Page 204 - PERSIAN 3 1883_1890

36 ADMINISTRATION RETORT OF THE PERSIAN GUXF POLITICAL

From this time maritime affairs appear to have gone on pretty smoothly in the Persian
Gulf j the Portuguese remained undisputed masters of the situation, and the utter rout of the
fleet of the Grand Turk doubtless had a sobering effect upon the logical minds of the Perei aui
and Arabs, for we have no record of any exciting events for nearly thirty yearn.
In the year 1580 news reached the Gulf that an expedition was being prepared at Aden
for the purpose of ravaging Muscat. The rumour was not credited by the Governor of Hormuz,
Dom Gon5ales, hut lie nevertheless gave warning to the garrison at Muscat to be watchful
and ready. The Governor of Muscat, on the other hand, was fully convinced of the truth of
the report, which had been ronfirracd to him by the Arabs; lie know also that the scheme had
emanated from the neighbourhood of Muscat itself; his enemies having couwyed intimation
to the Governor of Yemen, a rcuegade Italian named Mirat-al-Zaman, that immense booty
would reward the enterprise. He therefore made due preparations for defence and stationed a
swift vessel off Ras-el-Had to bring tidings of the corsairs.
The filibustering expedition, consisting of four galleys under the command of Meer AJi
Beg, left Aden at the cud of August 15b0; in passing along the Arabian coast one of the
galleys foundered, but the rest continued the voyage, and giving Ras-cl-FIad a wide berth, by
which they eluded the vigilance of the scout Alvaro Murato, arrived off Muscat on the evening
of the 22nd September. Instead of entering the harbour, however, Ali Beg proceeded to
the little lay aud village of Sedab, where he quietly landed with 150 mea and sent the galleys
round to Muscat with instructiuus to appear before the city at dawn and commence an imme­
diate bombardment, making at the same time a feigned attempt to laud to distract attention.
During the night Ali Beg with his band of robbers made his way over the Sedab Pass to
the walls of the town, and haviug posted a party at each of the three gates, waited patiently
until the morning broke, and the guns of his galleys iu the harbour gave the signal for attack.
Meanwhile ihe inhabitants, having received uo warning from Alvaro Murato, and half doubting
the threatened danger, had refrained from sending their wives and goods to a place of safety,
and were now slumbering in their houses unconscious of their danger. An accident revealed
the presence of the enemy. A merchant named Diogo Machado, desiring to bury his treasure
outside the town, came to one of the gates iu the night, and passing threngh it was stabbed by
the robbers and relieved of bis bag of ducats ; his servant fled back in the town aud gave the
alarm, and almost simultaneously the three galleys entered the harbour and opened a cannonade.
The Portuguese residents iu Muscat at this time numbered altogether, it is said, about 500 souls,
of whom 70 were able to bear arms. At first the utmost confusion prevailed, then, while
some hastened to the gates to oppose the Turks, others fled out of the town with the women
and children over the Riam aud Kalboo Passes to Muttrah, where they took refuge.
It cost Ali Beg little trouble to overcome the feeble resistance of the Portuguese, and he
was then at leisure to sack the town, which he did effectually with the hearty assistance of
the Arabs and slaves of the Portuguese, who no doubt cordially detested their masters. All
Beg spent the day in the work of pillage, and having taken possession of three Portuguese
vessels that were lying in the harbour, loaded them with his booty aod set sail for Aden.
Directly Dom Gonjalo deMenezes heard of Ali Beg's attack on Muscat he 6cnt Lai*
d'Alracjda with a squadron consisting of a galleon, a galley, and six smaller vessels to intercept
and destroy Ali Beg's flotilla. But Almeyda, either not cariug to face the enemy, or led away
perhaps by hopes of enriching himself with pluuder, sailed to Mekran, where he looted Pussnee,
Gwadur, and Teez.
Ali Beg's success was the cause of his ruin. He began to undertake piratical expeditions
agaiust the east coast of Africa, and *c 1589 was captured at Mombasa by Thome dcSouza
Continho, who sent him a prisoner to Lisbon, where he turned Christian and died.
In this year, 1580, Portugal passed under* the domination of Spain, and although the
decadence of Lusitanian power in the East is usually ascribed by Portuguese historian* to the
indifference of the Spanish Court, it is nevertheless true that the fortresses at Muscat and
Sobar were erected by orders from Madrid.
The exploit of Ali Beg hod shown that Muscat was unprepared for an attack by sea, and
that she would be exposed to similar blows iu future unless further means of defence were
afforded. It was surmised, moreover, that the Turks had an eye on .this port, which commanded
the Straits of Mussendom and would Lave given them an advantageous position, in protecting
the Basra trade. The Viceroy, Mauoel deSouza Continho, therefore received instructions on
leaving Lisbon to build a powerful fort withcat delay, and the commission was entrusted to
Belchior Calaca, who commanded one of the ships at Muscat, and who erected it on an eminence