Page 342 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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JOASMEBS.

The Joasmees are a
race of Arabs descended from the inhabitants of
Nujd, and named Beni Nasir, as being on the left hand side of the
Caaba; and called also Beni Gafree. They have possessed the princi­
pality of Seer, in Oman, and been an independent tribe, from
the earliest ages. Their territory on the line of coast of that province
extends from Musseldom to Zobara, or the island of Shargah,
to the northward. That part of Oman contains many tribes,—the
Shahee, Zoheree, Joasmee, Beni Kuttub, and Beni Naeem, &c.
The Beni Naeem was for many years the head tribe, but the
disturbances that followed the death of Nadir Shah having compelled
Moolla Ali Shall,* the Governor of Ormus, Gom­
a. d. 1/47.
broon, and Minao, to call to his assistance
some Arab Tribes for the purpose of resisting the unjust demand of
tribute which every competitor for the throne of Persia preferred, with­
out any consideration to its having been collected by his predecessor,
he fixed on B-ashid bin Muttur bin Kasim, with whom he formed
alliances by marriage, and was enabled, from the vessels under his com­
mand, to avail himself of their services whenever required.
2. The Kasimees, or, as we shall hereafter call them, the Joasmees,
retained the vessels occasionally sent for them, and being well paid for
their a sistance, and having opportunities of procuring arms, they soon
acquired an ascendancy among their own tribes, and were enabled to
take possession of the town of Kishm, and of Luft, and of Lingah and
Shinas on the Persian main, and were extend­
a. d. 1765.
ing their conquests over all Moolla Ali’s posses­
sions, when their career was checked by Shaikh Abdoolla bin Moien,f
who retook Ormus and Bunder Abbas from Moolla Hussein, and Kishm
and Luft from the Joasmees. The Joasmees remained passive within
their ports whilst Abdoolla lived, but on his death, his sons disagreeing,
and their government becoming imbecile, the Joasmees reappeared in
the Gulf, plundering the weaker tribes.

* That monarch’* Duryali Beg (or Admiral) in the Persian Gulf. ,
t Appointed by Kureem Khan Governor of Ormus, Kishm, and Bunder Ab