"دليل الجزيرة العربية المجلد II" [‎١‎٤‎٣‎٢] (٦٨٨/٤٩٣)

1432
'OMlN
night as mucli as possible. The rainfall is scanty and is believed to average about 5 inches
a year. Most of the rain is received in midwinter, but there are also occasional showers
in spring.
Population and tribe*. —The people of Trucial 'Oman belong to numerous distinct
tribes ; indeed, the country is tribally one of the most composite and perplexing in the
Persian Gulf. The comprehensive " Joasmee " tribe, assumed by some writers, has no
real existence. Only the members of the family of the Shaikh of Sharjah, numbering
at the present day about 20 adult males, are Qawasim (Jaw asim) by blood ; and the use
of the name to denote all subjects of the Shariah Shaikh, though partially sanctioned
by local practice, is really incorrect.
The following is a synopsis of the principal tribes of Trucial 'Oman:—
Tribe.
Singular.
Settled
in
Trucial
'Oman
(souls).
Bedouins
in
Trucial
'Oman
(souls).
Location.
Remarks.
'Abadilah ..
'Abduli
1,150
See article 'Abadilah.
'All (Al) ..
'Aliyi ..
6,750
••
••
See article Al 'Ali.
'Amim (Al
Bu).
'Amimi
120
Abu Dhabi
Town.
Originally, it is said,
Bani Tamim; but
now practically merg
ed in the Bani Yas.
* Aw amir ..
'Amiri ..
Uncertain
and fluc
tuating.
None in particu
lar.
See article 'Awamir.
Some of the tribe
come as far west as
Sharjah Town in
spring for the sake of
the grazing.
'Awanat ..
'Awani..
50
Khatt in the Jiri
plain Dibah
and Jazirat-al-
Hamra.
This tribe is now prac
tically extinct; and
according to some,
those who remain
are not genuine
'Awanat. Some say
that the 'Awanat
were slaves of the
Qawasim; others
that they were con
nected with the
Maqabil.
Baharinah..
Bahrani
600
••
Abu Dhabi and
Dibai Towns.
See article Bahari
nah.
Dahailat ..
Ad-haili
200
Abu Dhabi
Town.
By some regarded aa
a section of the Al
Bu Mahair.