'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎84v] (173/180)

158
that have to be crossed on the way. The wells along the route are generally from
40 to 60 feet deep and are lined for the uppermost 8 or 10 feet with timbers or
rough hewn stone from the hills: the water is invariably raised by means of a
leather bucket which is hauled by a rope over a pulley, the pulley bein^ suspended
from a trestle over the well mouth. f ^ 5 f u
This route is the main artery of traffic in the 'Oman Promontory; the place
of feeders to it is taken by routes 1 (h), 1 (c) and 1 (d) above, which intersect it at
or near Muraqqibat, Dhaid village and Yahfar-al-Faiyah, respectively. There is
reason to think that, by following a line somewhat further to eastwards and more
closely adjoining the foot of the main hills, a line might be found which could
without much labour be adapted for wheeled traffic, and that it might not be
difficult io connect such a road with the Batinah coast by means of another road
down Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. -al-Qor.
2 (h). Route from Dihai Town to the Bar a imi Oasis*. —This route, which
apparently runs straight across the intervening desert, is identical with route
No. 1 (d) above as far as Khawanij. The names of points subsequently passed
are given as 'Awir, Habab, Badu'-al-Hilli, Madhlul. Faqa' and Khasub. The
distance in a direct line is between 70 and 75 miles.
2 (c). Route from Abu Dhabi Town to the Baraimi Oasis]. —The distance is
about 100 miles by the route ordinarily followed which runs a little south of east.
The stages are Maqta 1 , where the creek behind Abu Dhabi Town is crossed,
10 miles; from Maqta' to Suq Iblis, a rocky landmark, 14 miles; Suq Iblis to
Nahshilah, water holes, 28 miles; Nahshilah to Bui Huwail, wells, 15 miles; Bui
Huwail by Nasuriyah to Juhar, water holes, 25 miles; Juhar to the Baraimi Oasis,
12 miles. Stages named Habal and Muwaih Arnab, slightly more to the south',
may be substituted for those of SOq Iblis and Nahshilah. The track from Maqta'
to Baraimi lies over a desert of sand dunes, and there is almost no grazing by the
way.
Routes connecting the Baraimi Oasis with Mahadhah and Mahadhah with the
route from the Baraimi Oasis to Sohar Town are shortly noticed in the article
upon Mahadhah.
3. There is no fixed route between Baraimi or Trucial 'Oman and the Hasa
Sanjaq, and ditlerent caravans follow different lines of wells across Dhafrah and
the tiacts beyond it. A straighter and more inland course is apparently preferred
by travellers in winter; while those who make the journey in summer generally
take a route less direct but nearer to the coast. Sila', Sakak and the^ foot of
Dohat-as -Salwa seem to be among the usual halting places in either season. The
journey as a whole is not considered dangerous or even difficult; for water, though
brackish, is found in many places, and it is seldom necessary to carry a supply
lor more than two days. A messenger can cover the distance from Baraimi to
Hofuf in ten davs; caravans take about a month.t
*r
_ Administration. —Each of the five principalities of Umm-al -Qaiwain, 'Ajman,
Sharjah, Dibai and Abu Dhabi is ruled by an independent Shaikh, whose possessions
on the sea coast are generally under full control; while all except the Shaikh of
Ajman, and particularly the Shaikh ot Abu Dhabi, exercise some authority or
influence over Bedouin tribes in the interior. For further details the separate
article on each principality may be consulted.
Political position, foreign relations and foreign interests. —The political position
of TYucial Oman in regard to Great Britain is difficult to define with exactitude;
it is regulated in the main by two agreements, each of which has been signed by,
and is individually binding upon, the five Shaikhs of 'Ajman, Abu Dhabi, Dibai^
Umm-al -Qaiwain and Sharjah.
The earlier in date of these agreements is a perpetual truce, concluded in 1853,
which provided lor the entire cessation of hostilities at sea among the signatories,
and imposed on the British Government the duty of enforcing peace and obtaining
reparation lor maritime aggressions committed in contravention of the arrangement.
It is in virtue of this treaty that the Shaikhs of the principalities are styled'Trucial
Shaikhs and that their country may appropriately be styled Trucial 'Oman.
* Authority. —From native information.
t Authority. —Major P. Z. Cox from personal observation and enquiry.
t Col. Miles (vide J. A. S. B. Volume XLVI, Part I, Nos. 1-1V, 1877, pages 59-60) gives more
precise directions than these, but the positions and even the order ot his stages do not always agree
well with the results of the most recent enquiries.