'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.' [‎518] (549/582)

518
TOWN OF MUSCAT.
passengers and goods, is merely an open square of twenty feet, with
benches around it, one side opening to the sea, and the roof
covered in for shelter from the sun. This landing-place is also
the Commercial Exchange, where it is usual, during the cool of
the morning, and after El Assr, to see the principal merchants
assembled, some sitting on old rusty cannon, others on condemned
spars, and others in the midst of coils of rope, exposed on the
wharf, stroking their beards, counting their beads, and seeming to
be the greatest of idlers, instead of men of business ; notwithstand
ing which, when a stranger gets among them, he finds commerce
to engross all their conversation and their thoughts. Of mosques
I saw not one ; at least none were perceptible in the town by
their usual accompaniments of domes and minarets. There is
no public bath, and not a coffee-house throughout all the place.
The bazaars are more narrow and confined, and the dwellings all
certainly poorer than in either of the commercial towns of Mocha,
Hodeida, Jedda, or Yambo, on the Red Sea ; and there is a strange
mixture of Indian architecture in the Banians'shops and warehouses,
gilded and decorated in their own fantastic way, which contrasts
with the sombre melancholy of the Arab houses and alleys by which
they are surrounded. The dwelling of the Imaum, which has an
extensive and pretty front near the sea, the residence of one of his
brothers near it, and about half a dozen other houses of the chief
people here, are the only edifices that can be mentioned as good
ones. The forts, which command the harbour, look contemptible
to an European eye, though they enjoy commanding positions,
are furnished with good cannon, and are perhaps of greater defen
sive strength than they would at first sight appear to be.
One great distinguishing feature of Muscat, over all other
Arabian towns, is the respect and civility shown by all classes of
its inhabitants to Europeans. Even in Mocha, where the East
India Company have so long had a factory An East India Company trading post. , the most impudent
insults are offered to Franks, as they are called, even by children.
Here, however, where there has not for a long while been any