'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎644] (743/905)

644
DHORRAH AND BATNA, [CHAP. XXIV.
not subject to any duty; and only 5 per cent, is levied on cloth,
corn, Indian goods and other imports, which are about the esti
mated value of 3,300,000 dollars. 1
MoschaPortus. Maskat, which succeeded Rostak as the capital, probably
represents Moscha Portus in the Hadramitse. 2 In this town
fine fruits, vegetables and other supplies are abundant, parti
cularly a variety of fish, which, when dried and pounded, is
in the absence of herbage, the chief food of the horses an:
cattle, &c.
Extent of Dhorrah, the third district, extends from the limits of 'Oman
Dhorrah ' at the village and castle, once the town of Makiniyat, north
westward to the pirate tract; having the great range of moun
tains to the north-east and the desert of Ahkaf on the south
west. It contains several sandy and barren plains, also a broad
and extensive Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , enclosed by tab]e-topped hills on either
side ; 3 the places occupied by the Arabs are Muskin, Ayal,
Arudh, Inan, Mazin, and several others; besides the towns of
Obri and Bireimah. The last has a fort protecting a town of
2000 souls, and watered by several streams ; it belongs to the
Wahhabis. 4
and of Batna. The fourth district, Batna, fills up the space between the
mountains and the sea ; it extends from the neighbourhood of
Maskat, north-westward to Ras Musendom; and being almost
entirely a plain it is also called Tehameh. The places situated
between the coast and the mountains are Luwa, Feleteh, Seda,
Nakhl, Surur, and the towns of Semayel and Rostak. The
latter is a considerable place, which till lately was the capital;
and to the south of it stands Kalbat, an ancient and once flou
rishing city. 5
On the coast about 20 miles north-west of Maskat is the
port of Sib, which is celebrated for restoring the health of
invalids. Fifteen miles farther in the same direction is the
fort and town of Burka, containing 4000 inhabitants ; and 30
1 Lieutenant Wellsted, vol. VII, p. 103, of the Royal Geographical Journal.
2 Ptolemy, lib. VI., cap. 7.
3 Lieutenant Wellsted, vol. VII, p. Ill, of the Royal Geographical Journal.
1 Lieutenant Wellsted's Travels, vol. I, p. 234,
5 Niehbuhr's Travels in Arabia, vol. II, p. 115; translated by R. Heron.