1874.] 
E. C. Ross —Annals of ‘ Oman—Book VII. 
181 
Batineh, to intercept Khalf-bin Mubarak el-Kagir in his march from Maskat 
to el-Rostak. He with his slaves patrolled the road as far as el-Ghobrali. 
Khalf-bin Mubarik, however, having ascertained that Mohammed had 
closed the road against him, and not being sufficiently strong to encounter 
him, remained at Maskat, and placed sentries on the roads and walls. Mo- 
hammed-bin Nagir remained at el-Heyl for about half a month, during which 
time the el-Ma‘awal tribe came to terms with him, but subsequently broke 
faith. 
He then returned to Semail, and taking with him men of that place 
proceeded against the Bedouins of ‘Amer Bab hah and Al-Sa‘ali, and those 
of the dwellers in el-Batineh comprised under those names. He was him¬ 
self mounted on a mare and armed with spear and scimitar, with which he 
struck right and left, hamstringing their camels, to prevent their carrying 
them away. Coming on a body of his enemies, he slew their men, on which 
the women, taking him for Khalf, cried out, “ Quarter ! 0 Khalf-bin Muba¬ 
rik ! we are in allegiance to you.” He, however, redoubled his efforts in 
slaying them, riding in front of his men, so that none kept up with him save 
those on horseback or on swift camels. The Seyyid Seyf-bin Sultan was 
with him ; indeed he was never separated from him in all his expeditions. 
After this, he returned to el-Hazam, and after remaining there a few days 
went to Seni in Wadi Beni-Ghafir, where he remained a short time, and dis¬ 
missed all his . followers, except the guard and his personal retainers. He 
next went to el-Ghabbi and, after spending a few days there, returned to 
Yabrin, which was his chief residence. 
At this time, the Bedouins had so infested all the roads of ‘Oman, 
plundering and murdering, that people could only travel in large parties. 
The chief offenders were the Al-VVahibeh, who had a chief whom they called 
Bu-Khark. Mohammed-bin Nagir assembled them, with all their families, 
camels, and flocks, and commanded them to encamp round Yabrin. This 
he did, in order to show his resentment towards them : and he kept them 
so until their camels and flocks perished, they being powerless to resist him. 
On the 11th of the month of el-Hijj, he issued forth with his followers 
in search of the Al-Waliibeh. He destroyed their settlement of el-Sadeyreh, 
and slew all of them who were in that place. The rest fled to the low lying 
sands of ‘Oman and its desert tracts, where no water is found, imagining 
he would be unable to reach them there, as the “ Hadhr” Arabs had little 
knowledge of the routes of those localities, and it would be difficult for them 
to find the way to their haunts. But Mohammed-bin Nagir followed them 
even there, and killed thirty-six of their chief men, and made prisoners ot 
ninety-five. He also killed their camels and other cattle, and carried the 
prisoners bound with cords to Yabrin. But Abu-Khark escaped to Maskat 
and joined the Benu-Hinah. Mohammed-bin Nagir kept the prisoners in 
