'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1431] (492/688)

'OMlN
1431
and it is unnecessary to enter here upon the exceptional features which they present.
Another tract of a different nature, which has no general name and which it is conse
quently impossible to make the subject of an article, is described below in the para
graph on the topography of Trucial 'Oman. The only remaining portion of the country
is that which lies between the sea and an imaginary line joining Ras-al-Khaimah Town
to the Baraimi Oasis : it ends southwards in the district of Khatam which is elsewhere
described under its own name. So far as can be ascertained, this portion, from Ras-al-
Khaimah as far south as Dibai Town, is not entirely composed of sand dunes but con
tains also level shingly plains with sparse acacia vegetation ; southwards from Dibai
the whole surface appears to be sandy and undulating, but desert vegetation and wella
and water holes are still sufficiently plentiful to support a scanty Bedouin population.
In the whole of this region no running water is found except in one subterranean aqueduct
which irrigates the settlement of Falai; but there are numerous wells, sunk generally
on the banks or in the beds of dry watercourses, and sometimes in spots which from their
elevated position might have been supposed unsuitable for the purpose. On the Ras-al-
Khaimah-Baraimi route these wells are generally from 40 to 60 feet deep and are lined
for 8 or 10 feet near the surface with timber or rough-hewn stones brought from the
bills.
Acacias, which are the commonest kind of tree, are of the Ghaf and Samr varieties
the Ashkar shrub, the Markh bush, and grass of the kind called Arta are frequently met
with ; and the dwarf tamarisk, the wild castor oil plant, and a bulbous grass called Qufa
are also found. Other sorts of vegetation which afford grazing are Rimth, a species of
Salsola which, when green, is eaten by camels ; Halam, a small sand plant; Thamam,
a coarse grass which eventually dries up into twigs and becomes inedible ; and Qasad,
a small vivid green shrub of the caper tribe ; the last three are eaten by livestock of all
kinds. There is also a bright green edible weed, somewhat resembling mignonette,
which is called Haram.
Hills of Trivial ''Oman. — The only mountainous part of the country is in the east
where a section of the spinal range of the 'Oman Promontory is included : this section is
the part between a line joining Dibah to Sha'am on the north, and another, on the south,
which runs inland from Khor Kalba, first westwards then southwards, so as to curve
round the northern and western sides of the Mahadhah tract and the hills connected with
it. The hill tract of Trucial 'Oman is thus about 50 miles in extent from north to south,
and its average breadth seems to be about 20 miles. It is still almost entirely unexplored
the only part of it as yet traversed by Europeans being that which lies on the direct
route, through Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. -al-Qaliddi, between Dibah and Ras-al-Khaimah ; and even of this
part no account appears to be extent. As seen from the west, from the Ras-al-Khaimah-
Baraimi route, the rtfountains appear to be disposed in three more or less parallel ridgea
running from north to south: of these the westernmost terminates at a hill called
Qumr immediately behind the village of Adhan ; and the second ridge, after curving
slightly westwards, seems to continue the interrupted line of the first. The third or
easternmost ridge contains the highest peaks and probably overlooks the Gulf of 'Oman :
one of these high peaks, situated apparently 12 to 15 miles east of Adhan, is said to be
named Jabal Sa'ta. It is possible, however, that these three ridges are apparent only,
and that the hill system is more complex than from the west it seems to be. As Adhan
in the Jiri plain is considered to be a village of Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Ham, it may be inferred that this
valley pierces the whole mass of mountains from side to side and even conveys part of
the drainage of the south end of the Jiri plain to the Gulf of 'Oman at Fujairah ; but it
has not been found possible to locate with certainty the true head of Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Ham ; in any
case, however, its average direction appears to be from north-west to south-east, and not
from west to east as has hitherto been generally supposed. Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. -al-Qor, further south
than Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Ham, is the only other considerable valley that comes down to the sea from
the hills of Trucial 'Oman on their eastern side. The drainage from the western slope
of the hills never, apparently, reaches the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , but Is swallowed up by the inter
vening sands.
Climate. —The climate of Trucial 'Oman in winter is pleasantly cool by day and cold
at night, but frost is unknown: on the coast, in the same season, the weather is often
boisterous. Between May and October the climate is excessively hot and trying; and
during the worst of the heat, that is from May to September, travellers journey by