advanced
fifty paces, when I heard a tremendous explo
sion, and turning round saw five Arabs, whose
flowing garments were involved in flames, and
whose piercing cries iriiplored instant assistarice.
I made signs to them to jump into the sea,
which they did, and extinguished the fire; but
on examining their situation, I was absolutely
petrified with horror, at the dreadful spectacle
that presented itself. Their skins were almost
entirely consumed, and their colour had changed
from brown to a milky white, which disclosed
the membrana petuitaria. Two whose breasts
had been absolutely penetrated by the fire, died
in spite of every effort which was made to save
* A Narghill is a sort of Tobacco-pipe, invented by the
Persians, to which a vessel is annexed, which being filled
with perfumed water, serves to cool, and at the; same time
communicates an agreeable odour to the smoke which passes
over it.

143
them : the other three at length recovered, after
the continued application of lint dipped in a
mixture of olive oil and volatile alkali. After
this accident, as may be supposed, the Arabs
handled gunpowder with greater circumspec
tion. The Beduini from the interior of Homan,
suffer their hair to grow long, and to flow loose '
behind their shoulders, something like what- is
called in Italy, La chioma di Berenice. I could
always recognize the children of the desert from
this particularity; and had many opportunities
of observing them, from their anxious curiosity
to gain sight of an European, whom they were
almost inclined to consider a different species
of animal to themselves. When they saw, how
ever, that, in every thing but complexion, I
resembled their countrymen, they would ask a
great many questions relating to Europe, as
whether we had mountains or trees, or horses or
oxen ; in what manner the Europeans would
behave to a Beduini should he pay them a visit.
I always answered their interrogatories with
perfect civility, and to the last question usually

144
replied, that we considered all men as brethren,
and treated them as such,
- •. The Arabs generally, were constantly tor
menting me about the philosopher's stone, be
ing fully persuaded that the Europeans possess
the precious secret of transmitting iron and lead
into gold. It was in vain I denied the fact,
urging that the privateers who were constantly
taking money from the Arabian vessels could
have no temptation to do so if they possessed
an art which would afford them as much money
as avarice itself could desire : they were uncon-r
vinced by my reasoning, and continued the
dupes, of a set of rascally Persians, Armeni
ans, and sometimes Europeans, who pretended
to be adepts, and reaped a plentiful harvest
from the credulity of their disciples. These
deceivers having provided themselves with three
rods of lead, and as many of gold pretended to
change the former by boiling them in a jar con
taining the grand Elixir ; they are then taken
out, and the conjuror by dexterous slight of
hand, presents the golden rods to the astonished
spectators, and seldom fails of selling a consi-

145
derable quantity of the chemical preparation
which has produced such astonishing effects.
I had often occasion to ask favors of the Sultan,
which he usually granted with mnch courtesy,
though I was sometimes at first dissatisfied by
the terms he used in replying to my application :
instead of saying — Mansur you shall have what
you ask, he would say is ci-allaha Mansur; lite
rally, If God will, Mansur; which, when trans
lated into Italian, amounts to a denial. Having
often heard this expression, I at length enquired
- of a Mullaha, what was the reason, that the
Turks, Persians, and Arabians, so often an
swered a petitioner in these terms; the priest
told me that it signified, " may God grant your
request if it pleaseth him," and was used ' by
pious Musselmen, in imitation of their prophet,
who, when himself and his army were in danger
of perishing from want, and his soldiers were
impatiently asking when there would be a dis
tribution of provisions, replied to-morrow. To
morrow arrived, and brought with it no relief.
His followers repeated their interrogatory, and
for several successive days received the same

146
answer. At length, tired with their supplication,
the pious Mahomet answered to their last peti
tion, is ciallaha buckra, to-morrow jf God will;
and this humble submission to the decrees of
heaven was rewarded- by the immediate arrival
of a large qonyoy of provisions. However, his
disciples took the liberty of observing to Maho-;
met that his prognostications for several days
had been falsified by the event ; to which the
prophet, in a gentle tone, replied, my dear chil
dren I well knew that food would not be sept
you by our God at your first asking, because I
only answered to-morrow ; but when, . I added
is ciallaha, the convoy immediately appeared, in,
order to show you, in a way never to be forgot-,
ten, to submit all your actions of every kind tp
the, will of heaven. Mahomet probably invented
this attempt to efface the impression, which the
non-performance of his former, promises might
have made on the mind of his followers ; but the
lesson inculcated was certainly one conforma
ble to the most exalted piety. The Arabs are
generally charitable, and . their minds are dis
posed to a certain philosophical resignation.

147
The treatment which Mrs. Taylor received du
ring her captivity at Raz'-el-Keima bears wit
ness to their possessing the former of these
qualities; and another anecdote which I will
now relate, is equally honorable to their cha
racter. During the attack on Cinas a servant
of the Sultan was wounded by a lance which
passed completely through 4his body from the
vertebrae of his back to that part of the sto
mach near the right side. The aperture where
the spear-head entered was three fingers wide,
and where it appeared about one. I was called
in to prescribe, by a direct order from Seyd
Said, but the prodigious effusion of blood made
me suppose that the vena cava, or some consi
derable artery, had been pierced, and that all
efforts to save the patient would be fruitless.
However, to evince my wish of complying with
the Prince's desire, I applied a plaister to the
wound* and at the same time encouraged the
sufferer to hope for the best. He felt the kind
ness of my intention, and pressing my hand,
exclaimed with fervency — " My dear friend,
take no more care of me, let me die in peace!

148
Life is not a gift of heaven which a wise man
can earnestly wish to be prolonged, when it is
to be passed in labouring for a master!" The
placid tone in which these words were pro
nounced, convinced me that this slave (for such
he was) considered death as a chimera, proper
only to alarm the wicked and the rich — those
who would have much to fear, and those who
.have much to lose in another world. This
tranquillity of mind was probably the principal
cause of his recovery, I gave him a dose of
salts the following day, and applied a poultice
to the wound in the stomach, where the inflam-
ma tion began to appear, which is not wonderful
considering that unless this Arab was differently
.formed from other men, his intestines must
have been injured. However, to conclude, the
man recovered, greatly to my astonishment; and
this event, which was attributed to my skill and
attention!, much increased my influence with
Seyd Said.
While this cure Was going forward, I re
ceived on board my ship Mr. H. a man of much
more power than myself, who took the liberty

149
«f insinuating, in very plain terms to the Arabs,
that I was an impostor, and that my mediqaj,
practice was founded in the grossest ignoranceA
His efforts were particularly directed to rajs.ef(
a sedition against me among the Bellucci, jn^
which charitable purpose his knowledge of P^er-^
sian gave him great facilities: however nobody
attended to his tale, nor did his malice produce,
the slightest injurious consequence. Finding.
this attempt unsuccessful, Mr. H. told the Sal
tan that I was a spy of Buonaparte, and hacl
been sent to Mascatsolely to convey intelligence
of aH bis proceedings. , Seyd. Said, who seldom^
acted without consideration, assured him, thatf
my death should be the certain consequence of
this accusation being substantiated; and took
his measures for discovering the truth, without
saying a word on the subject until we anchored
near Sahara, after separating from the English,
fleet. Here he disembarked, and four of the'
Bellucci guards were immediately despatched
to summon me to the royal presence. Suspect
ing that something extraordinary was in agita
tion, I at first refused to obey; but what was

150
tity horror arid astonishment, when they drew
their swords, and threatened instantly to kill me
if t didnotfollowthem. I then perceived the dan
ger of my situation, and summoned up all my cou
rage and presence of mind to enable me to parry the
accusation ofiriy master : fortunately the wounded
Arab, whose case has beeri related, was by this
time able to walk, and I begged him to accotife
pany me in the boat. Having landed, the Bel
lucci conducted me to the Sultan, Who on mf
iifSt appearance seemed to cast on me an eye of
pity,and of satisfaction on theirrefragable witness
by my side; and then in a serious tone thus
Addressed me — " Mansur, Mr. H. told me, while
the fleet and army were at Cinas, that Vou are
fibt a physician, but a spy of Buonaparte, sent
hither to betray your benefactor, and that I
flight therefore to put you to death ; if you
believe me not, ask the Scekswhd surround me!"
Without any marks of apprehension, I entreated
the Prince at least to hear my defence, and to
decide as God and his innate sense of justice
should inspire ; and then endeavoured to rebuf
the accusation in the following terms-*-" Whe-

151
ther or not I am a physician, the cure performed
on. your servant sufliciently decides; whether or
no I am a spy you yourself, 0 Prince, are the
best evidence. What secrets could I discover,
when all your actions and intentions are knpwn
to ?every body ; when there is no part of your
policy which you attempt to conceal ? It would,
lie an useless toil to come to Mascat and draw
plans of your fortresses, when they are aW
H3»ctly described and peurtrayed in the old
I*jOTtuguese chronicles: as for exciting your
subjects to rebellion, consider with what chance
of success a Chistfer could attempt to deceive
Moslems. 0 Prince, you may cast away all
apprehension of a sovereign whose power, though
great, is so remote as that of the Emperor of
France : beware only of your neighbours, and
not of a foreigner who has always served you
faithfully, and so often exposed his life in your .
service. I call heaven to witness my innocence :
I call God himself to bear testimony to the gross
calumnies of my accuser: but, sinqe he has
placed me in your power, I am prepared to
submit with humble' resignation to your sen-

152
tence, only imploring you further to recollect,
that my accuser is much more powerful than
I am, and could have slain me himself,' had he
not Wished to make you the. instrument of his
iniquity; considering that, in every case; the
curse of murder: falls on the immediate' perpe
trator, while his end: would be equally -attained
in whatever way my destmctiori was brought
about. But the audacity of this man is at least
equal to his malice, for I challenge all the world
to shewthat, since my arrival at Mascat, I have
ever committed an action unworthy the charac
ter of any honest man. You, O Prince; have
seen my exertions in your service* and: I swear
by all that is sacred, that you shall still ; witness
them, in whatever perils you may ? be, placed.
If my blood is doomed to be shed, let not the
fatal wound be given by that hand which I have
so often kissed with sentiments of the truest
affection ; but rather let me fall iri defending the
rights and honor of a noble and. respected mas
ter. I concluded by apologizing for. my im
perfect knowledge of Arabic* and expressing
my hopes that he had, notwithstanding^ been able

153
to collect niy meaning. What was my, delight
in hearing him say to his attendants, as soQn as
I had finished, Mansur tachi fLjAia; " Vincenzo
speaks well;" this sentence, and the smile that
played on his countenance, assured me 01
the continuance of his favor, and in fact
the accusations of my foe were, from this mo
ment, buried in oblivion. I had permission to
return on board my ship, and consider what
course to pursue towards Mr. H.— whom I
had the good fortune to hear of, some months
afterwards, atBuschier; and I immediately went
in search of him with a brace of loaded pistols,
not to revenge his perfidy as it deserved, but
to" demand that satisfaction which one gentle?
man has a right to ask from another. He was
at Cut, the residence of the English Consul,
about a mile distant from the town ; thither I
proceeded, and, on entering the house, I found
Mr. Babirigton, Captain  , arid Captain
Smith, commander of the Mercury sloop of
war, in close conversation : seeing the agitation
of my .countenance, and hearing the purport of
my visit, they enquired why I wished to see

154
Mr. H. — I then declared to them all that had
passed between us, and the grounds on which
I had resolved to call him to account for his
¦conduct ; they all assured me that I acted with
perfect propriety, supposing my statements to he
correct. Captain — •  even invited me on
board his ship, and the following morning ac
companied me to the house of Mr. H« — who
expected the interview, -and, on our entering the
room, instantly began to apologize for all that
had passed, and to assure me that, in all the
accusations brought against me at Mascat, he
had been merely the organ of bis superior
officer, 'Colonel Si— ,whose commands he had
been obliged to obey. I considered this in the
presence of a third person as sufficient, and
immediately saluted my intended antagonist as
a friend, who had been unwillingly compelled
to injure me. I have related this anecdote
at length, partly as a proof of the Sultan'*
generosity, and partly to exculpate myself from
an accusation which, frem its publicity, might
prove injurious tome; for the accuracy of my
relation, I-appeal to 'Mr. B abington, a gentleman

155
of high character, who was appointed resident
at Buschier by Sir I. Malcolm, and was a wit
ness to the transaction.
The charitable disposition of the Arabs ex
tends itself not only to the human race, but
sometimes even to animals. On entering a tent,
one generally perceives the horses, mares, oxen,
and cows, reposing in the most friendly manner
by the side of their master and his children, and
they are never brutal enough to beat their horses,
but render themdocile and obedient by an uniform
systemof kindness. The attention which is paid to
the genealogy of these noble animals is known
to every reader; and, as their value is very great,
they are well fed, and clothed in blankets to
preserve them from the inclemency of the wea
ther. The bit commonly used is very different
from ours, and much more powerful, so that thp
rider is able in an instant to stop when going at
full speed: in- this manoevre alone, the Arabs
seem to be deaf to the voice of humanity, for their
horse is sometimes thrown backwards by the
violence of the pull, and his mouth is filled with
blood. The Persians imitate the inhabitants of

156
the peninsula in clothing their horses, but as
their country is comparatively cold ; and adou-
ble or triple quantity of coVering is consequently
required, they are obliged to lead another
horse, beside the one on which they ride;
which is loaded with their baggage and a suffici-
eriey of blankets for both. I have mentioned al
ready thatT can speak Arabic so as to make
myself uriderstood, but its dialects.are so varied
in different provinces, that this was sometimes
a difficult task. The natives of Egypt, and
Mascat? would scarcely be able to converse to
gether, while the pronunciation of the Bedii is
thick and indistinct. • Mr. Neihbur has taken
much pains in marking the similarity between
many words still found in the vermacular idiom,
and expressions made use of in the -scriptures ;
and I have observed that the sound of some
terms has been altered during the short interval
that has elapsed since he visited this part of the
world. For example, he writes Atba', while
the Mascatians of the present day say Atub,
the name of a tribe. However, Arabic has cer
tainly not undergone so many changes as the

- 157
various European languages, and this will gene
rally be found to be the case, in examining the
modes of speech prevalent ariiong half civilized
or polished nations, where the influx of new
ideas being much more considerable and more
rapid in the latter, a greater number of new
words, and new arrangements of those already
existing, will of course be necessary.
The climate of this vast country is particularly
beneficial to those afflicted with the plague, so
that if an infected person arrives at Gedda
•with strong remains of the disease, even with
buboes still unhealed, he invariably recovers
without suffering any further inconvenience.
The temperature is more hot and dry than in
most parts of Africa and Southern Asia; the
thermometer of Farenheit, at Suez, during the
month of December, usually stands at 83, at
Jambo 84, at Gedda in the Month of January,
84, at Mocca in the inonth of March, 84, during
the winter at Lahia, or Laie, I have seen it at
92; how much higher it rises in the summer I
¦know not. ' Barbara, on the coast of Abyssinia,
has a more humid atmosphere, and its tempera-

x

158
ture is often 92.- During the months of May*
June, and July, I have known the heat at
Mascat to be as much as 100 degrees ; but the
sea shore being a little refreshed by constant
breezes from the ocean, the climate of Bagdad
and Bassora, is still more intolerable.
Arabia is infested by innumerable multitudes,
of locusts, musquitoes, and other insects. ; while
the neighbouring seas abpund with jelly-hke
substances which float upon the waves, and wheii
handled produce a very disagreeable itching*
Every vessel which touches in the port is in*-,
vaded by cockroaches, which find their Way.
Into every trunk, arid devour the linen, while.
multitudes of ants almost fill the water-casks.
On shore, also, a different species of these in
sects is very numerous, and so destructive that
I found it impossible to preserve my clothes or
person from their bold and repeated attacks.
I have seen chests made in China of camphor
wood, through which these destroyers, never
^attempt to penetrate. The zeuzane are another
sdrt of insect, which have often put me to the
pain of martyrdom : they die in great multitudes,

159
when the land wind blows, probably on account
<0f the extreme heat it brings with it ; for I have
often observed at Mascat that when the tem
perature is very high, the zeuzane discontinue
their attacks.
During the whole course of my journeys in
the East, I never found it necessary to make
presents, as I was not a person of sufficient
consequence to receive them; but if a traveller
should wish to make a gift which is most
acceptable to an Arab, a Persian, or a Turk, he
will find nothing more suitable to his purpose
than a piece of ambergris, on account of the
stimulating properties it is supposed to possess.
I used always to carry about with me pills
composed of the last named drug, mixed with
opium, and found a never-failing sale for large
quantities of them wherever I went.
The fondness of the Orientals for allegories
and fables, is well known to every person at all
¦acquainted with the East. The following story ;
which has never to my knowledge appeared in
any European language, was related to me by
a Mollah at Mascat, and may give a genera !

160
idea of the compositions which are so often
recited to relieve the monotony of aMahomedan
banquet : An Arab, while taking a walk, ob
served a snake which had fallen into a fire by
the side of the road, and was in danger of being .
burnt to death; he was seized with pity at the
sight, and released him from his perilous situa
tion. But no sooner did the reptile cease to
feel the flames, than he twisted his folds around
the body , of his deliverer, and displayed, in a
threatening manner, his formidable, fangs ; the
man reproached him with base ingratitude, to
which the serpent replied...." It. is true that you
are my saviour, but you are a man; and, as a
serpent, it is my duty to bitp you," This rea
soning appeared so extraordinary. to the man,
that he proposed an appeal to the first animal
they should meet; to which the snake con
sented, and they set forward. After havino-
journeyed some time, they met an ox, who
having listened to them both with attention,
; exclaimed to the snake—^* Friend, bite that
tyrant, directly; he makes us drag a heavy
plough all the days of pur youth, or raise water

161
from a well, by means of a machine fastened
around our necks, in order to fertilize his gar
dens, and then confines us in a narrow stall to
feed on a littie miserable straw ; and when our
limbs become feeble, from a premature decay,
the consequence only of his cruelty, he kills us,
and feeds on our flesh." The unfortunate Arab,
frightened at this unfavourable decree, hardly
knew what to say in his defence : he declared,
however, that this ox had been, perhaps, ill-
treated, and was actuated by revenge, instead
of reason, and, therefore, proposed that they1
should appeal to a horse, who was feeding in a
meadow hard by. They both immediately ad
dressed this quadruped, and found him no leas
prejudiced against mankind than the ox. He
entreated the snake to destroy their common
enemy, and asserted that his pretended kindness
was only deliberate Cruelty, like the treatment
which he himself had received during his youths
He related how his master had given him beau
tiful trappings — had taught him the exercise of
the manege — had maintained grooms on pur
pose to attend him — and had provided every

162
¦thing necessary for his use or recreation \ but
no sooner had old age enfeebled his limbs, than
he was stript of all his finery — condemned '" to
hard labour in a mill- — attd beateri if he did not
work bey orid his strength. The serpent noW
•thought himself fully justified in attacking his
deliverer, and was in the act of darting forward,
when the man entreated him to ask the opinion
of a fox who was accidentally passing by at the
same time, inaking a sign, that he would give
him ten chickens as the price of his deliverance^
the snake, ignorant of what was going forward,
-agreed to the proposal, and reynard, putting on
a look of profound wisdom, declared that he
could not pass an equitable judgement- on the
-weighty matter in dispute, not having been a
Spectator of all that had happened. It was
therefore resolved, that a fire should be lighted,
that the sriake should be thrown into it, and the
•man run to his succour. The serpent,' ignorant
of the intended deceit, leaped into the flames,
and the man immediately snatched up a stick,
and killed him with a single blow. The fox
now demanded his promised reward, and they

163
proceeded to a neighbouring village. Here
the Arab desired his liberator to hide in a holi
low rock, in order to escape any dogs that
might be passing by, and there wait until he
should return with the ten chickens ; but no
sooner had he reached the town, than haying
collected together all the dogs he could find,
he proceeded to the hole. The fox hearing the
noise, looked out to see what it meant, and
immediately perceiving the deception, exclaimed
O perfidous wretch, is this a repayment for
saving your life ? And theri turning to the
dogs, he said, trust not, my friends, the promises*
or obey they councils, of mankind : but, while
he was thus striving to awaken their pity, they
fell upon him, and devoured him in a moment.
The Arabs have much less ostentation than
the Turks, in the article of dress, nor are their
houses so richly furnished as iri the Othman
dominions. During all my travels over the
peninsula, I never observed a handsome mos
que, and the only two which Mascat possesses^
are small and mean. The city of Bagdad alone,
which, though situated in Irah, is peopled by

164
a race of Arabian descent, possesses many reli
gious edifices of great magnitude and beauty.
: The boats * which ply in the harbour of
Mascat, and transport passengers and goods
from the shipping to the shore, are each compo
sed of one tree, .brought from the coast -of
Malabar. Some of them are of great size, and
resemble different species of the teak, but as
my botanical knowledge is very small, this sup
position may be incorrect. The boatmen cal
led " uria," are faithful to their employers, even
should they be Europeans, but any person who
does riot pay them, well, is sure to be marked
as an object of hostility by the whole fraternity.
I always recompensed their services sufficiently,
and received the reward of this liberality, in
the assistance they rendered me the first time I
quitted Mascat, when the Sultan refused me
permission to depart. The circumstances at
tending this transaction were so fertile 'of ex
traordinary .events^ that they deserved to be

* The proper name of these boats is Ori, but at Bassora
they are called Belem ; so. variable is the Arabic language.

166
related. Having resolved to travel into Per
sia, I informed the Sultan of my intention; he
did not absolutely refuse his permission,
but at the same time wishing . to retain
me in his service, he declared that I
should not embark on board any of his own
vessels, and his subjects equally objected to
take me on board their ships, thinking that
such behaviour was acceptable to their master.
A Beniani with whom I was acquainted,
was about to sail to Kuch in a Denghi, and a
bribe of 50 dollars at length vanquished his
scruples; but I feared to embark before. the
moment of his departure, lest Seyd Said, hear
ing my intention, should take measures to
defeat it. The appointed day arrived ; from
nay window I could see the anchor weighed,
and immediately proceeded with the trunks
containing my baggage &c. to the, sea shore,
near Fort Gelali. The Oria, recollecting that
I always paid well, instantly offered their ser
vices, and I was transported on board the Den
ghi without the least difficulty, nobody enquir-

160
irig whether I had received the Sultan's license1
or not. Thinking their good offices might be
useful on some future occasion, I repaid hand
somely the attention of these boatmen, arid
bidding adieu to Mascat, we set sail, but alas !
misfortune still pursued. The wind for the
three first days was favorable, but so light that
we made comparativelybut little progress, and
, the three following days we were perfectly
becalmed. I had with me a servant called
Sibi, a native of a village of the same name^
between Burca and Mascat, and the vessel al*
so Contained many Jedegals, who had been
levied by the Beriiani merchants. We had
also two pilots, one Arabian, the other Hindoo,
but both of them extremely ignorant in their
profession. At the end of the third day's calm,
we saw some clouds hanging over Cape Calajat,;
ahd in a few moments heard the waves roar at
a few miles distance, as if an infinite number of
breakers threatened us in that direction ; soon
after, a tremendous water-spout was seen ad
vancing towards the ship, a circumstance the
more terrible, as there7 was not a breath of

167
wind. My Moslem companions immediately
begau to cry out Allaa, Allaa, while the Jede
gals exclaimed as vehemently, Burda, Burda,
I endeavored, with as much calmuess as was
compatible with our dangerous situation, to
observe this extraordinary phenomenon-; the
wind became violent, a rapid current of waves,
considerably raised above the general surface
of the sea, at length struck the vessel with as
much velocity, as that of the mountain torrents
of Italy, in the month of May, when swelled
by the melted snows. The head of the stream
passed under us, without doing any mischief,
but the whirlpools which succeeded it, threa
tening to swallow us up every instant, and
coming on, our danger appeared most immi
nent. The Jedegal ran with hatchets, to cut
down the mast, and tumble it with the sails into
the sea ; many voices cried out " the cargo
should be thrown over board," and as thisseemed
the most reasonable step to be taken, and nobo
dy liked to begin for fear of offending the
Beniani. I thought it best to set an example,
by pushing a sack of dates over the side. The

168
merchant entreated me to begin with things of
less value, and there were bags filled with the
tails and scales of fish destined for India, and
thence to China, where they are supposed to be
used in the composition of that beautiful lac
quered ware called Japan : these bags were ex
tremely heavy, and I soon found myself so
fatigued, that I was obliged to leave off this
laborious employment ; at the same time my
servant came to inform me that the seams of the
prow had 'opened, and admitted a great deal of
water. I now found the folly I had com
mitted, in trusting my life tp so frail a vessel,
which seemed constructed for no other purpose
than tS waft its crew to the other world. These
"Denghi are, in shape, like the Arabian Bagla,
but the stern and bows are surrounded with
leather, patched'like the shoe of an Italian pea
sant. Instant death now stared me in the face,
and I cast myself on a bed, in a state of mental
and bodily agony scarcely to be described.
The cabin was filled with sailors and Beniani,
who uttered most doleful lamentations ; their
folly and knavery had brought me into this

169
most dreadful situation, but fatigue had so over
powered me that I had not breath to reproach
them. Towards midnight the wind began to
abate, and I fell asleep from the effects of exr
haustion : on awakening at day break, the sea
was almost calm, and the crew were reposing
themselves as if they were in harbour. In fact,
we had been exposed to the effect of one of
those tornadoes, which in tropicalseas rise and
fall with equal rapidity — in the gulph of Persia,
during the month of March, they are particu
larly common, and their approach is accompa
nied by a noise resembling distant thunder.
I endeavoured to persuade the pilot to take ad
vantage of this favourable change in the state of
the weather, and prepare a jury mast that which
we fortunately had on board : an hour elapsed
before the sailors could be set to work, and
with infinite difficulty, a small sail was at length
hoisted. The following day we were again
exposed to severe squalls, and in the night such
torrents of rain fell, that it was almost impossi
ble to prevent the ship from sinking. The
compass had been broken durihg the first mo-

170
ments of cdrifusion arising from the tornado; so
that we were entirely ignorant of our situation.
On the fifth day, land was at length discovered,
.which some said was Kuch, and others Mascat;
we steered towards the shore, and on approach
ing it nearer, recognized it as Cape laquis, so
powerful had beena setting from the south. Here
we cast anchor, but did not venture to land, for
fear of some wandering gang of the Bellucci, so
that, after debating for two days what course
to pursue, it was at length resolved to return to
Mascat. The sail was again hoisted, and after
a voyage of seven days, we saw Cape Calajato,
but, just when Fortune seemed once more to
smile, three vessels appeared in the offing,
which were immediately pronounced to be
Giovasseom cruisers. The wind suddenly
died away, and the enemy, by means of their
rowers, neared us rapidly ; every thing was
prepared for defence, and I, as Abou Metfa,
was requested to take charge of the guns. Our
men, however, added to their natural coward?
ice, were greatly enfeebled by the fatigue they
had undergpoe, and by having lived fpr the last

171
three days, on a slender allowance of rice soak
ed with salt water. At this moment, a land
breeze from the North-west, happily sprang
up, and the pirates being to the South-east,
could not approach the shore, on which we
determined to run the Denghi, in case of ne
cessity, and at least save our lives. One of the
enemy having come within range, I fired a gun,
the shot of which evidently struck him, as he
immediately bore away, apparently in great
confusion. The noise of the discharge brought
a fisherman's boat to our assistance, and I offer
ed the crew five sequins to carry me to Mascat,
My proposal was accepted, I embarked, and
soon found that I had voluntarily incurred a
greater danger than that I had escaped, for we
could not reach our destined port till the
following day, and the fishermen supposing me
to be loaded with treasure, from my having paid
them before hand, would probably make an at
tempt on my life duringthe night, and, as they-
Were five in number, with great chance of success.
However, I endeavoured to hide all appearance
of apprehension, and accompanied by my ser-

172
vant, took my post near thehelm, where we could
not be surrounded, and where a brace of pistols,
which I had fortunately put into a bag, would
afford powerful means of defence ; in order also
to shew the fishermen that I had no apprehen
sion of their designs, I addressed them by the
name of acuani (my brothers ), and urged
them to row with all imaginable vigor. Even
ing at length arrived, and my companions pro
posed that we should land on a small rock,
which lay in our course, in order to dress some
fish' for supper, and take up our quarters for
the night. To have opposed their wishes
would have displayed an apprehension of then-
fidelity ; I therefore consented to their proposal,
although my heart beat with all the horrors of
nervous anxiety when I put my foot on shore.
The boat was fastened to the rock, and a fire
lighted, while I sat down to reflect oh my pre
sent situation, and on my prospects for the fu
ture. When supper was dressed, the fishermen
invited me to partake of it with so much cour
tesy that my suspicions Were gradually laid
v;
asleep, and! cold not help rejoicing on our

173
vicinity to Mascat, and our providential escape
from the Giovasseom. When the meal was
ended, each individual prepared himself for
repose, and although I had resolve! if possible
to keep myself awake, yet the fttigue, both of
mind and body, which I had undergone, was so
severe, that sleep gradually overpowered me,
and I was only aroused by Sibi early in the .
morning, in order to continue our voyage.
We again embarked, and reached Mascat about
noon, after rowing for many, hours.
I immediately proceeded to the palace,
where Seyd Said was greatly amused at the
recital of my adventures, and kindly promised
me permission to proceed to Buschier, without
any farther impediment. This promise he
faithfully performed ; and for five years after
this, I travelled through Persia and Yrak ; and
in the Year 1814, I returned to Mascat, when;
the Sultan despatched me to Siiek, a maritime
town about 100 miles to the north of Mascat,
on a mission to his uncle Seyd Achmy iben >
Himam. This chief received me verygracious-
ly, and took me with him to Rostoc, a place

174
of the greatest consequence in that part of
Oman. The beauty of its situation delighted
me, and an exact description of it, which is
contained in one of my letters, will shew the
reader that it is not without reason, that Ros- ,
toe and Suek have obtained the appellation
of the gardens of Arabia. In a short time
after my return, I finally quitted Mascat on
board an English corvette called the Prince
of Wales.
And now, to conclude, it is to be observed, that-
many of my letters are dated from various
towns in Arabia, in which I resided for a con
siderable time, and contain a personal narra
tive, as well as an account of the customs and
manners of the people in each particular place.
In the present work, therefore, all the remarks
which are not specially restricted to the Mas-
catians, or. the subjects of Seyd Said, are to be
considered as general, and applicable to the
whole of this vast peninsula. FINIS.

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W, Hersee, Printer, 24, St. Mary Axe.

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