Page 26 - PERSIAN 4 1899_1905

18 ADMINISTRATION REPOST ON THE PER8IAN QULF POLITICAL
of tho al-Wahibeh having written to the Sultan that should His Highness
discontinue to give his tribe their usual presents they would raid on and loot
any plaoo they could lay their hands on, the Sultan sent a furthor re-inforce-
ment of armed sowars to strengthen tho garrison of Seeb which it was supposed
would be tho rendezvous of the mal-cohtents.
Nothing, however, occurred till'the 22nd July, when a handful of 8hnrki-
ych Bedouins with the aid of some of the Siabieen, though not Btrong enough
to attack the town and bazaar, raided the house of a wealthy Balooch merchant,
killed its owner and looted the premises before the Sultan’s garrison appeared
on tho scone. The latter put the marauders to flight killing four of their
number and five camels, while tho pursuers had one of their men killed and two
slightly wounded. At the reguest of tho Sultan who foared a more serious
raid on 8ceb, the British subjects were directed to remove themselves with
their valuables for a time which they did. His Highness at the same time
provided the garrison with a large supply of ammunition. Nothing further,
however, occurred to disturb the peace of the place.
On the 29th June news reached Maskat that some Bedouins of the
Sharkiyeh under the leadership of a notorious robber named Muhammad bin
Suleiman Muskaree had committed a raid on the bazaar* at Kurriyat, 38 miles
south of Maskat, the previous day, and on 30th four British Indian Banian
traders arrived at the Consulate and confirmed the news. The Sultan imme­
diately sent a large force to punish the raiders who, however, had left the
place with their loot before their arrival. The claims of tho traders after
careful verification were presented to the Sultan by the Political Agent on 11th
December 1899, and were settled by him forthwith.
On the 16th July the Sultan ordered the levy of punitive tax upon the
produce brought to coast towns by the Rahbieen who were known to be defeat*
ing the object of that tax by passing into Matra as their own tax-free produce,
the goods of persons under the ban. The Rahbieen thereupon closed Akk Pass
to all Kafilahs to and from the interior, and were soon imitated by tbe Siabieen
who closed Khaza Pass in retaliation for the imprisonment of six of their tribes­
men who had shortly before been arrested by the Wali of Kurryat and sent in
irons to Maskat. The trade-routes being closed trade came to a practical
standstill by which the Customs farmer was a heavy sufferer: he therefore
threatened to throw up the Customs farm unless the Sultan arranged to open
tbe roads. The Sultan accordingly ordered Sheikh Rashid bin Uzaiz, the Gov­
ernor of Sejnail, to arrange for the opening of the passes, which he succeeded in
doing by giving the Sheikhs their usual presents.
On the 18th July news was received that Wali Suleiman bin Suweilim
had been wounded and two of his men killed in a fight with the Mokabil,
which had been brought about by tbe latter refusing to surrender two of their
tribesmen who had escaped from confinement in the fort of Sohar. The Moka­
bil were aided by tbe Beni Ali and the Wali therefore cut down a number of
date trees of the latter. A month afterwards the Beni Ali mustered in great
force near Sobar and threatened an attack on Wall Suleiman, and at the same
time sent a letter to the Sultan informing His Highness that they have only
risen against the Wali to recover the damages done to their date groves, and
unless they obtained redress they intended to have recourse to force to compel
compliance with their demands. The Wali, however, was prepared for the hos­
tility of the tribe, and had taken measures to forestall any attack that might
be made upon him. The result was that both parties sat waiting their oppor-
tunity and neither would take the offensive, and the situation became so intoler-
able to the unoffending public that on 8th September Sheikh Sukkur bin
Zaeed bm Kbaleefah was persuaded to attempt mediation. Wali Suleiman,
however, would brook no interference, and eventually the Sultan hearing of the
state of things sent two trusted envoys to counsel 8uleiman and get him to put
an end to ^strife by accepting any amicable arrangement which Sheikh Zaced
w ro i • °rlDp a^°ut. The latter succeeded in arranging the matter,
and Wall Suleiman thereupon left for Maskat to get his wounded foot treated
and remained to the end of'the year.
t O December a serious brawl resulting in some casualties took place
at Seeb between the Awamir and the Ueni Hina. The Wali at once intervened,