Page 291 - PERSIAN 4 1899_1905

RESIDENCY" AND MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 100M002. 7

Part II.—ANNUAL ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE MASKAT
POLITICAL AGENCY POll TIIE YEAR 1901-1902.

1. During the past year, there have been no serious upheavals in the Political,
interior of any political consequence, or calculated to cause the Sultan personal
anxiety; and with the exception of one locality, Oman generally has enjoyed a
satisfactory measure of immunity from the petty intertribal wars which tend so
much and'so frequently to hinder the agriculture and prejudice the trade of
the country, and Mash at itself has been free from the usual scares of attack by
Bedouins.
2. TFodi Jfaaical.—The exception above mentioned is afforded by the tract
comprising the "Wadi Maawal and Nakl, ?*.<?., the hinterland of the small port of
Barba, 10 miles west of Maskat, which has been much disturbed for the last
seven or eight months from the results of an internecine feud, which, though
not extending to a wide stretch of country, has nevertheless from time to time
made travelling so unsafe in the area affected, as to bring caravan traffic to and
from that neighbourhood to a complete standstill.
Such feuds are generally prosecuted in the slack season, after the date crops
have been safely gathered, when the fire-eating elements of rival clans, freed
from the cares of husbandry, and in want of useful employment, seek diversion in
preying upon their neighbours or reviving old quarrels. The present case was
no exception to the rule, and the spark necessary to light the fuse of tribal
discord seems to have been generated at the end of August, when nows reached
the Sultan that a party of Beni Ruwaheh inhabiting Nakl, had killed two men
of the Beni Biyam, and that intertribal hostilities had been declared in conse-
quence.
Shaikh Rashid-bin-Uzaiz, Governor of Semail, was forthwith deputed to
proceed to the locality and endeavour to bring about a reconciliation between tlie
parties before matters bad assumed serious proportions, and this official returned
to .Maskat indue course, reporting that his mission bad been successful. 'With­
in a few days of his arrival, however, hostilities broke out afresh, and he had to
return and repeat his efforts, but with no better success than before.
During the months following, the Shaikhs of one party or the other
repeatedly addressed communications to the Sultau, stating that they were
anxious for the cessation of hostilities, and requesting him to send a repre­
sentative of his own to arbitrate between them ; and His Highness as often com­
plied with their representations, deputing at one time Shaikh Rashid before men­
tioned, and at another, Sayyid Badr-bin-Saif, the military member of bis council
—but all to no purpose. Truces were no sooner arranged and signed by the
elders than they were violated by some headstrong tribesmen and a revival of
general hostilities inevitably resulted, and during the despatch of the Sultan’s
last peace mission to the tribes concerned, an unfortunate incident occurred,
which merits passing notico.
The deputation in question left Maskat in a large party for Barka by land,
intending at that place to pick up “ Khafeors,” or " protective guides,” to conduct
them in safety to the rendezvous. They persuaded the aged Kazi of Barka, a
venerable and much respected greybeard and himself a Maawali, to accompany
them in this capacity, hoping no doubt that bis religious influence would assist
their negotiations.
The cavalcade had lost touch with Bavka on their outward journoy, and
was just ontcring the Wadi Maawal, wlion it was ambuscaded bv a body of
Maawalis and Beni Ruwaheh, who (whether by design or mistaking them for
euomies lias not been satisfactorily ascertained) opened fire upon the party atid
emptied the saddle of the unfortunate Kazi at the first discharge, killing him on
the spot. Apparently they soon realised that they had killed an elder of thoir
own community, for they ceased firing and did not molest the deputation
further. The latter, however, did not proceed on their way, but returned to
Barka with the Kazi’s body for burial, and in order to communicate the new*
to tho Sultan.