GOVERNMENT OF ARABIA. 145 



celebrated for its manufactures. Turbans and waist- 

 bands, or girdles of cotton and silk, striped or checked 

 with blue ; cloaks, cotton, canvass, gunpowder, and 

 arms of inferior quality; earthen jars, called murht- 

 ban, for the Zanguebar market,— comprise almost all 

 their fabrics. They also prepare an esteemed sweet- 

 meat, named hulwo.h, from honey or sugar, with the 

 gluten of wheat, and ghee, and a few almonds. 



The price of live-stock at Muscat is extremely 

 various. Camels, according to their blood and qual- 

 ity, will bring from thirty to three hundred dollars 

 apiece ; goats from four to six ; sheep from one 

 and a half to six ; mules are not reared, neither are 

 horses abundant ; but the asses of Oman are cele- 

 brated as the finest in Arabia. The price of the 

 common kind varies from one to forty dollars ; but 

 the best breeds sell for very extravagant sums. 



The present imam is considered the richest and 

 most powerful sovereign on the Persian Gulf. Such 

 of the British officers and merchants as have visited 

 that port represent him as a man of amiable dis- 

 positions, and possessed of superior talents and in- 

 formation ; being much superior to the Arab chiefs 

 in general, and adored by his subjects. He admin- 

 isters justice daily in person, sitting under a portico 

 in the vicinity of his palace ; and his decisions in 

 general are received without a murmur. Mr. Fraser 

 describes his countenance as of mild and pleasing 

 features, — his complexion of a light yellow, — his 

 eyes dark and expressive, though rendered almost 

 sleepy at times by their heavy lids and long dark 

 lashes; his beard was full and black, without the 

 assistance of die ; his mustachios being clipped rather 

 short, and allowing part of the cheek to be seen. 

 His dress was the plain Arab costume, — a white 

 cotton gown with wide sleeves, opening down the 

 breast, but buttoned to the throat, and reaching to 

 the ankles ; round his waist was a scarf of blue 

 checked cotton, in which was stuck a silver-hilted 



Vol. II.— N 



