144 CIVIL HISTORY AND 



coast, has a singular appearance. It is bounded on 

 each side with bold and abrupt rocks, from two to 

 three hundred feet high, on which are numerous 

 small forts. The town is protected by several bat- 

 teries ; but the greater part of the city is composed 

 of ill-built houses, and huts of date-tree leaves of 

 the most wretched description, all huddled together 

 in the greatest confusion. The streets are rough, 

 narrow, and crooked. The windows, which are 

 without glass, resemble loopholes, and the walls 

 are covered with a white plaster or cement. The 

 water is good ; the fruit of the best quality, — grapes 

 mangoes, peaches, plantains, figs, pomegranate?^ 

 limes, melons, and dates. Nowhere is there greater 

 variety of fish ; in the bay they swarm like gnats 

 in a summer evening ; the rocks supply oysters and 

 other shell-fish, all of which are sold at a very 

 cheap rate. As the pasturage is scanty in this 

 neighbourhood, dried fish a little salted, and pounded 

 date-stones, form the chief articles of food for their 

 cattle, of which they are very fond. Horses and 

 sheep as well as cows are fed on this diet. 



The property of the inhabitants consists for the 

 most part in their live-stock ; but the most valu- 

 able species is the date-tree, the price of which, 

 individually, varies from seven to ten dollars ; and 

 by this standard they estimate landed estates, which 

 are said to be worth three, four, or five thousand 

 date-trees, according to the number that grows upon 

 them. Property of every kind descends by inherit- 

 ance, the son possessing the liberty of disposing of 

 it as he pleases. The sovereign has no right in the 

 soil, further than the tenth of its produce ; nor can 

 he in any way interfere with the privileges of the 

 owner. Lands are commonly let on lease, or for an 

 annual rent, usually payable in produce. Slaves are 

 here, as in all other parts of Arabia, employed in 

 agricultural labour ; but they are treated with uni- 

 form kindness aiid indulgence. Oman is by no means 



