'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.' [‎138] (299/612)

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188
THE JMAMS OF OMAN.
him." The Imam having agreed to this arrangement, the
chiefs proceeded to Ahmed, whom they reproved on behalf
of the Imam Seif-bin-Sultan. He replied ; " I am neither
disloyal nor refractory; but you know that the mind shrinks
from destruction. If I could reveal what has been told me
by others of the designs intended against me, I would do so;
but that would be a breach of confidence, and 1 must hold
my peace." After strenuous exertions the el-Jibur effected
a reconciliation between the two parties, on condition that
Ahmed-bin-Said should make over his son, Hilal-bin-Ah-
med-bin-Said to the Imam Seif-bin-Sultan to go with him
wherever he went and to stay with him where he stayed, in
order that the Imam's mind should be at rest respecting
Ahmed-bin-Said.
Hilal-bin-Ahmed was his father's eldest son and the most
intelligent of all his children. He was brought to the ship
and delivered up to the Imam, who behaved very kindly to
him, and whose mind was now quieted as regarded Ah-
med-bin-Said. He then returned in his ship to Maskat.
Hilal-bin-Ahmed had not been long with him before he re
ceived letters from the Amirs of the Persian Shfih, apprising
him that they had reached Fakkan^vith their forces; where
upon he allowed Hilal to return to his father, Ahmed-bin-
Said. The Amirs of the Persian Shah arrived at Fakkan
with their troops on Wednesday evening, twelve nights be
fore the expiration of Dzul-Hijj, a.h . 1149, [10th March,
1737.] From Fakkan they proceeded to es-Sir, 2 whither
Seif-bin-Sultan went in his ship to join them.
1 Wellsted's " Khdrfakan" and the " Khorefacawn" of Capt. Brucks's
chart, who describes it as a town situated in a small bay, in lat. 25° 20'
45" N., long. 56° 25' 40" E. It is a place of some trade, and has a
Kh6r, or boat-harbour, secure from all winds, half a mile deep, with two
and three fathoms water in it. It contains about four hundred inha
bitants, including fifty Banians.
2 The name of " es-Sir" does not appear in our recent maps or charts.
Niebuhr locates it within the district of es-Sirr,—the littoral on the