Today we approached very near to the Arabian coast,
where we saw a chain of mountains which were barren and by no means
attractive. On the following morning (1st of May) small forts and
watch-towers made their appearance, here and there, upon the peaks
of beautiful groups of rock, and presently, also, a large one was
perceptible upon an extensive mountain at the entrance of a creek.
We came to anchor off the town of Muscat, which lies at the
extremity of the creek. This town, which is subject to an Arabian
prince, is very strongly fortified, and surrounded by several ranges
of extraordinarily formed rocks, all of which are also occupied by
forts and towers. The largest of these excites a sad reminiscence:
it was formerly a cloister of Portuguese monks, and was attacked by
the Arabs one night, who murdered the whole of its inmates. This
occurrence took place about two centuries since.
The houses of the town are built of stone, with small windows and
terraced roofs. Two houses, distinguished from the others only by
their larger dimensions, are the palaces of the mother of the
reigning prince, and of the sheikh (governor). Some of the streets
are so narrow that two persons can scarcely walk together. The
bazaar, according to the Turkish custom, consists of covered
passages, under which the merchants sit cross-legged before their
miserable stalls.
