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RESIDENCY AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR 1883-84. 31

was supported by tho Commandant of the garrison, for whom ho had probably brought written
orders. Salim, however, refused to submit to this violation of the treaty, and ordered Nusir
to quit the place in 7.1 hours. Nasir then shut himself up in the fort and commenced to
bombard tho town, which had no means of replying. The whole population, however, siding
with Salim, blockaded the fort and cut oft the supplies, and tho garrison, being at length
reduced to extremities, were compelled to capitulate after a siege of 7 months. The command­
ant and his men wero allowed to leave Moiuba9a unmolested, but Nasir was detained and kept
in irons. An abortive attempt to relieve the placo was made by Sa'ccd, who sent Ifamud-bin-
Ahmcd in the S/iaA Allum to assist Nasir, but ho arrived too late.
It was not until about November 1833 that Sa'ced, having arranged terms with the
Wall a bee General, Sa'ecd-bin-MutUk, was able to devote bis energies to the rcconqucst of
Mombasa.
Having appointed Ilowcynee his Deputy at Muscat, he set sail in the Rahmanee with the
Liverpool (seventy-four), two corvettes and 1,400 men, and anchored off Mombasa Fort.
Salim and the Mezinis, fearing tho vengeance of Nasir, should the latter ever gain power
over them, strangled him in prison, and Sa’ced, enraged at this action, immediately commenced
a bombardment. His attacks, however, were repulsed by the Mezinis, who captured and
destroyed twobughlos, and Sa'ccd, after 8 days' ineffectual warfare, had recourse to negoeiutions.
Sa'ccd pretended to regret his precipitate hostilities, and proposed peace on the basis of the
former treaty. This was accepted by Salim, who agreed to acknowledge Sa'eed's sovereignty,
but made proviso that the citadel was not to be occupied by Sa'ecd's men. Sa'eed induced two
of Salim's relatives to accompany him, and, with this appearance of victory, he proceeded to
Zanzibar in triumph.
Soon after Sa'ccd sent an expedition against Siwi, which had revolted. Salim asmBtcd the
people of Siwi, and Sa'ccd was defeated with iraraenso loss. At Patta and Siwi, again, further
aggressive movements were equally unsuccessful.
Sa'eed's stay at Zanzibar was again of short duration. His ambitious schemes had no
sooner led Jiim to distant shores than intestine troubles at home recalled him to restore order.
The mar-peace on this occasion was Ha mud-bin-Azzan, who, taking advantage of the murder
of Saood-bin-Ali by his cousin Sultan-biu-Aluned, marched on Rostak and took it, and then
prepared to attack Scmail, the Wali of which, Mohammed Nasir El Jubri, had lately died.
It was feared that Ilamud by the acquisition of these forts might be in a position to overawe
and seize Muscat, and the British Resident, therefore, in July 183 !■, with a view to support
Sa'ccd's government and authority, moved clown to Muscat and informed Hamud that his
persistence iu rebellion would lead to his being considered an enemy of the British Government.
This intervention was effective in checking Uamud's designs for a time, but a few months
later his irrepressible ambition prompted him to take up arms again and seize Soweyk, from which
fort, however, he was very quickly dislodged by a force despatched from Muscat. Hamud's
popularity in the country, nevertheless, continued to increase, and, although Iloweynee called in
the Kiowasim and the Beni Vas tribes to his aid, he was able to effect nothing against his cousin
until the return of Sa'eed from Zanzibar in April 1835. Sa'eed immediately took the field and
proceeded against Sohar, but, although this expedition returned with only a bare semblance of
success, his presence at home was sufficient to re-establish his authority and put an end to Hamud's
hostilities. Affairs in 'Oman for some time occupied Sa'ecd's attentions, but, although pining to
return to Zanzibar, he was fearful to leave Muscat while Hamud was unsubdued, as the
latter would be certain to take immediate advantage of his absence. Sa'eed therefore, in 1836,
entered into an arrangement with Sa'eed-bin-Mutlak to unite in expelling Hamud from Sohar
and Rostak. Sa'ecd-bm-Mutlak accordingly besieged Sohar by land with 2,000 men, while
Sa'ccd despatched a fleet and blockaded it by sea. Hamud's position was getting desperate,
when he succeeded in arousing Sa'eed’s suspicions as to .the intentions of the Wahabees, and
Sa'eed, hastily abandoning the enterprise, returnod to Muscat. Soon after this a vessel of .the
Indian Navy, under instructions from Government, who were desirous of promoting a recon­
ciliation between Sa'oed and Ilamud, proceeded to Sohar, aud, having received Hamud on board,
returned to Muscat, where a written engagement was entered into by the latter that he would
not again rebel against Sa'ood or enter apon hostilities against Ililal-bin-Mohamraed of
8oweyk. •
Tho .Wall of Mombasa, Salim-bin-Ahmcd, died in March 1835, and his death was the
signal for rivalry and dissensions bntweon his brothors, Khnrnis and Nasir. After more than
a year spent iu contention the succession was obtained by Salim's son, Rashid.