1877.] 
51 
Sohar and el-Bereymi in 'Oman. 
are still to be seen near Jebel Gharabeh, but the only outward and visible 
sign of its former greatness remaining is the aqueduct Felej el-Mo’taridh 
( ) . 
This work, which is of good stone masonry, leads along the surface of 
the ground, with a gentle declivity from the Wadi Jezze in the vicinity of 
Hureh Bargheh, or Sohar Peak as we call it, to the shore, a dis¬ 
tance in a straight line of 14 or 15 miles, and is still distinctly traceable for the 
greater part of the way, disappearing at the outskirts of the present town. 
I noticed by the side of it more than one small cistern of exactly the same 
pattern and construction as those on Jebel Gharabeh. The modern town 
of Sohar has for some years been in a gradually declining state. It has 
been described in the bright pages of Palgrave, but has still further decayed 
since his visit. In Sohar proper, which lies between Pas Sellan and 
the village of Soweyhereh, the population is now only about 4000, 
including 400 Persians, a dozen Jews, who have been gradually decreasing in 
numbers year by year, and half-a-dozen banians ; the bulk of the inhabitants 
here as also along the coast from Sohar to Majis being of Persian and 
Beluch descent. The citadel, in which the Governor Seyyid Bedr resides, is 
a lofty, square, plain building, with a strong entrance and well defended by 
a moat; next to Sohar Peak it is the most conspicuous object seen from 
seawards. From the roof an excellent view is obtained of the surrounding 
country, and a lovely landscape it is, the sea-shore being fringed with a 
belt of stately palm gardens and cultivation about three miles broad, while 
behind, the plain rises gradually, until broken up by the lower spurs of the 
lofty, dark, serrated range in the back-ground. In the second story of this 
house is the tomb of Seyyid Thoweyni-bin-Seyyid, but the room in which it 
stands has been bricked up since my last visit. It is remarkable that of the 
number believed to have been associated directly or indirectly with Seyyid 
Selim in his parricidal act, some nine persons, only two are alive, the rest 
having all, with one exception, met violent deaths. The town wall is very 
dilapidated, especially the front towards the sea, and is now fast crumbling 
down, and there are no towers or bastions to it, but the moat is still kept 
clear on the land side. The circuit of the wall is about a mile, but a very 
small extent of the area inside is covered with houses, the rest of the 
ground being bare or occupied with date and other fruit trees. The market 
contains about forty shops, and is good and well filled, the fish market 
particularly ; the fisheries on the Batinah coast being abundant almost to 
a miracle. The custom duties are 5 per cent., and the farm this year has 
been sold to a Persian for $175 per month ; but this is no gauge for the 
amount of imports, as foreign goods are obtained from Muscat, where they 
have already paid duty, and are consequently free from assessment here. 
Trade is said to be decreasing annually, and to be transferring itself to 
