The Voice of El-Lil

Maskat, like many another port, is a haven for the drifters of many nations who bring their tribal customs and peculiarities with them. Turk rubs shoulders with Greek and Arab squabbles with Hindoo. The tongues of half the Orient resound in the loud smelly bazaar. Therefore it did not seem particularly incongru- ous to hear, as I leaned on a bar tended by a smirking Eurasi- an, the musical notes of a Chinese gong sound clearly through the lazy hum of native traffic.