45 THE BOUNDARIES AND TERRITORY OF THE IMAMATE OF OMAN The boundaries of the Imamate of Oman cannot be defined with exactitude. So far as can be determined, no treaties or agreements exist between the Imamate and any of the adjacent states fixing bounda ries or indicating the extent of national territories. Nevertheless, it is possible to set forth in a general way the geographical limits of the authority of the Imam and his government, bearing in mind that these limits are likely in many instances to be vague and unstable. The influence of the Imamate reaches out southeasterly towards the shore of the Arabian Sea, but it is questionable whether any long stretch of this shore falls under the control of the Imam, who, lacking any desire to communicate with the outside world, is unmoved by an urge to set his feet on the rim of the ocean. The coast from the vicinity of Ras al-Hadd to the vicinity of Dhafar is embraced within the home ranges of tribes that are either independent or reluctant to pay more than lip allegiance to any overlord. That part of the coast to the southeast of the Sharqiyah that includes the little port of al-Ashkharah lies within the territory of Wilad Hamudah of Bani Bu 'Ali, nominally subjects of the Sultan of Muscat. The island of Masirah belongs to the range of the tribe of the Janabah, sections of which adhere to the Imam, but the Sultan by virtue of his maritime activity and the recognition accorded him by the British and American Governments has apparently been able to establish some title to the island; it was he who gave permission - in exchange for cash payments --for the building of an airport on Masirah which was used by the British and the Americans during the Second World War. of the towns in Ja'lan between the Sharqiyah and the coast, al-Kamil, al-Wafi, and Bilad Bani Bu 'Ali incline towards the side of Muscat, while the large oasis of Bilad Bani Bu Hasan is under the authority of the Imam. No clear lines of demarcation between
