The vessels wore a striped flag, either of red and green or red and white. [Sidenote: HORSES--FRUITS--VEGETABLES.] The sultan possesses a very fine stud of Arab horses. I saw, at different times, about two hundred. He is the owner, as I was informed by the colonel, or commander of the Bedwin cavalry, of all the horses in Muscat, or the neighbouring towns. He was very desirous of sending to the President of the United States, two stallions and two mares of the best blood; but it was declined, because the ship was not of sufficient size to carry them, comfortably and safely, through the tempestuous weather usually encountered from the entrance of the Mozambique channel to the cape of Good Hope. The sultan’s horses are fed upon lucerne and dates; and it is said that most of the cattle, sheep, and goats, are fed upon dates and fish. The coarsest kind of grass, and rushes even, are difficult to be obtained at any price, and all the lucerne belongs to the sultan. We found the mutton here very excellent, the sheep costing two dollars, and goats at various prices: fowls from one dollar to two and a half per dozen: bullocks, very fat and very palatable, at ten dollars each. But there were no hogs, turkeys, geese, or ducks. Fish was very abundant and cheap, and generally good flavoured. Both white and purple grapes were supplied us daily, and in profusion, by the sultan. The pomegranates were much superior to any I have ever seen. There were but few mangoes, the season for them having passed. The oranges were insipid, and tasted like the sweet lemon. Limes were very plentiful. The muskmelons gave out a fine perfume, but they were very tasteless. The dates, when not too ripe, had the flavour of a very sweet green chestnut. Pistachios, almonds, raisins, and kismisses, (or seedless raisins,) were plenty. Of vegetables, there were the long purple egg-plant, potatoes, onions, okra, and parsley. The date molasses was very good; wheat sold for one dollar and a quarter for one hundred English pounds; and a French brig was lading with it and jacks, for the Mauritius. The water, which supplies the shipping and the principal part of the inhabitants, is drawn from a very deep well outside the walls of Muscat, by a buffalo, up an inclined plane, and then brought in skins, on men’s backs, to the landing.