'Southern Arabia, by Theodore Bent, F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Author of 'The Ruined Cities of Mashonaland' 'The Sacred City of the Ethiopians' 'The Cyclades, Or Life Among the Insular Greeks' etc. and Mrs Theodore Bent' [‎76] (117/552)

76
THE HADHRAMOUT
been steadily adding to the power thus acquired. Makalla,
Sheher, Shibahm, Haura, Hagarein, all belong to them, and
they are continually increasing, by purchase, the area of
their influence in the collateral valleys, building substantial
castles, and establishing one of the most powerful dynasties
in this much-divided country. They get all their money
from the Straits Settlements, for it has been the custom of
the Hadhrami to leave their own sterile country to seek
their fortunes abroad. The Nizam of Hyderabad has an
Arab regiment composed entirely of Hadhrami, and the
Sultan Nawasjung, the present head of the A1 Kaiti family,
is its general: he lives in India and governs his Arabian
possessions by deputy. His son Ghalib ruled in Sheher,
his nephew Manassar, who receives a dollar a day from
England, ruled in Makalla, and his nephew Salah ruled in
Shibahm, and the governors of the other towns are mostly
connections of this family. The power and wealth of this
family are almost the only guarantee for peace and prosperity
in an otherwise lawless country.
The white palace of the Sultan Manassar is six stories
high, with little carved windows and a pretty sort of cornice
of open-work bricks, unbaked of course, save by the sun.
It stands on a little peninsula, and like Riviera towns, has
pretty coast views on either side. The sultan received us
with his two young sons, dressed up in as many fine clothes
as it was possible to put on, and attended by his vizier,
Abdul Kalek; no business was done as to our departure,
but only compliments were paid on both sides. After we
had separated presents were sent by us, loaves of sugar
being an indispensable accompaniment.
The so-called palace in which we were lodged was next
to the mosque and close to the bazaar j the smells
and noise were almost unendurable, so we worked hard
to get our preparations made, and to make our sojourn