OMMON, a district of Arabia, which comprises a portion of the southern coast extending from its eastern extremity of Rasalgate to the entrance of the Persian Gulf. In the interior it is one of the wildest parts of the country, and is little known, but is generally supposed to consist of sandy deserts. Along the coast the country is more fertile, and the inhabitants are an industrious and active race, pursuing with ardour both commerce and navigation. The soil is well watered by the rivers which flow from the ranges of mountains along the coast. Its produce is confined almost exclusively to dates and a little wheat, which appears to be scarcely sufficient for its own consumption, as, according to Frazer (see Narrative of a Journey into Khorassan, p. 17), large quantities of the latter article are imported from Bushire and Bassora. On the other hand, large quantities of dates are also exported; those of Ommon enjoying, it is said, a preference over the produce of other places, particularly in Sinde, to which they are exported. Dates are the great staple of these countries, being the staff of life; and they are the standard by which the value of landed estates is estimated. Landed property, although it usually descends by inheritance, may be disposed of in any way the proprietor pleases. The sovereign’s claim is confined to the tenth of the produce, and he can in no way interfere with the proprietor’s rights, although he may divest him of any command which he possesses, or expel him from the district if he pleases. Lands are usually let out in lease, or annual rent payable in a portion of the produce. Slaves are made use of here, as throughout Arabia, in the labours of agriculture; but they are treated with kindness and indulgence. The property of the Arabs which they possess independently of land, consists for the most part in live stock, sheep, goats, camels, asses, a few horses, and cows; camels being in value from thirty to three hundred dollars a-piece, according to blood and quality. The asses of Omgaon are celebrated as the finest of Arabia; and individuals of the best breed sell for very extravagant sums. The value of the common kind varies from one to forty dollars; goats from four to six dollars; sheep from one and a half to six dollars. No mules are reared, nor are horses abundant in the province. The cows have humps, and resemble those of India. Milk, butter, and ghee are very abundant, and good of their kinds; which is the more remarkable, as the cattle have little or no pasture in the neighbourhood, and are fed upon dried fish a little salted, of which they become very fond. Ommon is by no means celebrated for its manufactures, which consist of turbans and waistbands, or girdles of cotton and silk, striped or checked with blue, and having the ends ornamented with red, green, or yellow borders; cloaks, called abbas, made of sheep’s wool or camel’s hair, and of various degrees of fineness; cotton canvass, gunpowder, and arms of no superior quality; and earthen jars for the market of Zanguebar. They also prepare a sweetmeat in high esteem, called hulwak, from honey or sugar, the gluten of wheat and ghee, with a few almonds; and sharks’ fins and dried salt-fish for the eastern markets. Frazer states, that the provinces of Arabia, of which Muscat is the first, are too poor to consume much foreign produce, or to afford any considerable quantity of their own in exchange. Still, he adds, there is a certain demand for many Indian productions and other articles, as rice, sugar, spices, cotton cloths, silk, indigo, ship timber, and coffee from Mocha, cowries, ivory, Joarree grain, gums, civet oil for burning, cocoa-nuts, wood for building, and slaves from Zanguebar and other African ports; dates, rose-water, &c. from Bushire and Bassora. A considerable quantity of these articles is sent to this country merely in transit, as it is a great entrepôt of the commerce which is carried on between India, Arabia, Persia, and Eastern Africa; but no inconsiderable portion is consumed in the country, and paid for chiefly in dollars and cowries; and he is at a loss to understand where this quantity of specie is procured. But it is obvious that the country can only procure it by the sale of its own produce. There is no other source from which it can be obtained; nor need a passing traveller be surprised that he cannot comprehend at a glance all the resources which an extensive district may possess for carrying on foreign trade. Where can any country find equivalents to exchange with foreigners for their produce [7:16:339] but within itself? The fact stated by Mr Frazer, of the abundance of specie given in exchange for foreign articles, speaks for itself. It is an index of the state of wealth; nor need it excite the smallest incredulity or surprise. The climate of Osnmon is extremely unfavourable for European constitutions; scarcely any native of Europe ever resides here without experiencing its fatal effects. The heat is always great. Frazer mentions, that during his abode there, which was in July, the heat varied from 90° to 102° of Fahrenheit; the greatest inconvenience experienced was from the suffocating heat of the nights, as a parching wind blew from the rocks, preventing that cool freshness which the dewy morning brings in most countries, and keeping the frame so continually relaxed and unrefreshed by sleep, as to render it predisposed to the attacks of disease. The natives are the most expert navigators in these seas, and use a very singular species of craft, which are broad in proportion to their length, and are constructed of planks fastened together by nails, and tied and sewed together with cords. This country was early invaded by the Portuguese, who acquired possession of Muscat, its principal port, which they retained for nearly two centuries. Ommon was invaded and conquered, in the course of the last century, by Nadir Shah. But the native princes, when his armies were engaged in other quarters, took the opportunity of re-conquering their dominions, which they have ever since retained. The chief towns are Rostak, the residence of the imaum; Muscat, which is chiefly known to Europeans; and Kalhat and Sohar.

The country is ruled by a supreme chief or imaum, who, besides, holds in possession the islands of Keshmee and Ormuz in the gulf, and rents from the court of Persia Gomberoon, and Binderabbassec and its dependencies, including the district of Juroom, which extends from Meenab, on the south-east, to Khumeer, on the north-west, including about eighty miles of sea-coast. His revenues are derived from various sources. He receives a tenth part of the produce of the territories of 0mmon, which is trifling; a duty of a half per cent, on all merchandise passing up the gulf on Arab bottoms, amounting, according to Frazer’s estimate, to 160,000 dollars a year; the rents of valuable sulphur mines, which he holds of the Persian government; and considerable landed property in the country of Ommon, which brings him in only some thousands of dollars in the year. Commerce is perhaps the chief source of his income. He possesses five fine ships, his private property, two of them mounting fifty and forty guns respectively, besides four other vessels such as are used on the Arabian coast. His vessels trade to all parts of India and the East, to the coasts of Arabia and Africa, to Madagascar and the Mauritius, besides the ports of the Persian Gulf.

0M0A, a Spanish town and fortification on the southern side of the Bay of Honduras. Long. 89. 50. W. Lat. 15. 50. N.