'ARBITRATION CONCERNING BURAIMI AND THE COMMON FRONTIER BETWEEN ABU DHABI AND SA'ŪDI ARABIA' [With maps] [‎135r] (274/541)

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traceable near the top the rest is entirely obliterated but it probably wound round
the greater part of the hill —It was very narrow and faced at the edge with
curbstons.—It was at the extreme summit where the outline is best preserved that
the residence of the Chief or governor probably stood but to judge from the heap
of stones inside the building was apparently of no great extent—Perhaps a small
stone house for the chief and rude shelter for the garrison were all that was
needed—From its position and strength, however, the importance of the castle is
sufficiently apparent and it was doubtless considered quite impregnable in those
days of slings and bows while it of course commanded the whole plain of Sohar
from hence to the sea. According to the tradition of the Arabs as related to me by
Sheikh Rashid and confirmed by Seyyid Tookee and others the castle of Jebel
Gharabeh as well as the city of Oman were founded by Jelinda bin Karkar under
whom the city covered a great part of the maritime plain lying between Jebel
Gharabeh and the sea—but there is no doubt that both the ruins of El Gharabeh
and the city are much anterior to the time of the Jelandaites.—Another legend
related to me was of the daughter of Julanda whose hand became deseased and
withered while the physicians were unable to apply any remedy.—She remained
thus for a long time and at last decided to try the benefit of the sea air and bathing,
after experiencing which for a short time she entirely recovered.—The above
tradition, it may be remarked, deriving the julandaites from the Amalekite Beni
Kerker is opposed to the more generally received account according to which they
descend from the El Azd of Oman.—The Amaleka properly derive from the
Ishmaelite or Nejdean stock as does also Sohar the brother of Tasm and Jadio
and the Eponymus of the ancient town.—The Julandaites were a powerful dynasty
in Oman and for some time previous to the second advent of the Persians before
Islam held dominion over Bahrein and the whole of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .—According
to Ross’ Annals of Oman the Persians at the time of introduction of Islam had
possession of the sea coast of Oman while the Arabs had the interior.—Mohammed
sent messengers to the two sons of Julauda who then ruled in Oman and these
messengers alighted at Damsetjerd near Sohar a fortified place built by the
Persians.—Julanda’s sons Abd and Jeifar and the Arabs agreed to accept Islam
but the Persians refusing were attacked in Damsetjerd by Jeifar and compelled to
quit Oman.—This Damsetjerd I am inclined to identify with the ruins at Felej El
Sook described above and this is indicated I think both by their position and the
Arab tradition attaching to the spot.—The extreme antiquity of Sohar as one of
the principal emporiums of Oman is shown by its identification with the ancient
city of Oman the capital of the country which depends not alone on Arab tradition
and authority but is accepted by European writers who see in Sohar the Omana
or Omnoe of Pliny & Ptolemy.
The exact period however at which the town changed its name is a question
more difficult of solution and regarding which history and tradition afford no
clue.—The ancient history of Sohar is very obscure as though frequent reference
to it may be found in all ages no good description or account of it exists that I am
aware of.—A short notice however by Ibn Majawir is worth quoting he says.. —
“ Sohar had 12,000 houses and every Nakhoda dwelt in a separate house and the
people used to draw their drinking water from the aqueduct. Someone told me
there were 192 steel-yards for the weighing of merchandise between Vendors and
purchasers.—The town was built of bricks, mortar and teak wood and it became
ruined and the Jinn haunted the castles around.—Abu Bekr El Basn inlormed me
that the country belonged first to the Kings of Kerman of the Seljuk dynasty—tnen
it was ruled by the El Ghazz and afterwards it became deserted and was destroyed
by the Arabs.—” Some cultivated spots are still to be seen near Jebel G a . ra ®
but the only outward and visible sign of its former greatness remaining is e
Aqueduct Felej El Motaridh. This work which is of good stonemasonry ea ®
along the surface of the ground with a gentle declivity from the Wady Jezze m -
vicinity of Hooreh Bargheh, or Sohar Peak as we call it, to the shore a
in a straight line of 14 or 15 miles and is still distinctly traceable for the greater pari
of the way disappearing at the outskirts of the present town. I notice Y
of it more than one small cistern of exactly the same pattern and cons rue
those on Jebel Gharabeh.—The modern town of Sohar has for some ye
a gradually declining state. It has been described in the bright page of , a »
has still further decayed since his visit.—In Sohar proper which lies ‘
Sellan and the village of Soweyhereh, the population is now offiy^ about 4,UUU
including 400 Persians, a dozen Jews who have been gradua 7 v
numbers year by year and half a dozen banians; the bulk of the i