ABSTRACT
INFebruary,1945,theBritishResidentoftheGulf,SirGeoffrey Prior,calledaconferenceoftheTrucialsheikhsatBaraimi.Baraimi waschosenasthesiteforthe'durbar'becauseitisinneutralterritory andispracticallytheonlypartofOmanoverwhichnoneofthe sheikhshassuzerainty.ItliesatthebaseoftheTrucialpolitical division,andisthemeetingplaceofallthemaincaravanroutes fromAbuDhabi,Dubai,Sohar(ontheGulfofOmansideofthe peninsula)andRas-al-Khaimah.RoughlyninetymilessoutheastofSharjah,Baraimi,whichliesinthemiddleofalargeoasis,is geographicallythenorth-easternextremityofthegreatRub-alKhalidesert.ItwasfromherethatIbeganmyjourneyintothat desertlaterintheyear.
