'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.' [‎212] (373/612)

212
THE IMAMS OP 'OMAN.
mine, and I do not envy your enjoyment of it." After
talking together for a long while they returned to their
respective encampments, and then Hamed ordered his people
to proceed onward to Maskat, Sultan and his party accom
panying them as far as el-Matrah, where Hamed presented
them with robes of honour and many presents. Sultan then
returned to Semail and Hamed went on to Maskat.
During Hamed'3 administration there was a severe drought
in Oman, far exceeding that which had occurred before his
father Said transferred the government to him. Most of the
date-trees died, and the greater portion of the inhabitants
fled to el-Batinah and Maskat, and the price of a bucket of
water at el-Matrah rose to ten fals, the owners of the wells
there refusing to sell it for less. AV hen Hamed heard of this
he went forth with the people to pray for rain, on the first
day in the great Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , on the second in the central Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. ,
and on the third in the small Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , near Maskat. While he
and the people were so engaged, a cloud appeared in the
heavens, followed by lightning and thunder; then the
clouds covered the sky, and the rain descended, as if poured
from buckets. Thereupon Hamed mounted his horse and
rode away swiftly, and he had scarcely reached the Island
before the waters ran from the valleys into the sea. Great
fertility throughout 'Oman followed, and its inhabitants
returned thither; the crops became abundant and prices
were low.
Seven years after Hamed's first efforts to attain the
government, and three years after securing it, he ordered
a large levy of soldiers throughout 'Oman without apprising
any one what use he intended to make of them. He ordered
the levies to repair to Barkah, he himself remaining at
Maskat. When the force was assembled, the people of el-
Hazm suspected that he intended to employ it against
them; Kais, the son of the Imam [Ahmed], thought that
he was about to attack Sohar; others, that he designed to