Page 325 - PERSIAN GULF ADMINISTRATION REPORTS V1

!
tear 187(3-77. 77
AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE

“ .i n n-T3 not loner before Ilia Ilfclmcss buRiiu to reap tl.c fruit*
of'Tiis *i 11 fatuat ion in lctfinff his treacherous enemies loose, for'the?-bad
ll0 Loner returned in safety to their own country than they com-
■nencetl to excite sedition ami hostility against His flightless w revenge
for the treatment they had undergone.
T„ July Ilis Highness1 suspicions being aroused with regard to the
conduct of' his nephews, the sons of Scyyid Thoweynee bin Said, he
caused them to leave Muscat and retire to Kishm, where they have since
remained.
In September Ilamood bin Said e! Jahafcc, one of tlie three Sheikhs
who had been imprisoned and who had never ceased his intrigues to cause
a rising, having succeeded in gathering a small following of about 150
men, came down into the Batinah by the passes near Rostnk through the
connivance of Seyyid Ibrahim bin Kais,and approached within a few miles
of Burba, raiding and pillaging wherever lie could. On the news of his
approach being received, the British traders were removed from Seeb
with their valuables, but whatever they left behind was plundered soon
after by Ilamood. Ilis Highness Seyyid Toorkce promptly moved up to
Burka to collect men to operate against the freebooters, and his force soon
mustered some COO men, but they did not show much eagerness to follow
Ilnmood up, and preferred remaining at Burka, where they amused His
Highness with promises. Ilis Highness had in the meantime taken
pr«vauti«.n< for the security of the forts and bazaars in the Batinah, and
had specially directed Seyyid Bedr of Sohar to arrange for the safety of
Suhatn. regarding which Ilis Highness had warning from Sheikh Saleh
and whi< h was unprotected by walls. Seyyid B< drat first did so, but being
mi.did by a report of Ilamood having turned back, removed the force he
bad plac d there, and Ilamood, who was in fact marching upon Saham at
the time arrived there suddenly and plundered the bazaar and the Indian
traders of everything he could find. This success greatly elated Ilamood
and his followers, whom Ilis Highness was unable to punish or retaliate
upon in any way whatever. As the Indian traders in other places on
the Batinaii Coast now became alarmed, the Political Agent proceeded up
the Coast in Her Majesty’s Ship 11 (fieman and removed them from
Mesnaah and other places where assurance was not felt of their safety.
His Highness Seyyid Toorkce, still at Burka, finding himself powerless to
take the field, now determined to dismiss the Arabs be had collected to
punish the rebels, who had retired unmolested to the Wady Maawal, where
»n the meantime fresh disturbances had broken out, and hostilities had
occurred between the Maawal tribe and the people of Naklil. Ilis
'I'hncss Seyyid Toorkce having espoused the cause of the Nakhiites.
• Winn Ilamood joined the Maawalis, to whom this accession of strength
ji**8 ^ opportune. In a collision that took place shortly after between
1 P-'rtus, the Nakhlitcs were defeated and driven hack with consider-,
wi n * , ch?ck waa however soon retrieved by the Nakbl men
rut arr^n^H^ Ip intercept about 40 of their opponents in a pass, and
disnnW h to PicoC8- Advantage was taken of these
I,..* ti V> Ibrahim to endeavour to make a descent upon Burka,
c lal waai* lr,^e having refused to give the support he expected, he.