Page 254 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

212 MUSK AT.

About two years previous, one of the Chiefs of Oman, Syf bin Solcy-
man by name, had been placed in charge of a strong fort, situated
between Rastag and Soweik, called Honken, by Syud Ilillal
bin
Mahomed, the Governor of Muskat. Having rendered himself ob-
noxious to the inhabitants and ryuts by his irregular proceedings, Syf
bin Soleyman was removed from his post by Syud Ilillal, and another
person appointed in his room. Thus affairs remained until the middle
of the year 1841, when, taking advantage of the absence of the go­
vernor, the deposed chief succeeded in surprising and obtaining
possession of the fort of Honken. Upon the intelligence reaching Syud
Soweynee, then Governor of Muskat, he wrote to his kinsman Syud
Humood bin Azan, requesting his aid in its recovery, which that chief
readily promised. In the mean while, overtures were made to him by
Syf bin Soleyman, which he at once rejected, informing him that there
was only one course left him to pursue, namely to tender immediate
submission to the Muskat Government. Accordingly, finding that all
the chiefs of His Highness’ family were now united, and that the
support he had counted upon from the ruler of Sohar, based upon the
enmity formerly subsisting between that personage and IheTmaum, was
not forthcoming, Syf bin Soleyman begged for quarter, which being
granted, he delivered up the fort to the troops of Syud Soweynee, and
proceeded to Muskat, to make his submission to that chief.
Had Syud Humood bin Azan, consulting his own interests, accepted
the templing offer of the fort of Honken, little doubt existed but that
the example of Syf bin Soleyman would speedily have been followed by
the disaffected Chieftains of Oman ; and as the delegated authority of
Syud Soweynee was altogether inadequate to the suppression of such
outbreaks, the Arabian provinces of His Highness the Jmaum would
before long have returned to that state of anarchy and disorder into
which they had on former occasions generally fallen during the periods
of his protracted absence from Muskat.
The Naeem Tribes of Brymee, instigated doubtless by the Joasmee
Chiefs, made a foray in October 1842 into the
A. D. 1842.
territories of the Sohar Chief, whose attempts at
retaliation were defeated by them, with great loss, He therefore applied
for assistance to the Governor of Muskat, and addressed a letter to the
Resident, complaining of their ungrateful conduct, after the kindness
and friendship he had shown in co-operating with and supporting them
against Syud bin Mootluk, the Wahabee-Egyptian General, and inti
mating his intention to use his utmost endeavours to chastise them, an
put an end to their annoyances.
occurred about this
A piracy of a novel and highly dangerous nature

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