'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.' [‎153] (314/612)

THE IMAMS OF 'OMAN.
153
wherein the latter informed him that he had taken over the
defences from the Persians and now held them on his be
half, Ahmed went to Barkah and wrote to Khamis-bin-Salim
to bring the Persians to that place. On his arrival with
them they pitched their tents in the open plain, and great
feasts were made for them. What I am now about to relate
was told me by my father, Muhammad-bin-Razik, who heard
it from his father Razik, and by the sheikh Maaruf-bin-
Salim, es-Sayighy, and by the sheikh Khatir-bin-Hamidi
el-Beda iy, and by the sheikh Muhsin, the Persian butcher,
whose accounts all agree. They state that when the Per
sians came from Maskat to Barkah, accompanied by Kha
mis-bin-Salim, el-Al-Bu-Saidy—Ahmed-bin-Said being
there at the time—they pitched their tents in the plain, and
no one could traverse any part of Barkah without seeing
caldrons of meat being prepared for the Persians by Ahmed-
bin-Said's orders j and no one could pass through the streets
or market without seeing sweetmeats being made for them;
nor could any one go near a cultivated spot without witness 1 -
ing the produce being collected, under the same authority,
for the horses of the Persians; and no one went to rest as
sured that he could withhold a feds, much less a dirhem, from
Ahmed-bin-Said, if he should demand it for the entertaini-
ment of his guests. This led to much murmuring among
the people, who were unanimous in saying that the Persians
rather deserved death at their hands than such profuse hos
pitality. The authorities above quoted go on to say that
after the Persians had been encamped three days at Barkah >
large dishes of meat were forwarded to their tents, and
their chief officers were invited to a grand banquet. As
many as fifty accordingly entered the fort with Ahmed-
bin-Said's messenger. About half an hour afterwards the
drum of the fort was sounded, and the crier proclaimed
aloud: " Any one who has a grudge against tbe Persians
may now take his revenge." No sooner were these words
30