Page 264 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

222 muskat.

was called upon to pay over a portion of his riches, and obstinately ve-
fused. Recourse was had to harsh measures and ill-usage, but without
effect: at last, however, driven to extremities, and finding that preparations
were in course to inflict torture upon him, lie agreed to pay the sum of
750 Tomans. Having given the above promise, he was released, and
contrived to make good his escape from Bushire harbour before he had
paid any portion of the money. Mcer Banker pretended that the sum of
750 Tomans was due to himself, for he said that, having guaranteed
the payment thereof to Meerza Abbas, he was eventually compelled
lo disburse the whole amount from his own pocket.
During the preceding year (1845), some seven cases of indigo were
sent to Bushire for sale by Syud Mahomed bin Salim of Muskat, nephew
to His Highness the Imaum. Mcer Banker, ever seeking a pretext
for revenge, and still incensed at the escape of .his would be victim,
now thought a fitting opportunity for the practice of a little more
villany had arrived. He declared Syf bin Salim’s indigo to be the
property of Mahomed Ali Bundera, and, by means of bribes, and a
representation of his claims upon the latter party, induced Meerza
Hedayut, acting Governor of Bushire, to seize and confiscate the whole
of the boxes. These were transmitted to Shiraz, and no appeals from
the .Resident either to Meerza Hedayut or to Shaikh Nassir, the do facto
Governor of Bushire, could effect their relinquishment. The Muskat
authorities retaliated, by the seizure of a quantity of silk, belonging to
Persian merchants, that was intercepted on its way to the Presidency.
Much discussion arose, and many letters were exchanged on the subject
of the above “seizure and counter seizure,” but it was not until after the
lapse of close upon a year that matters were in any way settled or adjusted.
We now come to the second ground of complaint:
This consisted in the despatch of troops by Houssein Khan, the Go­
vernor of Fars, against Bunder Abbas, with a view to exacting a large
sum of money from Shaikh Syf bin Nubhan, the governor, and the
Imaum’s deputy in that place.
The Imaum was determined to resent these injuries. He addressed
himself to the Governor General of India, “ intimating his desire to
blockade the port of Bushire,” and also wrote to Shaikh Nassir direct,
remonstrating with him for the unfriendliness of his behaviour in the
matter of the indigo, and telling him plainly that as he understood
Persian troops were encroaching upon, and “ destroying his possessions
in Bunder Abbas, he would retaliate by destroying Bushire.”
The chief fears entertained by Shaik Nassir, on receipt of the
of his fleet, should
communication, were lest the Imaum, by means
take possession of Karrack.