'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1194] (243/688)

MHBBMMWBM—iH W—I
MASQAT
down to the sea : -in the neighbourhood of Masqat Town they are volcanic and else
where of limestone rock.
Communical.ions. —Apart from the valleys of the interior and their villages and from the
inhabited places on the coast, among which are the towns of Masqat and Matrah, the
district possesses few points of interests. It is necessary however to mention various
routes by which Matrah and, through Matrah, Masqat Town are placed in communi
cation with central 'Oman. The most important of these is the westernmost which
leaving Matrah by way of Ruwi and traversing Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. BOshar, reaches WSdi Samail
near Fanjah and so taps the main highway between the coast and the interior of'Oman,
Probably the second in importance is one which starting likewise by Ruwi, follows
Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. 'Adai to a point 7 miles above Birain and thence crosses into the upper basin
of Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Maih, whence two steep passes, 'Aqabat Qahzaand 'Aqabat 'Amdah, conduct
into Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Tayin ; Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Tayln in its turn gives access to the Sharqiyah district.
A third route, running from Matrah by Ruwi to Birain, leaves WSdi 'Adai at that point
and crosses direct to WSdi Maih which it descends to its head and then, surmounting an
intervening pass, descends Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Mijlas to Quryat on the coast. The Only land route
which starts from Masqat Town is one which skirts the coast south-eastward as far as
Qantab, passing through all the intermediate cOast villages; at Qantab its distance
from the shore increases, but Jissah and Yiti on the sea can be reached by following
it. This last route is connected with Ruwi by a track that enters it between Jissah and
Yiti. Yiti is connected with two different points on the Matrah-Quryat road by
tracks, one of which leads up Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Maih, the other up Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. -al-Hilu.
Topography. —It remains to describe the features and places on the coast of the Masqat
District: in the following table they are given in the order in which they occur from
west to east and, except when the contrary is stated, they stand upon the sea.
Name.
Adaibab
Position.
1J miles north-west
of Ghubrah and a
mile inland.
Village composed of
50 or 60 huts of
Aulad Kulaib, A1
Wahibah, Bawari
and Hinad s ; water
is from wells.
Remarks.
flood,
tants
Ghubrah
11 miles west-south
west of Matrah and
a short distance in
land.
Village of 60 huts,
divided into 2 quar
ters by a Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. .
The people are Bani
Hasan and A1 Wah
ibah who keep
A short distance to
the west of 'Adaibah
is Khalil, a date plan
tation to which a
village also called
Khal 1 was once at
tached ; but, the
houses having been
carried away by
the inhabi-
removed to
'Adaibah. The only
cultivation is of dates,
there are 5,000 trees.
Animals are 4 camels,
8 donkeys, 4 cattle
and 70 sheep and
goats. There are 3
Badans and 3
smaller boats.
There are date-plant
ations ; water is from
wells. A garden
here belongs to a
Hindu of Masqat
Town. There are 3