Page 617 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

Pakt II.—ADMINISTRATION REPORT OP THE MUSCAT FOLTH-
CAXi AGENCY AND CONSULATE FOR THE YEAR 1889-90.

The official year now under report was rather an uneventful one in the
Political history of Oman.
Political.
The rumours regarding a probable rising of the Hinawee tribes, beaded by
Sayid Abdul Aziz against the rule of the Sultan, which prevailed towards the
end of the previous year and which seemed to subside for a time, took a more
definite shape about tbe end of April, so that the Resident, who arrived here on
the 26th of that month for the purpose of recognizing Has Highness Sayid
Feysal as Sultan of Muscat, had to postpone doing so, under the unsettled
state of affairs then existing. Nothing, however, resulted from this attempt
of the Sultan’s uncle to invite the Sbarkiyyeh tribes to join his cause, and
excepting an intertribal quarrel between the Beni-bu-Ali and the Jenebeh at
Sur, the province of Oman seemed to be tranquil again.
About the end of the year 1888, His Highness the Sultan was compelled,
owing to the strained relations existing at the time between the Beni-bu-Ali
and the Jenebeh at Sur, to send a deputation with the object of effecting peace
between the two tribes. For a time they remained on peaceful terms, but the
latter having killed one of the Beni-bu-Ali, fresh hostilities broke out between
them in May 1889, which resulted in a fight of some importance. His High­
ness Sayid Fey sal lost no time in sending bis steamer “Sultani” with Sayids
Badr-bin-Seif and Nasir-bin-Muhammad, and Shaik Shamis-bin-Hasain to the
scene of action, and in inviting both parties to Muscat to settle the dispute
between them amicably. Sbaik Abdullah-bin-Salem, the Tamimeh of the Beni-
bu-Ali refused for a time to accept any terms short of the surrender of four
lives of the opposite party, but eventually agreed to a trace for a year, the
question of compensation remaining unsettled.
The state of political tranquillity which was reported to exist at the begin­
ning of June was not destined to last long. On the 13th of July Sayid Abdul
Aziz wrote to the Political Agent and the Resident expressing his intention of
attacking Muscat shortly, but nothing occurred t3i tbe end of the month to
show that he would succeed in making an attempt to carry it out. Aided,
however, by some of the HIjrin, he managed at last to collect a few men with
whom, he marched to the Kahza Pass where he was repulsed by the Sultan’s
garrison ; the little invading party having in consequence dispersed, Sayid Abdul
Aziz had to fall back upon Samad. t
After this defeat and discomfiture of Sayid Abdul Axis, the aspect of
political affairs seemed again to take a tranquil ’ tarn ; and although owing to
his restless nature vague rumours of another attempt on his pvt were in
circulation, no event of any importance occurred until the 24th December,
when the Political Agent reported of an affray having to Von place in the
Dahireh between the Beni Kelban and the Naeem on one side and the Benb
All on the other, in consequence of the latter having some rime hack waylaid
a party of the Beni Kelban and killed eight of them. Although no nrffabto in­
formation could be obtained as regards the actual severity of the fight or the
numbers of the killed and wounded, the result of the fight seems to have been
decidedly against the Beni-AIL