'History of the imâms and seyyids of 'Omân by Salîl-ibn-Razîk, from A.D. 661-1856; translated from the original Arabic, and edited with notes, appendices, and an introduction, continuing the history down to 1870, by George Percy Badger, F.R.G.S., late chaplain in the Presidency of Bombay.' [‎1] (34/612)

INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS.
Ancient Western geograpliers afford very slight inform
ation respecting 'Oman. 1 Ptolemy's account of the Eastern
Coast of Arabia contains little more than a list of names, and
his map is meagre and distorted. He mentions a Moscha
partus in latitude 14 deg. N., one degree and a half to the
westward of his Syagros extrema, and an Omanum Emporium
in lat. 19 deg. 45 min. These localities are also mentioned
by the author of the Periplus, who says: "Adjoining to
Sudgros there is a bay which runs deep into the mainland
[of] Omana, 600 stadia in width; after which there are high
mountainous rocks, steep to and inhabited by a [wild] lacc
that live in caverns and hollows of the cliils. Ihis appeal-
ance of the coast continues for 500 stadia more, at the termina
tion of which lies a harbour called Moscha, much frequented
on account of the Sachalitic 2 incense which is imported
there." 3 According to this statement, Sudgros was at one
end of the bay and Moscha, at the other , 1,100 stadia farther
north, or rather north-east, the two places being separated by
the mainland of Omana. As the Syagros extrema ot I tolemy
and the Sudgros of the Periplus undoubtedly represent the
1 The natives usually pronounce the word " 'Aman,'' and Palgrave
says that " 'Oman " is " our customary European misnomer; but he is
wrong. Ibn-Batuta, it is true, writes it " 'Amman;" but the author of
the Mardsid-il-'IttilcC, and Arab lexicographers generally, vocalize the
name thus: " 'Oman," with a dhdmmah over the first letter.
2 Obviously a Greek form of the Arabic literally, belonging
to the coast,—a designation still commonly applied by the Arabs to the
residents on the east coast of Africa.
3 Vincent's Coriimerce and Navigation of the Ancients, vol. ii. p. •>44.
h