"دليل الجزيرة العربية المجلد II" [‎١‎٢‎٠‎٤] (٦٨٨/٢٥٣)

MATRAH
Name.
Position.
Number of houses and remarks.
ilarat-as-Suq
Wadi ..
Nazimaujah *
On the sea front from Sur-al-
Lawatiyah to the Customs
House.
On both sides of Khor Bambah
from the Bab-al-Kabir to the
sea.
Between Takiyah and Wadi
and has Harat-as-Suq on its
north side.
500 houses of Baluchis, Jadgals,
Arabs of mixed tribes, Hindus
and Khojahs, Here is the
bulk of the bazaar.
80 houses including 16 Khojah
Sablahs, 20 houses of Baluchis
and negroes and 4 shops.
30 houses of slaves and ser
vants of the Khojahs; also
Baluchis and Jadgals and
a few' Hindus.
The population of Matrah is a medley of races resembling that of Masqat Town
But whereas at Masqat there are many Hindus and almost no Khojahs, here Khojahs
are numerous and Hindus comparatively few, the KhSjahs numbering about 1,050 souls,
while the Hindus are 6niy about 30 men, of whom 7 or 8 have their families with them.
The population of Matrah is greater than that of Masqat, and the permanent inhabitants
are about 8,000 within and 4,000 outside the walls, or in all about 12,000 souls, of whom
at least half are Baluchis. The predominant Arab tribes are Bani Hasan, Siyabiyin,
Rahbiyan and Bani Jabir.
The bulk of the trade of up-country 'Oman apart from the mere shipping and
Unshipping of goods which take plaoe mostly at Masqat, is concentrated at Matrah;
and it» volume and character appear from the article on Masqat Town, Matrah is the
loading and unloading place of all caravans for aftd from the interior. The import and
export trade is mostly in the hands of the Khojahs and Hindus, who are as a rule general
merchants and shopkeepers not confining themselves to particular lines of business.
Both classes import rice from Calcutta and piece goods, sugar, oil, iron and spices from
Bombay and export wet afid dried dates ; the Khojahs also export some quantity of
dried fish of the small sardine variety called Matuk Some of the Hindu merchants
settled at Matrah visit the Sam ail valley and 'Oman Proper in persons to purchase dates.
Of the Hindu merchants 14 and of the Khojah merchants 58 and of the Mimcn 2 at present
enjoy British protection. To the port of Matrah bel6ng 20 Baghlahs and 25 Badans, all
owned by Khojahs.
The town is governed by a Wali On behalf Of the Sultan of 'Oman and has a garrison of
100 'Askaris.
Name.
Position.
Number of houses and remarks-
'Iryanah , <
On the island side of the town,
bounded on the north by
Harat-as-Suq and on the west
by Wadi.
300 houses of Baluchis, Arab
brokers of mixed tribes and
Bayasirah. In this quarter
also there is a gate in the town
wall called Bab-al-Matha'Jb.
t)alalil .4 a
On the south side of the Por
tuguese Fort and comes
down to the sea between it
and the Customs House.
60 houses of Arabs of mixed
tribes and Bayasirah.
Dfkkah ..
South of Dalalll and east of
'Iryanah.
120 houses of Baluchis and
Bayasirah.
name is probably of Swahilj origin ; it recalls the ilnarj Moja (" odc Cocoanut Tree ") of Zanzibar^