Page 488 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

20 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GCLT POLITICAL

bln-Maawa of Manh, offering his Borvices to His Highness tbe Saltan in rising against 8ulei-
man-bin* Scif-er-Riyamee. This offer was neither accepted nor ncedod, for on tbo releaeo of
Seyyid Nasir-bin-Mubammad from tbe prison at Muscat, Shaikh Suleiman loft his position
at Ziki, which he had fortified evidently with tbo eventual objoct of laying a olosa siege to
the fort there, and retired to Tanoof.
On tbe 26tb of July Her Majesty's ship Ranger arrived from Rao al Hadd with two
Hindus from Sur, who, having complained that the Awlad Kaaib, originally a Fakbeedeb of
tbo Jenebeb but now under the protection of tbe Beni-bo-Ali, bad carried off one of their
community and severely beaten another, the Sultan took immediate steps in the matter, but
before his letter demanding the immediate surrender of the Hindu, and the punishment of the
offenders could reach Shaikh Abdullah bin Salim and Muhammad bin Majid of the Beni-bu-
Ali, they had, on hearing of the outrage, out of friendly feelings for the British Government
and for His Highness the Sultan, of their own accord imprisoned five of the Awlad K&ssib
and restored the kidnapped Hindu to his community at Sur.
The marder of Shaikh Muhammad bin Majid, tbe Tameemeh of the Beni-bu-Ali, in the
month of August, by a man of the Sinadeh section of tbe same tribe, followed immediately
after by the murder, in revenge, of Shaikh Yusuf bin Ali of the Sinadeh by Hamud bin Majid,
was an event disastrous both to the tribe and to the interests of the Sultan. They were
among his staunch and tried friends, and ever ready with their swords in his cause. Shaikh
Yusuf took a leading part at the siege of Muttrah in 1571 on behalf of Seyyid Turki, and
could always be depended upon in an emergency. Fortunately for the tribe, Shaikh Abdullah
bin Salim's house being a forti6ed one, he was able to ward off an attack made by the Sinadeh
in revenge for the murder of their Shaikh, but the trite could ill afford to lose two' such
powerful Shaikhs as Muhammad and Yusuf at any time, whilst just then the relations with
the Beni-bu*Hasan were so highly strained that His Bighuess, feeling greatly concerned at this
unsettled 6late of affairs in Jaalan, deputed Seyrid Naicr bia Mohammad and Hamid bin Nasir,
who succeeded in pacifying the Beni bu Ali, and effecting a peace between them and the Ben-
bu-Hasan. Shaikh Abdullah bin Salim was elected by the former as their Taraineh. The
peace, however, thus hurriedly concluded between these two most important tribes was not
destined to last long, for in the mouth of September the Bcui-bu-Hasan, having killed one of
the Awlad Kasib in retaliation for tbe murder of one of their number, fresh hostilities com­
menced between them and the peace of Jaalan was once more disturbed. They have now
agreed to a truce arranged between themselves, which it is to be hoped may have a more lasting
effect.
In the month of October fresh rumoure of an intended Hinawee rising reached Muscat,
but as they were principally due to Seyyid AL&u1! Azec*s sudden visit to Shaikh Saleh at
Bidiyyeb, which had evidently no politica;l messing, soon subsided on his return to Samad.
His Higbuess Seyyid Turki, who had lately rsffeced a good deal from one of his old
complaints, left on the 13th November Cor Gwador, and returned on the 2nd of December,
having somewhat benefited by the chaagt.
The distant possession of Dfoofar, wfcefc fcts always Been a source of trouble to tbe
Sultan, once more, showed signs of disloyalty, and early in January a letter was received from
Suleiman bin Hamid, the akeed of tbe garrison in the fort there, who was left in charge of
the place by the Wali Seyyid Muhammad bin Suleiman on his departure for Muscat in
September, stating that on trying to seize a murderer for punishment the people had resisted
him, and that he had eventually to retire into the fort. The Sultan lost no time in preparing
an expedition, consisting of 200 men, which left on the IStli in his steamer Sultani with
hif two sons Feysal and Fabad, Seyyids Nasir bin Muhammad and Bedr bin Seif, Shaikh
Shamis bin Hasan and Suleiman bin StnreSm, the nearly appointed Wali; but by the time the
Sultani arrived at Dbofar affairs had restoned a peaceful aspect, and, instead of meeting with
any resistance, the Muscat party on landing found a very cotdal reception, so that the only task
left for the expedition was to seize five of the Shaikhs, tbe ringleaders of the disaffected party
and to bring them as prisoners to Muscat. On her return voyage the Sultani bad to take
shelter at Ras Madrikeh owing to her supply of coals being exhausted, and the delay thus
occasioned in her return caused His Highness the Sultan to he so extremely anxious about fcbe
safety, of bis 6ons, that the Political Agent requested Captain Brackenbury of Her Majesty's
Ship Turquoise on the 22nd of February to proceed in search of her. The Turquoise, after
giving tbe necessary help to the Suliani to enable ber to resume her voyage, returned to Muscat
•on the 27th of February, and the Sultani, with tbe mxix body of the expeditionary force/follow­
ed on tbe following day.