Page 418 - PERSIAN 4 1899_1905

12 ADMINISTRATION REronT ON THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL

Journey from 8. After leaving Eujoyrah the Redbreast cruised round to Abu Thabi on
Abu Thabi to the Pirate const \rhcro tho Political Agent was landed on 30th April aud
Mnskat.
journeyed to Maskat by land, a distance a little over 100 miles.
The utmost assistance and hospitality was afforded to him by Sheikh Zaccd-
bin-Khalifa, Chief of Abu Thabi, without whose cordial co-operation tho first
portion of the journey could not have been performed ; and on disembarking
tho Political Agent, IT. M. S. Redbreast returned to-Maskat with a despatch
requesting tho Sultan to bo so good as to send his trusted Lieutenant Sheikh
llashidbin-Uzaiz, Governor of Scmail, or some other influential Sheikh, to meet
the Political Agent at Ibri in the Dahirch. llis Highness cordially aud
promptly responded and Sheikh ltashid duly kept tryst at lbri on ldth May.
Some portion of the country passed through in the Dahireh district had not
been visited before by a European, so far as is known, and of the remainder of
tho route much had not been traversed for many years.
The principal places visited were Abu Thabi, Bercymec, Hafit, Dthank,
Ibri, Ncjd-ul-Makliarim Gabrin, Bahia, Nczwa, Tanoof, the villages of the
Jebel Akhdar range, Scmail, Saroor, Bid bid, Pinjah and so on to Maskat which
was reached on 29th May.
No serious opposition was offered to the Political Agent’s progress and when
the difficulties and occasional risks of first contact had been got ovor, and his
identity and credentials made known, the villagers and Bedouins met with were
uniformly friendly. The chief impediment to the security of travel in Oman,
as in other parts of Arabia, is tho suspicious nature of the bucolic Arab, who is
ever ready to believe any exaggerated or lying story that may happen to get
abroad regarding tbc identity and motives of the stranger sojourning in bis country.
The peasants were found to be much better armed in this, the Northern
half of Oman, than they are in the South; in fact obsolete rifles were altogether
at. a discount
9. (b) On Sth Juno His Majesty’s 1st class Cruiser Am phi trite, 11,000
tons, Captain C. "Windham C.V.O., arrived at Maskat fromEngland and, in the
absence of tho Resident at Shiraz, the Political Agent accompanied her on
her cruise in these waters, returning to Maskat on 23th June.
(c) On 11th July he proceeded to Simla on duty and returned on 13th
August.
(d) On 13th December he left for India to attend the Coronation Durbar
at Delhi with the deputation of IIis Highness the Sultan.
Delhi 10. Tho latter was cordially invited by the Government of India to attend
Coronation
Durbar* this great pageant himself as the guest of Government, or to send a deputation
in the event of his own inability to avail himself of the invitation. Unfor­
tunately His Highness did not feel able to absent himself from Maskat for the
period which his presence at Delhi in person would have necessitated, and there­
fore sent his eldest son Saiyid Tairaoor to represent him, attended by Saiyid
Yusuf Zowawi, a close friend and adviser of tho Sultan, and Saiyid Milliaromad
bin Ahmed bin Nasir, Governor of Muttra.
Tho Political Agent accompanied the deputation as Political officer.
On arrival at Karachi Saiyid Taimoor was received with his father’s salute
of 21 guns and was escorted on shore by tho Port Officer. He was accorded
similar honors on arrival at end departure from Delhi, and was in all matters
treated as representing His Highness the Sultan.
In spite of the severe cold the party kept good health and were able te
attend all the preordained functions and to enter heartily into other pleasures
during the progress of the festivities, which they thoroughly appreciated and
enjoyed. During the fortnight Saiyid Taimoor and his companions had an
interview with His Excellency the Viceroy, taking with them a set of handsome
gold chased articles of local pattern and workmanship which tho Sultan had had
mado for His Majesty the King and which His Excollcncy the Viceroy had
kindly undertaken to havo forwarded to their destination. During tho interview
Saiyid Taimoor delivered messages of congratulation and friendship from his
father, and His Excellency expressed his plcasuro at being able to honour tho
occasion by tho presentation to His Highness the Sultan of 2 guns as on arma­
ment for the steamer which he lias lately purchased, through tho good offices of
the Government of India, for his own use.