'Selections from the Records of the Bombay Government' [‎633] (677/733)

GULP OF PERSIA. (333
that coast from Jask to Churbarori, the Coast of Mukran, the islands of
hm and Orraus, Kammeer, Bunder Abbas, and Minah or Mifloo,
on the Coast of Persia, are under his government.
.The whole of the male population in his territory are about eifht
hundred thousand : one-third of these are most probably slaves. The
chiefs in his own dominions are very turbulent, and it is not often he
can get any revenue from places off the coasteven these during his
expeditions against Mombassa have been in open rebellion, particularly
Sohar, Suik, and Burka. The chief of the latter place actually
seized his son and nephew, whom he had left in charge of the Govern-
ment; and there are several of his own near relations particularly who
are his greatest enemies.
As he has no children by his wife, it is generally thought some of his
near relations will succeed him in Arabia^ and his sons will be settled
on the island of Zanzibar, which is of late the Imaum's favourite resi
dence, and on which he is forming plantations of sugar, coffee, and
indigo, and with so much success that it promises fair to be one of the
most valuable islands on this side the Cape of Good Hope.
Ihe Imaum keeps up at Musk at, and in his various forts, about fifteen
hundred Beloochees : these are all the soldiers who receive pay his
subjects, as in all Arab countries, are bound to follow him to war, but,
like the highlanders of old, it is only when their own immediate chief
orders them.
The total of the Imaum's revenue is said to be near seven lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of
German crowns, but one lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees may be allowed for short of collection ;
Muskat, Muttra, Zanzibar, and the slave trade, are his only certain
souices of revenue, and they may be estimated as follows:
, German Crowns.
Muskat, external, by customs X80 000
Muttra, ditto ditto " g0 000
Muskat and Muttra, internal 20 000
Zanzibar Island 220 000
Slave Trade 80 ' 000
Average annual receipts from other places, about 50,000
Total.. .. German Crowns 610,000
As far as Zanzibar goes, the revenue is every year improving. The
Imaum has been fiequently at war, and with varied success, with the
Bahieinees, IVIombas, and the pirates. Himself and tribe are a brave
race, but the generality of his subjects are arrant cowards; so much
so as to make it a proverb with the Arabs—" As great a coward as a
Muskatee." There is little more to add than that the Imaum has Treaties