'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎512] (543/582)

512
GOVERNMENT OF MUSCAT.
for twenty-one Mohammedies, a small coin of Muscat; and the
exchange on Bombay was at the rate of two hundred and twelve
rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. for one hundred German crowns, and two hundred and
twenty-five rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. for the Spanish dollar. The Venetian sequin
in gold is valued, when at full weight, at two and a quarter
German crowns; all coins, however, receive their value in metal
from the Sheraufs, or money-changers, who are chiefly Banians,
and are very numerous here, as large profits are made by them
in transactions and exchanges of money.
Out of the revenues which the Imaum receives on the pro
ductions of his own country, and on foreign trade, the expenses of
his government are defrayed ; but these are so light as to leave
him in possession of considerable personal wealth. Were it not
for the interruption of the trade, and consequently of the source
of these gains, the treasures in his coffers must have been immense;
but at the same time that his revenues have been recently lessened,
the expenses of his government have been increased, and that too
from the same cause. The growing power of the Joassamees by
sea might have been checked by the arming the merchant-ships of
Muscat in their own defence, and by the cruising of the frigates and
sloops of war under the Imaum's flag in the Gulf, even without
the assistance of the English squadron of the King's and Com
pany's ships cruising there. But the Wahabees, of whom the Joas
samees are but the maritime portion, threaten the dominions of
the Imaum still more formidably by land. To repel them from
his frontier, the deserts bordering on which are in actual posses
sion of these sectaries and the tribes lately become their proselytes,
it is found necessary to keep up a large moving force. Among the
Arabs there are no standing armies; but every man capable of bear
ing arms is called on to become a soldier, whenever his services
may be required. The only persons steadily kept in pay as mili
tary men are half a dozen captains, who command the forts at
Muscat, Muttrah, and Burka, on the coast, with about a hundred
gunners, for the management of the cannon under them. The