Page 259 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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MUSK AT. 217

The Wahabce influence, which, on first arrival of the Agent, was so
great as to endanger the security of the Imaum’s dominions, received a
severe shock in the open defiance of the Beni Saeed. The people of
this powerful tribe set at naught his authority, refused to disburse an
iota of tribute, and inflicted chastisement upon his envoys. Syud bin
Mootluk threatened to exterminate them, and called upon the chiefs of
the coast to assist him. They however, either disgusted at his arbitrary
proceedings, or for some other reason best known to themselves, begged
to be excused from joining him.
About this time letters arrived from the Imaum to his son, “ enjoining
him to strengthen Burka, Semayle, and Nukkul, and, in the event of a
rupture with the Wahabees, to confine himself to the defence of the
forts, and on no account to leave Muskat.”
His Highness also intimated the complete failure of the expedition
against Sevee : his troops had been defeated with severe loss, and
compelled to retire ; many of note were slain;—amongst the number
Humeed bin Ahmed, who went in command of the expedition, also
Nassir bin Ali, late Envoy to England.
Syud bin Mootluk’s forces now made a foray into the district of
Burka, killed some two or three women, and carried off a number of
the latter, as also a large quantity of sheep and camels; and when
His Excellency remonstrated, and sought reparation for these aggressive
acts, the only reply he received was one couched in terms most over­
bearing and tyrannical; indeed the Wahabee Lieutenant seemed
bent on something more than the mere venting of empty words
and threats, and notwithstanding the promise so lately made to Syud
Soweynee, that he would await his reply from Zanzibar, appeared to have
been meditating immediate mischief ; for early in the month of June we
find him summoning the Arab Tribes to assemble at a place called
Ghoopee, and declaring to them his intention to march upon Muskat
forthwith. They on their side were not slow to obey : a large force
was speedily collected ; from the Beni Kuttub alone did he muster
auxiliaries to the amount of 300 horse and 1000 infantry, and from all
the rest of the tribes considerable numbers flocked to his standard.
Muskat was evidently in danger. So powerful an army could not be
withstood with ease, and no hopes of clemency could be entertained at
the hands of so determined and merciless an invader. There remained
but one alternative, either to resist successfully, or to be humbled
excessively. All, however, was disorder and confusion at Muskat:
either no one perceived the danger he was in, or, if he did, he cared not
whether he was doomed to stand or to fall. Troops there were none,
at least deserving of the name of troops. The garrison not long
since had been reinforced with an accession from the neighbouring