'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.' [‎18] (51/612)

XVill
introduction
visiting the country ever and anon, presumably "witli a strong
force, to levy the tribute. On these occasions the Imam
resigned his authority, and did not resume it until the
departure of the Collectors. The el-Karamitah do not appear
to have succeeded in subjugating ^Oman, for according to
Nowairy a detachment of six hundred men, dispatched on
an expedition into that country by Abu-Said, the leader of
the el-Bahrein branch of the sect, was cut off to a man.
Subsequently, the "Sultan of Baghdad" again invaded
'Oman, and held it with two military camps, one in the
province of es-Sirr and the other at el-'Atik. 1 Nevertheless,
the people continued to have Imams of their own, and in
the case of Rashid-bin-el-Walid (p. 31) we have an in
teresting account of his election and inauguration. Four
of the principal chiefs met together in the house of the
candidate, who was required to assent to certain conditions
submitted to him. That assent given, the chiefs went forth
to the people, who had assembled from all parts of 'Oman
to take part in the ceremony, and made known to them the
result of their deliberations. The president of the council
then stood up and solemnly proclaimed him Imam. After
empire, and the Khalifahs were reduced to mere puppets in their hands.
See D'llerbelot's Bihliotheque Orientale under Emir and Radhi Billah.
1 El-'Atik occurs in et-T^bary's account of the " Day of Armath" as
the name of a river, lleiskius, in his Annotations on Abulfeda, vol. i.
p. 47, quotes the following from el-Mas'udy respecting its locality:—
" The water of the Euphrates used to extend to the territory of el-
Hirah, and its canal exists up to this time, and is called el-'Atik. Thereon
took place the conflict between the Muslims and Rustam, namely, the
battle of el-Kadisiyyah, It empties into the Abyssinian sea. At that
time the sea was in the place called en-Najaf. Vessels from China and
India used to frequent it coming to the Kings of el-IIirah." Tdrtkh-
el-Multik, etc. voh iii, p. 21 of the Arabic text, and p. 105 of the Latin,
Edit. Kossegarten. Yule understands by this passage, and from another
on the same subject quoted from Ilamza of Ispahan by lleinaud, in his
Relations, etc., that the Euphrates is stated to have been navigable at
the period referred to as high up as el-IIirah. Cathay and the Way Thither,
vol. i. p. Ixxviii.