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not see, however, even one of either of those animals, though I was on shore, and visited every part of the town. The tranquillity that reigns throughout the town, and the tolerance and civility shewn to strangers, of every denomination, are to be attributed to the inoffensive disposition of the people, rather than to any excellence of police, as it has been thought. There is, indeed, no regular establishment of that kind here, either in patroles or guards, except at the forts, on the heights above the town, where there are sentinels, who repeat their cries from tower to tower. Nevertheless, whole cargoes of merchandise, and property of every description, are left to lie open on the Custom-house wharf, and in the streets, without fear of plunder. The ancient regulation, which prevented the entry of ships into the port, or the transaction of business on shore, after sunset, is not now enforced; and though shore-boats are not permitted to come off to ships in the harbour after dark; yet ships' boats are allowed to remain on shore, and to go off at pleasure. Every thing, indeed, is favourable to the personal liberty, the safety and the accommodation of strangers; and the Arabs of Muscat may be considered, I think, as far as their manners go, to be the most civilised of their countrymen. The author of 'L'Histoire Philosophique et Politique des Etablissemens et du Commerce des Européens dans les deux Indes,' speaks of the people of Muscat, as celebrated at the earliest period of their commercial history, for the most excellent qualities. He says, "Il n'est point de peuple dans l'Orient dont on a loué si généralement la probité, le tempérance, et l'humeur sociale. Ou n'entend, jamais parler d'infidélité dans le commerce, qu'il n'est pas permis de faire après le coucher du soleil. Le défense de boire du vin, et des liqueures fortes, et si fidèlement observée, qu'on ne se permet pas seulement l'usage du caffé. Les étrangeres, de quelque religion qu'ils soient, nont besoin ni d'armes, ni d'escortes, pour parcourir sans peril tous les partes de ce petit état!"* This character of them is still applicable to their present state, and gives to their country a just claim to the proud title of Aman, from the security everywhere to be found in it.

The history of Muscat, as far as it is known in European annals, is given in a few words :-During the splendour of the Portuguese power in the Indian Seas, and when their island and city of Ormuz was the chief magazine of trade for the Persian Gulf, the rival port of Muscat, enjoying even then the consideration which its local position was calculated to obtain for it, excited the jealousy of the intrepid Albuquerque, who made himself master of it about the year 1507, and endeavoured to force all the trade it carried on from hence, to increase that of their favourite establishment at Ormuz. When this island was lost to them, the Portuguese endeavoured to concentrate their commerce in Muscat, of which they still retained possession. The Abbé Raynal states, that all their

Tome I, liv. 3, p. 268.

efforts to effect this were fruitless, as navigators took the route of Bender Abassi, or Gombroon, near to Ormuz, on the continent of Persia. He says, that every one dreaded the haughtiness of these ancient tyrants of India, and that there was no longer any confidence in their good faith, so that no other vessel arrived at their port of Muscat, than such as they conducted there themselves. A more modern writer says, however, that after the destruction of Ormuz, Muscat became the principal mart of this part of the world, and thereby produced very great advantages to the crown of Portugal, exclusive of the prodigious private fortunes made by individuals. During that time, continues the same writer, this city was very much improved; for, besides regular fortifications, they erected a stately church, a noble college, and many other public structures, as well as very fine stone houses, in which the merchants resided, and those who, by the management of public affairs, had acquired fortunes to live at their ease. The tradition of the people here, are more conformable to the Abbé's account, though it is true that their vanity would naturally lead them to prefer this to the other, if they had to make a choice between them. This much, however, may be said, that there are at present no visible remains of such grandeur in fortifications, churches, colleges, palaces, and private mansions, as Mr. Milburn has described; though at Aden, in Arabia Felix, and all over Salsette, in India, marks of such monuments are to be traced, and it is not easy to conceive à reason why they should be more completely erased in this place, than either of the others. Both of these writers agree, however, that the Portuguese were at length driven out from Muscat by the Arabs; and that these last, to avenge themselves for their former injuries, betook themselves to general piracy, and having many large ships, from thirty to fifty guns, committed great depredations on the maritime trade of India. They were at length so effectually checked by the naval force of the British in these seas, that their piratical pursuits were abandoned for commercial ones, as early as the commencement of the last century; since which they have become such as I have here endeavoured to describe them.

A little to the north-west of Muscat, and seated at the bottom of a cove, almost of the same form and size as its own, is the town of Muttrah. As a harbour, this is quite as good as Muscat, having the same convenient depth of anchorage, from ten to thirteen fathoms, the same kind of holding ground, and a better shelter from northerly and north-west winds. Ships not being able to beat into the cove of Muscat, with southerly winds, may always stretch over to the westward, and anchor in that of Muttrah, from whence they may weigh with the land wind, and come into Muscat at pleasure. Muttrah is less a place of business than Muscat, though there are more well-built houses in it, from its being a cooler and Oriental Herald, Vol. 22.

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more agreeable residence, and, as such, a place of residence for men of wealth. Provisions and refreshments for shipping may be had, with equal ease, from either of these places; indeed, the greater part of those brought to Muscat, are said to come through Muttrah, from the country behind. Meat, vegetables, and fruits, are all abundant in their season, of excellent quality, and low price; and fish are no where more plentiful or more delicious than here. The water, also, is pure, wholesome, and agreeable to the taste; it is brought from springs in the hills, and conducted into a reservoir at Muscat, from which a ship's casks may be filled in a few hours, if a sufficient number of hands be employed. This is more frequently done by large boats, and people from the shore, than by the boats of the ships watering, and is found to be attended with conveniences, which more than overbalance so trifling an expense, being also much more expeditious. For ships having tanks, or wishing to fill their own casks on board, it is usual to send off water in bulk, in a large boat filled at the reservoir; but this is found to affect the quality of the water materially, and should, if possible, be avoided. The boats themselves, being frequently oiled on the inside, to preserve the wood; this oil gives a peculiarly unpleasant taste to the water, which remains on it for many hours; the boats always leak a little also in their upper works, by which the sea-water is let in to mix with the fresh, and makes it quite brackish; and lastly, the men employed on this service, who are generally Negro slaves, make no scruple to come from the shore with dirty feet, and to wash them in the boat; they plunge their perspiring bodies also into the water, remain in it to row off to the ship, immersed up to their middle, and even scrub and wash themselves in it, before coming alongside, so as to leave all the filth and impurities of their skin behind them. All these causes, though creating no perceptible difference in the appearance of the water at the time, need only be mentioned, to create an objection to this mode of receiving it on board, and to give it a decided preference to filling it in the ship's casks.

It has been before observed, that it is usual for ships to moor in tiers at Muscat, or, if single, to ride head and stern, as there is no room in the inner part of the cove to swing. The best anchor and the ship's head, should be to the northward, and the stern anchor to the southward. Neither in entering the harbour, nor in securing the ship, is any assistance now given by the pilots of the port, nor indeed is it at all necessary, as there are no dangers but those above water and in sight. It appears that formerly there was a Serang of the port, who moored the ships, and who was allowed a fixed remuneration for it from the vessel brought in but this is not usual now; though, if assistance were really wanted, or signals of distress made, they would no doubt be very promptly complied with. It should be added, that ships wishing to refit here, ought to be furuished with all the necessary materials on board; as naval

stores of every description are scarce and dear, from their being altogether foreign produce. Ship timber is brought to this port from Malabar; canvass from Bengal; coir from Africa, and the Laccadine Islands; and made into rope here; and anchors, and all smaller stores from Bombay. As the tide rises about five or six feet, light vessels may be hauled on shore, at high water, and careened, both at Muscat and at Muttrah; and there are shipwrights and caulkers, sufficiently expert in their arts, to render any assistance that may be needed from them in that way. Deficiencies in ships' crews, may also be made up by Arab sailors, who are always to be found here, and are unquestionably braver, hardier, and better seamen than the Lascars of India, though they are sometimes more difficult to be kept in order. On board their own large ships, even the names of the masts, sails, and ropes, as well as the orders of command in evolutions, are as in India, a mixture of Arabic, Persian, Hindoo, Dutch, Portuguese, and English; so that the Hindoostanee of a country ship, is quite intelligible to them all. Besides the terms common to the vessels of India, I remarked some here, which were evident remains of Portuguese domination, as Bandeira, Bussola, and Armada,' for flag, compass, and squadron; which are called in Hindoostanee, 'Bowta, Compaz, and Ihoond; in Arabic, Beirak, Daira, and Singar; and in Persian, Alum, Doora, and Sengar.'

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We remained at Muscat ten days, occupied chiefly in the delivery of cargo for this place, and the receipt of other goods for Bombay. The Imaum being himself absent at the head of an expedition against the island of Bahrein, with three of his frigates, about thirty large bughalas, and nearly ten thousand men, his elder brother and his uncle were in charge of the government until his return. The former of these being now in town, requested a visit from me, which I gladly paid him. I was received with as much apparent kindness as respect, and, in an interview of nearly three hours, found sufficient gratification to repay my attention. This governor, as the Imaun his brother had done before, when I first saw him, expressed himself delighted at meeting with an English person with whom he could converse freely, and who could communicate to him the information he desired in his own tongue. After the usual complimentary enquiries, the conversation turned almost entirely on shipping and maritime commerce, which seemed to be still, as it has been for centuries past, the leading pursuit both of the people and the government of Muscat. They had already heard of the opening of a new branch of trade from India to Malta, by the departure of two ships from Calcutta to the Cape, and though I had some difficulty in making the governor comprehend in what part of the globe this little island of Malta was seated, and still more the necessity for so circuitous a route to get at it, yet, when he learnt that the English flag was flying there, he was quite

satisfied as to the safety of a voyage of trade to it. He regretted that his brother, the Imaum, was not here to profit by the information which I had it in my power to give him with respect to this island and its connection with the ports of the Mediterranean, and expressed his firm opinion that, distant as the port was, he would have immediately applied to the government of Bombay for permission, and have sent off a richly laden vessel there with the earliest speculators. In the course of the conversation which passed between us, I learnt that the present governor, Seid Mohammed, who was the eldest son of the late Imaum, Seid Sultan, had the succession to the government offered to him as his acknowledged right, but that he declined it in favour of his younger brother, purely, as he himself expressed it, from an aversion to the cares of public life, and a preference for the tranquillity of a private one. Even the temporary charge which he now held in the absence of his brother, had already began to be troublesome to him, and he was about to set out in a few days for his residence in the country, and leave his uncle solely in trust.

During our stay here at Muscat, three ships arrived from Bengal: namely, the Euphrates, the Governor Petre, and the Alexander, all destined for Bussorah; and the Honourable Company's cruizer Benares, arriving in the interim from Bushire for the purpose of convoying up such ships as were ready, took three of the vessels under her protection, while the other two remained here. The American vessel being unable to dispose of her warlike stores to advantage in the absence of the Imaum, and being discouraged from the representations of the state of the markets for those articles in the Gulf, from procceding higher up, as at first intended, determined on sailing from thence to the island of Sumatra direct, at which place she intended taking in a cargo of pepper and returning to New York. This vessel was less than 200 tons burthen, and her crew consisted of six seamen before the mast, a cook, carpenter, cabin-boy, and two officers, besides the captain and supercargo. They had seen no land on the whole of their way from New York to Ras-el-Had, and had sprung a leak only two days after leaving port, which had kept the pumps going every hour from that period till the present. The voyage in such a vessel, and with such a crew, was in itself sufficiently hazardous and enterprising, but with the addition of this evil it became a dangerous one, and deserved a better result than it was likely to produce to those engaged in it. As they were determined on selling some of their naval stores here, even at prime cost, rather than taking them all round to the Eastern islands, they purchased of us two thousand bags of Bussorah dates, at a dollar each, with which they filled up their vacant room, and intended selling them at Penang, where they are often taken, and generally afford a sufficient profit.

It was on the 5th of February that we unmoored, and stood out

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