The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-08-17

Fr<pared by the National Geographic So
cieiy, Washington, D. c.
But step from lands first and
longest known in the history Of the
world-Egypt. Babylon, Palestine
Arabia remains one of the worlds
most unknown re. ons. And in one
Of its least known corners Is the IN
dependent state of Oman Historically,
politically and geographically, Oman
has always been isolated from the rest
Of Arabia. Ever since the days OF
the caliphate. SO far as communication
with other Arabs is concerned, Oman |
WAS practically an island, with sea
Of water OH two sides and sea OF
sand-the great Arabian desert-on
the other. As q result, the people are
even more primitive in their habits
| than the Arabs generally; and only re-
Gently have other towns than Muscat,
the capital. opened their eyes to the
world.
! Oman is q relatively narrow strip OK
coast, bowed around the irregular
eastern tip Of Arabia. 10 the north
west 1t extends half way along the
southern shore Of the Persian quit.
Into the head Of which empty the his
toric T1gris and Euphlates rivers.
From there 1t extends in crooked.
unbroken strip Of varying width fes
3 nearly 1000 miles. its southwestern
extremity reaching almost to the mid
point OF the tiaring south shore o.
the Arabian peninsula
The state has an area OF S2,UU
SQUARE miles, almost twice that OF
PENNSYLVANIA. Although generally az
cpted statistics place the population
at 10000. Colonel MileA VIII" has
seen more Of the interior than any
other recent traveller. estimates 1t at
over l0OO.OOO. The capital, Mus'at,
and the adjoining town Of Mutr"h
have together about 2o,OOO inhabit-
ants. The ancient capital. Rosta&
} which is inland, declined in im!"r-
lance after the Portuguese, during III.
remarkable growth Of their c"lo.lia
rover In the Sixteenth century. pushed
around the Cape Of Cool Hope and
. n"rthward and eastward. occupying
Muscat. Tie Porting .e>e remained Ii
} from 1908 until the middle Of the Sew
, erteenth century
was Almost an Empire.
' The coluue, uls vi Unian VIII" gat'
II its pres.n, ru!ing fauiiy came f."i;
! Yemen on tie otter side OF Arana
5 Ahmed hin S;i ..Hi, the leader. tai1
l.. e., AiuSca AZ Ii+i. The prest"
j sultan and iluan. VIII" came to TN
o .nruu+ in 1918 : Il descendant OF TIL
Eighteenth century con'iueinr.
At the beginning ol the Nineteeht'
j. century, before European powers ha
l. determined upon the almost con.iei
> pa rceling out Of Africa. Oman WAS II
mos, an empire. Ii extended over
large part Of Avabia, the islands t
3 the north Of AraDia in the Persia
r gulf strip OF the southern coast g
d Yersia, aud q strip VI the Ind a
= ocean coast Of Africa from the noiti
r eastern point near the entrance TO m
2 Red sea almost half way to the Cap
= Of Goo. Hope. This African territ"r.
y Including Zanzibar, comprised inrg
d unrts ut what later became itaiia
u CDnlS tiIIliu, tDl'klSIi E-uNt -NA''u o''
!" German East Af.'aa. Ii also include
!, ne important .siald Of Sm"trm al II
ID month Of tlis. Gulf Of Alden. now I'M l.
n British control.
* A, tia, time the slave trade VIZ
ID nouri>hing. and 1t was the Arabs
Re t.man who explored The great in'ers'
y. of Africa IoEg before the days
le Sreke and Livingstone. On The deaf
We In 1856 of Oinun's alexander" II
le Sultan Sa'eed. the empire began
v. break W. one son, becoming sultan
re =: rzihar and another sultan Of II
Of Arabian territory. Subsequently
III As,at,c possessions outside Arab
we're lost, except . few islands in II
Persian gulf, About this time Oma
~. IN ne under the VIRTUAL protection
ol Gr,a, Britain through the Indian Z"
~ en- .t,~n,. aud a British consul and
o INCA, agent has sirca been mai
.nx....t ~. NfnHrt