Page 33 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

1
BESIDENCr AND 3JTJSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR 188344. 27

to Mecca and Medina he was accompanied by a largo escort and entertained with great
sumptuous ness. He created everywhere an immense sensation, and his popularity among tho
people was not lessened by the generosity of his gifts. Notwithstanding his being Akharejite
or'dissenter, S.Vecd was received with the greatest respect and honour by the Shereef, and on
his departure was presented with splendid gifts by Mohammed AH. Sa'ccd was received on
bin return to Muscat with loud acclamations, and the rejoicings lasted several days.
In July 1S2G Sa’ccd sent a fleet to blockade Bush ire in the absence of the Governor,
Shaikh Abdul Russool, though, at the request of the Resident, he re-framed, from attacking
the town. The Shaikh himself was captured at sea on his way home shortly after and
detained a prisoner until the following year, when he paid a ransom of 80,000 dollars and
agreed to surrender a Persian princess, a sister of Reza Kolee Mirza, who had been promised
to Sa'ccd, but had been delayed at Bushire by the Governor, who was desirous of marrying her
himself. In November of the same year Sa'eed, having been unable to prevail on the Govern­
ment of Busra to pay the stipulated subsidy, the arrears of which had amounted to 101,000
dollars, equipped a fleet to enforce his demand. In an engagement that ensued the Turks
were defeated and the Pasha carried prisoner to Muscat. Busra was blockaded until the
Turks made terms.
The following year was spent by Sa'ced in a fruitless war with Bahrein, for which he had
made long and expensive preparations. With the object of taking the Uttoobees by surprise,
Sa'ecd contradicted the rumours prevalent of his intentions, and assured the Shaikh of his
pacific feelings until about a month before be arrived there with bis fleet, which was in Novem­
ber IS2S. In his attack on the island, however, his force was completely' routed and many
slain, while he himself was slightly wounded. Being thus discouraged in his enterprise, he
abandoned its further prosecution aud returned to Muscat. A peace was concluded between
the belligerents on terms not unfavourable to Sa'ccd in. December the following year.
In 1820 the Chief of Dhofar, Mohammed Akil, wrs murdered at Morbah, and Sa'ec-d imme­
diately despatched a force to take possession of that district. This force only remained a few
months, for Sa’ccd, having done with Bahrein, prepared to visit his East African possessions in
order to conquer the district and island of Mombasa, aud with this object withdrew the troops
from Dliofar. Having appointed bis nephew, Mohaiomed-bin-Salim, Regent, and treacherously
seized and imprisoued his cousin I lilal, with a view to keep him out of mischief, he sailed for Mom­
basa accordingly on the loth December. The importance of this part of Sa’ccd *s dominions,
which was to occupy' his chief attcutio.1 for the next 15 years, and was to be selected shortly as
his permanent residence, will be our apology' for taking a short retrospect of the state of
affairs there. East Africa had been occupied by the Omar.i Arabs for many centuries; they
had succeeded the Persians in llm domination of the salient points of trade on that coast, and
had been in their turn supplanted by the Portuguese. "Without going back to those times
to observe the wave of history, it will suffice to commence our retrospect from the period
at which the decadence of the Portuguese led to the re-assumption by the Arabs of their
supremacy at Mombasa.
About the year 1655 A.D. the Imam Sultan-bin-Seif, at the solicitation of a deputation
of the inhabitants, who were tired of the tyrannical rule of tho Portuguese, sent a fleet to
besiege the place.
After a siege of five years he succeeded in expelling the Portuguese and appointed a
Governor. The Portuguese, however^ soon recovered possession of Mombasa and retained
it until 1696 or 1C98 A.D., when an Arab fleet, despatched by the Imam Seyf-bin-Sultfn,
again expelled the Portuguese from Mombasa; the success of the Arabs being followed
by a general attack on, and massacre of, the Portuguese along the coast at Kilwa, Pemba, Patta,
Zanzibar, and other places. Affairs at home, however, precluded the Imam and his successors
from interfering with East Africa, and Mombasa was left to take care of itself until the year
1728, when the Portuguese Admiral, Luis de Sarapaio, appeared with his fleet and again
brought the whole coast under subjection to his sovereign. Finding the tyranny of the
Portuguese insupportable, the inhabitants soon renewed their solicitations to’Oman for deliver­
ance, and a small fleet was accordingly despatched to their aid. But in the meantime, having
found an opportunity, the inhabitants rose and massacred their oppressors, so that the
Arab deputed by the Imam to assist in expelling tho Portuguese had nothing to do bu^
to quietly assume tho position of Governor. This man was Mohammed-bin Sa’ecd El Maamire,
For tho first time an Arab garrison was placed at Zanzibar by this Wali, who appears to have
remitted a small annual tribute to 'Oman. Tn 1739 the then Wali of Mombasa, Salon*
bin-Sa'ccd El Iiadrami, was succeeded by Mohaniintd-bin-'Othman El Mczrni. Mohammed it
14