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71 ADMINISTRATION RETORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY

Part IV.
ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE POLITICAL AGENCY, MUSCAT, FOR
THE YEAR 1375-70.
At the commencement of the official year 1S75-7G the political
situation of Oman was not favorable for
Political.
peace and prosperity, and the prospects of
His Highness Syud Toorkee being able to consolidate his position
were perhaps less promising than at any former period of his rule. The
country was in an unsettled state throughout, and the districts or valley
of Soinail was in particular very disturbed, the rival Hinawi and
Ghaflirec elans inhabiting it being almost in open hostility. All the
Ghallirccs in the Province of Oman were preparing to engage in the
contest, and the llinawis of El Sharkiyoh were also quite ready to
come to the assistance of their partizans at Semail, and were only held
in check by the Beni Bu Ali and other Ghaffirces in Jaalan. In the
north-west the hostilities and animosities that had been going on for
some time previous in El Shemal bad by this time spread over El Jow,
and a great part of El Dhahirch and the Naim tribe at El Bercymi
were expecting to be attacked by a large force of the Beni Yas. The
general complication and danger to peace was moreover being increased
by the intrigues and sedition of the Metowasin El Sharkiyeh, who were
endeavouring to foment disaffection and cause a rising against Ilia
Highness' authority.
Repeated endeavours had been made by the well-disposed to effect
an amicable adjustment of the Semail difficulty through the mediation,
in the first instance, of the Metowa Mahomed El Gharibee, and subse­
quently by the Bu IIassail and El Hcjiieen Sheikhs. Syud Ilillal-
bin Ahmed also interfered to arrange a pacification, but all these efforts
proved totally unavailing, and at the latter end of May hostilities broke
out and a contest ensued, in which the Ilinawis were defeated with a loss
of twenty-two killed and many wounded. No further collisions took
place however, and in the following month the quarrel was fortunately
finally adjusted.
In the meantime in May serious misunderstandings had arisen
between His Highness Syud Toorkeeand the Bu Ilassan tribe, a party of
which at that time constituted the sole force garrisoning Muscat. The
apparent cause of disaffection among the tribe was that certain
claims for money and provisions bad been disregarded and left un­
satisfied by His Highness, and matters went so far that they at length
put themselves in open opposition to His Highness Syud Toorkee and
threatened to plunder the town. No measures unfortunately were taken
by His Highness to bring them to obedience or to make terms with them*
aud on the uiglit of the 1:3th His Highness fearing the consequences,
left his palace and took refuge on board a merchantman in the harbour.
The following day Syud Abdool Azcez having been authorized by the
Sultan to arrange terms with the tribe and make concessions, they
returned to obedience, and His Highness Syud Toorkee resumed hi*
position. Most of the disaffected party were then sent back to their
country, nnd a garrison of one hundred and fifty of the Bu Hassan

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