'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎524] (555/582)

524
WATERING AT MUSCAT.
and fruit, are all abundant in their season, of excellent quality
and low price ; and fish are nowhere more plentiful or more deli
cious than here. The water also is pure, wholesome, and agree
able to the taste ; it is brought from springs in the hills, and con
ducted into a reservoir at Muscat, from which a ship's casks
may be filled in a few hours, if a sufficient number of hands be
employed. This is more frequently done by large boats and peo
ple from the shore, than by the boats of the ships watering, and is
found to be attended with conveniencies which more than over
balance so trifling an expense, being also much more expedi
tious. For ships having tanks, or wishing to fill their own casks
on board, it is usual to send off water in bulk, in a large boat, filled
at the reservoir ; but this is found to affect the quality of the water
materially, and should, if possible, be avoided. The boats them
selves being frequently oiled on the inside to preserve the wood,
this oil gives a peculiarly unpleasant taste to the water, which re
mains on it for many hours ; the boats always leak a little also in
their upper works, by which the sea-water is let in to mix with
the fresh, and makes it quite brackish; and lastly, the men em
ployed on this service, who are generally negro slaves, make no scru
ple to come from the shore with dirty feet, and to wash them in
the boat; they plunge their perspiring bodies also into the water,
remain in it to row off to the ship, immersed up to their middle,
of Matara. About the year 1580, when Philip the Second of Spain was admitted as King of
Portugal, and obliged all the Portuguese in India to take the oath of allegiance to him, Mus
cat was still in their possession. There was at this time a certain Mir Azenam Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , a
native of Otranto, and born of Christian parents, who was governor of all Yemen, in Arabia,
and resided at Sana, the capital city of that province. Being desirous of plundering Muskat,
Mir Azenam sent three Turkish gallies on that errand, under Ali Beg, who took possession of
Muscat, whence most of the Portuguese residents saved themselves by flight, leaving their
goods to be plundered by Ali Beg. The fugitives took refuge in Matara, a town only a league
distant, whence they went to Bruxel, a fort about four leagues inland, belonging to Ceatani,
the Sheikh or chief of a tribe or horde of Arabs. The Arab officer who commanded there,
received the Portuguese with much kindness and hospitality, and protected them till the de
parture of Ali Beg, when they returned to Muskat.— Manuel de Faria y Sousa, part 2, b. 3, c. 4.
s. 10. vol. 6, p. 460.