Page 29 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

RESIDENCY AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR 1833-84. 23

one not liaving boon found satisfactory, and M. Dallons was sent to Muscat ns Consular Agent.'
Two years later, however, Bourbon and Mauritius capitulated:. English influence became
again firmly and finally re-established, and the Indian Ocean remained from that date to the
peace of 1815 a marc clausum to the French.
By this time the audacity and power of the piratical Kowasim had increased to ench an
extent that they had become as great a scourge to 'Oman by sea as the Wahabces were by
land, and the trade of Muscat was seriously interrupted. With the object of checking them
in some degree, Sa’ccd, in concert with his uncle Kais, undertook an expedition against KhCr
Fahan, where the Kowasim had formed a piratical station. In May 1808 Sa'ecd sailed with a
flotilla for that fort, where ho was joined by Kais, and, after a sharp conflict the fort was
carried by assault and the garrison put to the sword. Nows of Sa'ced's arrival, however, hnd
been rapidly carried to Itas-el-Khaimah, and Shaikh Sultdn hastened to the relief of the place,
where lie arrived after the massacre of the garrison. lie had but a small force with him, yet
be easily vanquished Sa'ced's troops and compelled them to fly. Kais was killed in the fight.
The troubles of Sa'ccd were now gathering thick upon him. Young and inexperienced as he
was, for he was now only in his 19tli year, he would have succumbed before the prospect of
carrying on the struggle with such formidable enemies as now surrounded him, had he not been
sustained by an indomitable spirit of self-reliance. The Wahabces had now arrived at the
plenitude of their power. The Amir Saood had determined upon completing the conquest of
'Oman, and had announced his intention of personally leading an army to Muscat. The system
hitherto pursued by him in 'Oman was one cf terrorism. lie maintained a Political Agent
at Muscat and a strong garrison at Percy nice, the frontier town of 'Oman towards Nejd, and
it was from this point that his expedition started when hostilities arose. These excursions were
invariably attended by ruthless massacres and barbarities, and the dread they inspired was
sufficient usually to keep the whole country in a state of abject prostration. In this plight the
cup of humiliation for the 'Omanis was, therefore, nearly full, hut they were now threatened
with yet greater evils, vis., the direct administration and occupation of the land, and the
effaeeracut of the Ibodhi doctrines in favour of those of their oppressors. The 'Oman tribes,
however, Sa'ecd well knew, had no intention of tamely abandoning their religion, and were
ready' to respond to any call he might make on them.
At this time an episode occurred which enraged Sa’ced's enemies and gave the Wahahcc
Ameer the pretext he sought for re-opening hostilities. Shaikh Mohammed-bin-Nasir El Jabri,
whom Sa’e.od had denounced to Saood as the murderer of Bcdr, and who was now in possession
of Semail, was lured to Muscat and treacherously imprisoned. Sa'ced's object in this was the
recove ry of the forts of Semail and Bidbid, which he wrested from Mohammed as the price of
his liberty. Bitterly resenting this treatment, Mohammed Nasir, who was now as full of
animosity towards Sa’ced as he had formerly been full of loyalty and devotion, made his way to
K1 Derayeh, where he Bought the aid and protection of Saood. The latter had already, as we
have seen, contemplated leading a force to act against Muscat, and now, adopting Mohammed
Nasir's cause with alacrity, be despatched his best General, Mutlah El Mutairy, with the advance
of his army to 'Oman. In the meantime Sa'eed bad undertaken an expedition against the
Kowasim pirates, and in April 1809 had set out with a fleet to Ras-el-Khaimah to act in con-
junction with a force from Bushiro. Sa'ecd's allies in the Gulf, however, failed to co-operate;
his fleet became dispersed, and he was at one time in a critical situation. The Cornwaliu and
another frigate, 6cnt from India to support him, swept the Gulf and captured a number of
pirates, who were taken to Bombay, only, however, to be immediately released. Sa'eod returned
to Muscat, unable to boast of any satisfactory achievement
The depredations of the Kowasim upon British and Indian commerce in the Gulf had
long attracted the attention of the Indian Government, and the necessity had at length been
impressed on them of suppressing these piracies. A further consideration that appear* to hate
influenced Government was the dofenceless condition of 'Oman in regard to the expected
Wahabee invasion, the success of which was anticipated to be injurious to British interest*.
An opinion prevailed that the Kowasira were urged on in thoir maritime outrages by th*
Wahabces, and it was argued that the suppression of the pirates would act as a cheolc on their
fanatical instigators. The expedition sailed from Bombay in September 1809, and was com.
manded by Colonel Smith. It rendezvoused at Muscat to procure the co-operation of Sa'oed,
and then proceeded to Itis-el-Khainmh, whioh was captured and burnt, and all its war vessoli
destroyed. On the return of tho expedition to Musoat, Sa'ecd solicited the aid of Colond
Smith against Shinns and Khor Fakan, and a joint expedition sailed for the Balineh coast,
whew the troops landed, stormed and captured Shinas after a desperate resistance on the 4th