Page 144 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

102 CHIEFS—JOASlfrEES.

JOASMEES.
t The Joasmce Chief, previous to the expedition under Sir W Gr
Keir in 1820, or rather, perhaps, previous to his confinement by tile
Wahabees in 1811, held supremacy over Amulgavine and Ejman and
exacted tribute from the chiefs of those towns.
Since that period.
however, and lip to the present day, these have enjoyed virtual
indc-
pendence, notwithstanding his repeated attempts, principally
by
intrigue, and on one or two occasions by actual force, to re-establish
his lost authority. They have, it is true, once or twice acknowledged
his general supremacy, but this was merely nominal, and lasted so long
only as the danger of an attack with his superior means appeared to
threaten them. Sultan bin Suggur, on the other hand, has been obliged
publicly to disclaim authority over these places, and to decline respon­
sibility for the proceedings of their inhabitants.
The following was remarked by Captain MacLeod in 1823 :—
u Sultan bin Suggur is ambitious of reducing the tribes to complete and
absolute subjection, and to be considered answerable for the whole of
the coast. It is impossible for us to recognise his authority any further
than it is obeyed by the other chiefs, nor can we lend the influence of
our name in any way to aid his views ; at the same time, we cannot
directly interfere to prevent him from recovering that authority which
he regards as his birthright.”
Such would appear to have been the sole aim of his ambition since
that period ; nor have any obstacles been opposed by the British
Government to his lawful exertions towards its attainment, beyond
such as are involved in the terms of the Maritime Truce.
Sultan bin Suggur, Chief of the Joasmees, aged between sixty and
sixty-five years, succeeded to the Shaikhdom of the tribe in 1803, upon
the death of his father, Suggur, who had assumed the chief authority
in 1777, upon his father Rashid bin Muttur’s retiring from public life,
and resigning the office.
Invited to Deriah in 1809, he proceeded to that capital, and was
detained and imprisoned by the Wahabee Chief, one Hussein bin Ali,
a Joasmee, being appointed in his room Wahabee vicegerent in the
Seer principality. He contrived to escape from prison, and, finding his
way to Yemen, embarked at Mocha, and proceeded to Muskat, an ,
through the Imaum’s influence and protection, was established at
Shargah. It was not, however, till 1813, that by the same instru
mentality he recovered his lost positional Ras-ool-Khyma, when t e
Governor, Hussein bin Ramah, his relative, but born of a concubine,
continued to exercise general control. Saleh (of a slave girl),
Sultan bin Suggur had three brothers, the one
still alive, the other two, Mahomed and Muttur, deceased.