Page 560 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

24 ADKrNISTEATCOK REPORT OP TDK PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL

sal received letters from ihe most important Chiefs in 'Oman, containing pro-
fessions of friendship and good-will towards him, and the news of his accession
seems to have boon favourably received throughout the Province.
A week after Seyyid Turki’s death, Colonel Ross, Resident in the Persian
Gulf, arrived in the Lawrence and paid a visit of condolence to the three sons
of the late Sultan, which they returned the following day. Colonel Ross left
Muscat the same evening.
About the end of June Seyyid 8a’eed, the ex-Ministcr, having hoard of
3eyyid Turkic death, returned from Kishm. This action was strongly dis­
approved of by Seyyid FejssI who deputed his brother, Seyyid Pahad, to meet
Seyyid Sa'eed on landing, with instructions that the latter was to consider
himself under restraint during his stay in Muscat. Seyyid Sa’eed thus virtu­
ally became a prisoner in h» own house. He was shortly afterwards compelled
to leave the place, end started for Bunder Abbas on 1st July.
During the month sc June there were some slight intertribal disturbances
in the district, but these were not dependent on the events taking place at
Muscat.
In July, four Esnkos arrived from Burkah with a complaint that they had
been assaulted by a party of Beni Jabir whilst drawing water at Burkah. The
case was represented to His Highnecs the Sultan, and an enquiry resulted-in
the imprisonment at Muscat of the ringleaders of the offending party.
A proposal was mride by His Highness to collect “ Zekat ” (taxes) from
purchasers, on produce arriving from the interior at coast-towns. This, being
contrary to treaty, was dhaHowed.
Fighting again Geeurced at Burkah between the Yal Bede and Hikman
tribes, in which six zass. on each side were killed. A fight also took place in
the Wadis, Gliafir and Shafcan between the Ghafree tribes, Meyayihah and
Ibriyeen, in which some 30 men were killed and an equal number taken pri­
soners. Peace was restored by the mediation of Sayyid Ibrahim-bin-Keis, of
Rostak.
In August His Highness Seyyid Abdul Aziz wrote to the Political Agent,
staticg that he Ml icmnelf called upon and impelled to reform the Province of
’Oman by force of jxiss, and enquiring whether the British Government would
assist him in his plaa. of reformation and conquest. He added that, if he could
rely on the support of the British Government, he could, no doubt, mature his
schemes “easily and wRlsaat bloodshed.’* This letter was referred to the
Resident at Bushire, and under bis orders Seyyid Abdul Aziz was to be inform­
ed that he bad already been made acquainted with the views of Government,
and that no other amplification thereof seemed necessary.
Letters were received from the Wali and towsnfolk of Awabee, the former
stating that the latser wore in league with an agent of Seyyid Ibrahim-bin-
Keis, named Ibrs^m-fiwi-Sa’eed, to deliver up the place to him. The Wali
stated that he :kad jfrzstrated this design by his watchfulness and had destroyed
the watercourses of tbs townspeople by way of punishment. The people, on
the other hand, .eompkwued that they had been unjustly punished, and that the
story had been invent^ by the Wali out of spite towards Ibrahim-bin-Sa'eed,
who had been imprisoned.
Seyyid Feysal sent orders to the Wali of Nakhl to proceed to Awabee to
enquire into the affair, and directed that the people should be allowed to re­
pair their watercourses.
About this time a fight occurred at Khasab between the Kumzar and the
Beni Hideeyah. SeyysA Feysal deputed his brother Seyyid Pahad, Seyyid
Bedc-bin-Seif and Shrikh Shamis-bin-Hasan to settle the quarrel. The do