Coast (f Arabia.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



81 



houses. It is strongly fortified, and no vessels are allowed to go in after 

 dusk, or come out after sunset It is the duty of the Serang of the Imaum, 

 or Prince of Muscat, to assist any vessel that comes to the port ; and they 

 are allowed a certain sum for this, which they are never backward in 

 demanding, whether they attend or not When a vessel comes near, by 

 making the usual signal for a pilot, they will come off, otherwise they will 

 take no notice of any one : it is best to make them attend till the vessel is 

 secured, as they have excellent boats for carrying out warp anchors. 



Muscat is the key of Arabia and Persia ; all the ports from Rosalgate 

 to the Gulph are tributary to it; it is a place of very great trade, being 

 possessed of a considerable number of large ships, which trade to the British 

 settlements in India, to Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, the Red Sea, and 

 East Coast of Africa. Great indulgences are allowed by the English to the 

 Imaum^s flag. Muscat may be considered the magazine for goods, and is 

 resorted to by vessels from every port in Persia, the ports of Arabia within 

 the Gulph, and from the coast as far as the Indus. It has been the usual 

 custom for all English merchant ships, in their voyage from India to Bus- 

 sorah, to stop at Muscat, and in like manner on their return, and they 

 generally sell and purchase goods here. 



There is another town, about three miles to the W., called Muttra, 

 defended by a small fort, which is nearly as large as Muscat, with several 

 villages in the valley between. At Muttra there is a good place to haul 

 vessels on shore ; and though they have one at Muscat, yet they always 

 seud their largest there to be cleaned. There is a good road along the shore 

 from Muscat to Muttra, 



The Government of the Imaum is the strictest and civilest of any either 

 in Persia or Arabia, and a stranger may walk the streets any hour in the 

 night without molestation : goods are piled up in the streets, and lie night 

 and day exposed, without any watch or guard, and there never happens an 

 instance that such goods are pilfered, the police being so excellent 



Trade. — The trade carried on between British India and the Persian 

 and Arabian Gulphs is considerable, and of great advantage to the former. 

 The articles are enumerated under the different Settlements. The greater 

 part of this commerce, as well as that to the E., is carried on by Arabs, 

 under the Muscat flag. The trade between the subjects of Muscat on the 

 coast, and the independent Arabs in the interior, by caravans, consists of 

 almonds, cattle, drugs of sorts, elephants' teeth, various gums, hides, 

 honey, ostrich feathers, rhinoceros*' horns, rhinoceros'' hides, skins, sheep, 

 wax, pearl-shells, horses, and raisins. The caravans take in return various 

 East Indian commodities, principally ginger, grain, opium, piece-goods, 



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