80 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



[Coast of Arabia. 



here are generally at war with those of the interior, with whom they have 

 no communication. 



MAZEIRA ISLAND, the N. E. part of this island is in lat 

 20° 35' N., some say 13 more N., and long, about 58 Q 56 E. On its E. 

 side is a small village, but it is seldom visited by Europeans, the gulph to 

 the W. and S. W. of it being dangerous, the currents running strong, and 

 the coast being but imperfectly known. There is a passage between the 

 island and the main for large vessels. 



ROSALGATE, or RAS-EL-HAD. — Thb cape is the N. E. point 

 of Arabia ; the land is high ami uneven over it, but facing the sea it is low 

 and level. The latitude is 22° 20 N., and long. 60* 10' E. 



The town, called Ras-el-had Town, is situated on the banks of a small 

 river or creek, about 5 leagues from the Cape, in lat. about 22° 32^ E., 

 inhabited by fishermen, who bring off fish and dates to ships passing : the 

 town is small, has several trees near it, and 4 or 5 tombs or white buildings 

 on the left of it 



ZOAR, or SOR, in lat. 22° 45 N., about five leagues from Ras-el- 

 had, corruptly Rosalgate, is a considerable town, and a place of some trade, 

 but being so near Muscat, to which it is tributary, it is not visited by 

 European vessels. 



KURIAT. — To the S. of Cape Kuriat, or Ras Badaud, is a town of 

 the same name, formerly of some note. The Capa is in lat. 23° 20' N., 

 and is known by a deep chasm in the high land, about two leagues to the S. 



The Government of Muscat is said to extend to Cape Rosalgate, in- 

 cluding the above places ; but it is not safe for Europeans to land at the 

 villages near the Cape, because the inhabitants are inhospitable to strangers, 

 and there is reason to believe, that the wandering Arabs keep some of these 

 villages or towns in subjection. The only supplies that are likely to be 

 met with hereabouts, are fish, dates, and sometimes water, which are 

 brought off bv the country boats to ships passing near the coast 



MUSCAT. — The harbour, or cove, in lat. 23° 38' N., and long. 

 58° 41' E., is formed by high land to the S. and W., and on the E. side by 

 an island,, called Muscat Island, joined by a reef of rocks to the peninsula, 

 on which the town of Muscat is situated, the entrance into the cove being 

 from the N., and is protected by a fort on each side ; there is another fort 

 close to the town, that commands the inside of the cove, where the depths 

 of water are 4 and 5 fathoms, between the two W. forts, and where a large 

 fleet may moor in safety. 



The town of Muscat is walled round, and none but Arabs and Banians 

 are permitted to live within the gates ; the others reside without, in mat 



