'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1437] (498/688)

'OMAN
the Bayadir found in Sir, at Dibah, and elsewhere, e.g., at Khasab in Ruus-al-Jibal, are
not a tribe but a class,— the class namely of the agricultural labourer to whatever tribe
he may belong. The singular of the name is Baidar.
The total number of Bedouins in Trucial 'Oman may be estimated in accordance with
the table above at about 8,000 souls. In respect of settled population, however, the
table is not exhaustive, and recourse must be had to the articles upon the principalities
from which it will appear that the figures are :—
Principality.
'Ajman
Dhabi (Abu)
Dibai
Qaiwain (Umm-al-)
Sharjah
Settled
inhabi tants.
750
11,000
10,250
5,000
45,000
Total for Trucial 'Oman
72,000
By far the strongest numerically of the settled tribes are the Bani Yas, whose Bedouins
also are the most numerous of any except the Bani Qitab. Next after the Bam Yas
there rank, in point of numbers among the settled tribes, first the Sharqiyin and A1 'All
and then the Al Bu Mahair and the Sudan.
Political and religious distinctions. —Like the people of the 'Oman Sultanate those of
Trucial 'Oman are divided between the Hinawi and Ghafiri political factions, but Gha-
firiyah greatly predominate, the Bani Yas and the Shihuh alone being Hinawi; and,
whereas in the Sultanate the Hinawiyah are mostly Ibadhis and the Ghafiriyah mostly
Sunnis by religion, here the Hinawiyah are all Sunnis of the Maliki school while the
Ghafiriyah are virtual Wahl abis. The Wahhabism of Trucial 'Oman is not now,
however, of the militant order; it is generally described as Sunniism of the orthodox
school of Ibn Hanbal, and it even connives at the private consumption of tobacco,
though not as yet at the public sale of the same. Modern rifles are widely distributed
among the people in both town and country.
Character, life and language. —The people of the western coast, at least those of the more
northern parts, have shown themselves in the past a bold and energetic race. By their
piratical exploits at the beginning of the 9th century they gained; under the misleading
name of " Joasmees," a permanent place in history and they played a large part in
the politics of the Persian Coast, especially of Qishm island, and in those of Bahrain and
the 'Oman Sultanate. At the present day they lead a quiet and unobtrusive existence,
but doubtless the old qualities are latent in them still.
The well-to-do classes on the coast of Trucial 'Oman have three meals a day ; the first,
called Fakk-ar-Biq, or " Loosening of the Spittle," is a kind of breakfast and consists
sometimes of pancakes made of eggs, rice flour and sugar ; the other two meals, at noon
and evening, comprise rice with fish or meat, accompained by dates and thin cakes of
white bread. Coffee is drunk several times a day.
Virtually the whole free population is Arab, and Arabic is almost the only language
spoken. Swahili, however, survives among negro slaves of the full blood.
Occupations and resources. —Pearl diving is, since the suppression of piracy, the prin
cipal and almost the sole occupation of the maritime population. In summer most of
the able-bodied men, to the number of more than 22,000, are absent at the pearl banks ;
and the coast towns and villages are left to a great extent unprotected and deserted. The
number of pearl boats in Trucial 'Oman is approximately 1,215, carrying on the average
crews of about 18 men each : they are distributed as follows :—
Principality. Number of
boats.
'Ajman .. .. .. .. .. .. 40
Dhabi (Abu)
Dibai
Qaiwain (Umm-al-)
Sharjah
410
335
70
360
In winter some of the pearl diving class take part in the ordinary sea fisheries, but the
majority of them spend the season at home in idleness, supported by boat owners and
contractors who thereby acquire, under the stringent rules of the industry, an indefeasible
lien on their services for the next pearling season. A few of the seafaring class are
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