strategic value. Moreover, some knowledge of its history during the past century and a half is essential to an understanding of its situation today. It has therefore been considered desirable to devote to al-Buraimi a separate part of this study, which will be found immediately following the present part. (8) The Settlements of Bani Ka'b Going north froin al-Buraimi, one comes to the country of Bani Ka'b. The members of this tibe frequent the recesses of the northern arm of the Hajar and the broken area with numerous isolated hills lying just west of the main range, or the small settlements owned by the tribe the most important is.Mahdhah, which occupies a central position between the Trucial Coast, al-Buraimi, and the Batinah.
