The Raymer enterprise., 1921-08-25

(Prspsrsd By the National Geographic So
clsty. Washington. ID. 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 regions. And In one
Of Its least known corners is the III
dependent state Of Oman. Historically,
politically and geographically, Oman
has always been isolated from the rest
Of Arabia. Ever since the days of
the ca.iphate, so far AS communication
with other Arabs Is concerned, Oman
WIS practically an island with q sea
Of water Oh two sides and sea OF
sand-the great Arabian desert-on
the other. As 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 OF
coast, bowed around the irregular
eastern tip Of Arabia. To the north.
west 1t extends half way along the
southern shore of the Persian gulf,
into the head Of which empty the his
toric Tfgris and Euphrates rivers.
From there 1t extends in q crooked,
unbroken strip of varying width for
nearly 1900 miles its southwestern
extremity reaching almost to the mid
point Of the fiaring south shore Of
the Arabian peninsula.
The state has an area Of 5000
square miles, almost twice that Of
Pennsylvania. Although generally ac.
opted statistics place the population
at SO0,GO0. Colonel MIleA who has
seen more Of the interior than any
other recent traveller, estimates II al
over 100000. The capital, Muscat,
and the adjoining town of Mutrah,
have together about 25.0OO inhabit.
ants. The ancient capital, Rostak.
which Is inland declined In impor.
tance after the Portuguese, during tho
remarkable growth Of their colonial
power In the Sixteenth century, pushed
around the Cape Of Good Hope and
nortiiward and eastward, occupying
Muscat. The Portuguese remained in
possession Of this metropolis Of Oman
from 1908 until the middle OF the Sev.
enteenth century.
Was Almost an Empire.
The conquerors Of Oman who gave
II Its present ruling family came from
Yemen on the other side of Arabia,
Ahmed bin Sa'eed, the leader, cap.
inred Muscat IN l74l. The present
sultan and imam, who came to the
throne In 1913, Is descendant of this
Eighteenth century cOnqueror.
Al the beginning of the Nineteenth
century, before European powers had
determined upon the almost complete
rarceilng out Of Africa. Oman was al.
most an empire. II extended over a
large part Of Arabia. the islands to
the north of Araba In the Persian
gulf. strip of the southern coast of
Persia, and q strip of the Indian
ocean coast Of Africa from the north.
eastern point near the entrance to the
led sea almost half way to the Cape
Of Good Hope. This African territory.
including Zanzibar. comprised large
parts Of what later became Italian
Somnliland, British East Africa and
German East Africa. 1t also included
the important island Of Socotra at the
mouth Of the Gulf Of Alden, now under
British control.
At that time the slave trade was
fiourishing, and 1t was the Arabs of
Oman who explored the great interior
Of Africa long before the days Of
Speke and Livingstone. On the death
In 1855 Of Oman's Alexander" the
Sultan Sa'eed, the empire began to
break up, one son becoming sultan of
Zanzibar and another sultan Of the
Arabian territory. Subsequently all
Asiatic possessions outside Arabia
were lost, except few islands In the
Persian gulf About this time Oman
came under the virtual protection Of
Great Britain through the Indian gov.
ernment, and British consul and DO.
litical agent has since been maip.