'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.' [‎129] (290/612)

THE IMAMS OF 'OMAN.
129
any cognizance of the outrage; nevertheless, he dh'ected
five hundred silver Mahmudis 1 to be given to the plaintiff.
The man, however, stoutly refused the money, saying that
he demanded justice, not an indemnity. Muhammad accord-
ingly summoned the sheikhs and inquired which of their
followers had injured the man's fields. They replied: "He
is a slanderer and a liar, and his charge is utterly unfounded ;
for we are prepared to swear by God that no one belonging
to us has destroyed his or any other man's cultivation."
Muhammad then ordered the sheikhs to be bound and beaten,
they asserting their innocence all the while, but none heeded
them. At length the plaintiff said: " Now I am satisfied,
and I do not want any finewhereupon the men were re
leased, but towards night they started homewards without
having asked Muhammad's permission, and in the morning
all were missing. The cultivator having reported to Khalf
all that had occurred, the latter ordered an attack upon
Muhammad, whose force now consisted of the Hadhr only.
Muhammad's scouts having apprised him of the approach
of Khalf's army he shook his head, and said ; " The hour is
fatal to us and to them." A severe engagement then took
place below the fort, which resulted in the death of Khalf
and the defeat of his followers. Thereupon Muhammad led
1 Wellsted gives the following as " the coins in current use amidst
the towns in the interior. They were nearly all coined during the reign
of Imam Saaf, [probably Seif-bin-Sultan who died a.d . 1711, see p. 93,]
and differ from those now in use at Maskat and on the sea-coast. All
have inscriptions, but nothing bearing a likeness to any object in ani
mated nature:
20 copper coins [fals\ make a gazi [ghdzy.']
20 gazi a mahmide [inahmiidy.']
15 mahmidi a dollar.
Spanish dollar 200 pice or gazi.
A basi 40 „ „
Mahmidi 20 „ „
Shuk, or 5 „ „ " Travels in Arabia, vol. i, p. 12G.
Taking the Spanish dollar at 45. 2d., the silver Mahmtidy is worth three
pence and one farthing.
1
11
* 11
' 4(1
mm
HI
•« * LI I