Page 359 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

JO ASM EES. 317
to conceal, but assigned self-preservation as his only motive for
adopting it. The Shaikh of A1 Hamra, Mahomed bin Mahzem, having
given umbrage to the Joasmee Chief, was removed by him from the
government of that place, and Ahmed bin Abdoolla bin Ooseyah estab­
lished in his room.
A dispute having arisen between His Highness the Imaum and
Shaikh Sultan binSuggur, on the subject of the occupation of the towers
of a place on the frontiers of His Highness’ territory, called Brymee,
which had by a solemn treaty been previously declared neutral, ITis
Highness’ cause was taken up by his dependent, Shaikh Tahnoon of
Aboothabce. Independently of this chief threatening Shargah, some
aggressions were committed on the boats of that place by the Sooedan
Tribe, under Salmin bin Nassir, which had separated itself from the
Joasmees, and taken refuge in Debaye, between which place and
Shargah they were erecting a fort, called Derail, a proceeding which
drew down strong remonstrances from Sultan bin Suggur. The general
peace and tranquillity of the Gulf appearing likely to be endangered if
this dispute remained unsettled, the Resident (having previously had an
interview with His Highness the Imaum upon the subject), proceeded
to Shargah in December 1S24, and there, by his mediation, a reconcilia­
tion was effected, upon the conditions that on the side of the Joasmee
Chief the towers of Brymee should be destroyed, while a similar
measure should be carried into effect in respect to the fort of Derail on
the part of Shaikh Tahnoon, who was to assign some other part of his
dominions for the residence of the Soodan Tribe.
Shaikh Sultan, however, took no steps to fulfil his part of the agree­
ment, and in February 1825 the Resident was
a. d. 1825.
under the necessity of addressing a very strong
remonstrance upon the extraordinary hesitation shown by him in carry­
ing into effect the very first article of the treaty. Shaikh Sultan, how­
ever, in reply, threw all the blame of the delay which had taken place
upon the Imaum’s Agent at Brymee, who had persuaded his (Sultan’s)
man to disobey his orders ; and further, in proof of his sincerity, offered
to send a person in company with a messenger from Syud Saeed, and
one from the Resident, to execute the conditions of the engagement
entered into. A short time before the Huzah, the Governor of Debaye,
and a kind of Agent of the Muskat Government, died, and was succeed­
ed by his young son Mahomed, whose sister Shaikh Sultan bin Suggur
had obtained in marriage. By means of this connexion, the Joasmee
Chief acquired a very considerable degree of influence in Debaye, and
was secretly intriguing to get possession of it, as its position and vicinity
to Shargah rendered the place, when under the authority of an enemy,
peculiarly obnoxious to him.