Page 42 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

30 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL
Colonel Hamcrton remained to support them neither Khalid nor tlio other leading Arabs would
care to stay there.
In token of approval and acceptance of Sa'ecd’s words the Arabs present all kissed Colonel
Hamerton’s hand and promised loyal compliance. Sa'ccdthcn embarked in the Victoria frigate
on the 18th, and, bidding a reluctant adieu to the children and relatives lie was never to see
again, sailed for Muscat, where lie arrived about a month later.
Two months after Sa'ecd’s departure Captain Fremantle, II. M. S. Jit no, who had been sent
on a mission to obtain the cession by purchase of the Kooria Mooria Islands, on which were
valuable guano deposits, arrived at Zanzibar. The French liad on several occasions endeavoured
to get possession of the guano, but their negociations had always failed. Captain Fremantle's
efforts, however, were more successful. Having proceeded on to Muscat, ho had no sooner
intimated the desire of the Government to acquire tlie islands than Sa’ced, at once rofusing the
offer of purchase, agreed to their transfer, and made them over by a deed of gift, dated 14th
July 1854.
One of the first acts oE Sa'ecd on his arrival at Muscat had been to appoint his fifth son,
Toorkee, as Wali of Sohar, a post which he continued to hold for 6ome years.
The breach between Sa'ced and the Persian Government, most probably with design on the
part of the latter, gradually widen'd and culminated at length in the expulsion of Sa’eed's
Wali aud troops from Bunder Abbass. This district bad been conquered in 1798 from the
Beni Maccn by* Sultan, and had since been uninterruptedly held in farm from Teheran for an
annual rental of 6,000 tomans. Highly incensed at the proceedings of Persia, Sa'ecd equipped
an expedition and despatched it uudcrThoweynee to Bunder Abbess, which was soon re-occupied.
Fresh troops, however, were marched down from Shiraz, and, reinforced by these, the Persian
commander again expelled the Arabs, and Sa'c^d, after an ineffectual blockade, was compelled
to abandon the hope of recovering his supremacy over the Persian coast by force of arms.
Negociations were then opened, and a convention was eventually concluded in April 1856, by
which the lease was renewed to Sa'ecd by the Shah for *20 years at an increased rental of 16,000
tomans under several stringent conditions, which were very derogatory to Sa'eed’s pride.
Unfavourable as the terms wer**, however, Sa’ccd gladly accepted them rather than relinquish
the farm, and he at once retook charge of Buud:-r Abbass and appointed a Wali and customs
farmer to resume control over the territory.
At this time the relations between Enghml and Persia were greatly strained in conse-
quence of the occupation of Herat by the latter, and war was known to be imminent. Sa'ecd,
however, did not wait to witness the denouement. One reason for this was, perhaps, his dis­
appointment at not receiving more countenance and supjx>rt from the British Government in
his quarrel about Bunder Abbass, but a more cogent reason was his precarious state of health,
which made him impatient to get back to his home at Zanzibar. He stayed in Muscat there­
fore only until the change of the mousoon enabled him to turn his face southwards, and then,
having appointed his son Thoweynee his Deputy in Arabia, he set 6ail on the 15th September
in the Victoria frigate, accompanied by his son Barghash in the ArtcrxUc.
t
Nature seems to have warned the aged prince of his approaching end. Before embarking
he took a final and affectionate farewell of his old mother ^ Ghannde, and said he felt confi­
dent he would see her no more. He was particular in having a number of planks taken on
board the Victoria, and gave orders that in the event of any one dying on the voyage a coffin
was to be made and the body placed therein. On no account was it to be thrown into the 6ea.
After touching at Soor to transact business, Sa'ccd continued his voyage, but on the 18th Sep­
tember was taken ill with swelling of the legs and thighs; he continued to grow gradually
worse until the 13th October, when dysentery set in, and on Sunday the 19th, at 8£ A.M., his
life passed quietly away.
The Victoria was passing Coctivi Island at the time, and six days after arrived off Chumba
Island in Zanzibar barbour, where she anchored with the Arlcmut. In obedience to Sa'ecd's
wishes, the Captain, Hila1-bin-Abdiilla,had on bis master's decease enclosed the body in a coffin,
and immediately on news of the saxl event being communicated to Seyyid Majid at Zanzibar,
preparations were made for the buri&L
The corpse was landed the same night, and in presence of the 6ons and Arab notables was
interred in the little cemetery near the palace, where a plain horizontal slab of white marble
without inscription now marks the grave of 'Oman's famous prince.
At the age of 66 years and 7 months, and after a reign of nearly 50 years, Sa'eed thus
closed a career which can only bo described as remarkable. Left an orplian when a mere youth.

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