Page 136 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

94 CHARACTER AND RELATIONSHIP OF THE TRIBES.

The Kazee, or Ecclesiastical Judge, constitutes the only tribunal
and decides upon all cases according to the Mahomedan law.
It is by no means uncommon for one of the branches of a tribe, to
the number sometimes of several hundred individuals, in order to
escape excessive taxation and oppression, or with a view to
secure to
themselves greater immunities and advantages, to secede from the
authority and territory of their lawful and acknowledged chief into that
of another,# or to establish themselves and build a fort on some other
spol,f and assert and maintain independence ; nor is it a matter of
great moment that the chief they are about to join, or whose friend­
ship and countenance they must in the first place command, is a rival
at implacable feud with their own : the advantages attending any
numerical increase of subjects ensure them welcome asylum and
protection. It will not escape observation, that the facilities thus
mutually offered to seceders on the one hand, and the loss of authority
and revenue consequent on their secession on the other, act, vice versa,
as a salutary check to the tyranny and oppression of the respective
chiefs.
The Arabs of the coast are more or less connected with the Bedouin
tribes of the interior, either by ties of relationship, or from consideration
of mutual interests and defence.
Of so great importance is their alliance or forbearance considered by
the maritime chieftains, that these, particularly Sultan bin Suggur, who
is especially interested in maintaining a sort of balance of power, find
it their best policy to conciliate them by repeated and considerable
presents.
To go over from one chief to another, with whom they may be or have
been at feud, and even to plunder the territories and subjects of their
patron, should he not coincide in, and follow out their views of ambition,
honour, or revenge, or withhold the usual payment of blackmail, are
shown by the sketches of the Arab tribes to be of constant occurrence
with these fickle allies.
Khaleefa bin Shakboot may be said to possess the greater influence
inland, and to command the services of the greater number of Bedouin
auxiliaries.

* The Boo Muhair, at Shargah, are an example of the former,
t The Boo Felasa, of Debaye, of the latter.