Page 561 - PERSIAN 4 1899_1905

1004*1006. 19
RESIDENCY AND MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOB THE YEAR
manner. Of till*

and CO were either Persians or Baluchis who had been exported firom JasJc
and certain Mekran ports to Sohar and other plnces on the Batineh Coast. in
connection with this latter traffic strong measures have been and are being
taken by His Highness the Sultan to deal effectively with Buch of his subjects
as have been concerned in it. The chief offendor on this side appears to have
beon one Jemadar Abdullah, tho Commander of His Highness’s garrison at
8obar, who was in league with certain Persians at and near .lask. This
Jemadar has recently undergone a period of imprisonment in Maskat on this
account, and has now, it is said, fled to Baluchistan ; while representations
regarding the share taken hy their subjects in the traffic have been addressee*,
to the Persian Government/ It is to be hoped that these representations will
be renewed until they meet with some result as it is dflicult to deal successfully
with a matter of this kind unless both parties co-operate heartily.
8. The great, social event of tho year in Maskat was the marriage of Sayyid Marriage o?
Taimoor, the Sultan’s eldest son, to a daughter of Snyyid Ali-bin-Salim-bin- ipSSnnv.
Thowayni, Bis Highness’s cousin. This took place in December and was
accompanied with general feasting and rejoicing among all classes and com­
munities. Bis Highness the Sultan entertained each community in Maskat
and Mattr&b separately as well as a numbpr of visitors from outlying stations,
and invited the European representatives and their families to dinner in
honour of the occasion. The Political Agent paid a special complimentary
visit to the bridegroom during which he presented the congratulations of
Government and a Silver Coffee and Tea Service as a token of their regard.
9. The event of the year which gave most trouble ana anxiety both to Marine.
His Highness the Sultan and to the Political Agent was the massacre of a
boat’s crew of the S. S. Bar oh Invcrdale on Maseerah Island in August
last. This unfortunate vessel, the property of Messrs. Hogarth of Glasgow, was
on her way from Karachi to Aden and grounded on Kalibya Island, one of
Kuria-Muria group, on the 2nd August. Three days later, the master, officers,
and crew (with the exception of eight men who preferred to remain on hoard)
with one boy passenger, embarked in two of the ship’s boats, intending, it is
believed, to cross over to Dhofar, and travel thence by land to Maskat or some
other place of security. The total number of persons who left the ship appears
to have been 23, of whom 17 embarked in the larger boat, and six in the
smaller. These boats were not successful in reaching Dhofar, but were carried
out to sea. The smaller of the two has never been heard of since, and was
probably lost in the heavy monsoon sea which must have prevailed to compel
the boats to alter their course. The larger boat journeyed on northwards, either
under compulsion by the sea or with the hope of eventually reaching Maskat,
and about the 15th August arrived off the Island of Maseerah. It is not
known exactly what took place there, but in all probability the natives saw
the boat coming and wished to plunder its contents, the occupants naturally
objected, and a dispute ensued which culminated in the massacre of the boat’s
crew, and the confiscation by the Arabs of whatever money and supplies they
found with them. It is certain that no person remained alive of the unfortu­
nate refugees.
The first news of this tragic occurrence to reach Maskat was contained in
a. letter to His Highness the Sultan from Sheikh Isa-bin-8aleh (referred to in
thei commencement of this report), who stated that a rumour had reached him
to the effect that 17 “ Englishmen” had been massacred on Maseerah Island.
This following upon a report which had reached to the Political Agent two or
three days before (23rd August) regarding the wreck of the Baron Iuverdale
raised suspicions that the two events might be connected, and the Government,
ot India were communicated with the result of which was that H. M R
andH* M,s''3f^?tCted fr?m .Ka™fhi 8ce?e of the supposed crime,
ana u M. s -MeW'i, was placed at the disposal of the Political Atrent fn.
NeX «^rrh His Highness thtgX£T
Products of result, the matter was snocessfST.
conocalod and toth parties returned to Maskat, H. M. 8. Lamina of
the 8th and H. M. 8. Merlin an the 13th September without harto^^nied