Page 363 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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321
JO ASM EES.
however, so far from tending to promote the general tranquillity,
appears to have occasioned a speedy rupture of the good understanding
which had been lately established between Shaikh Sultan and Shaikh
Tahnoon, in an interview they had held at Shargah only a few days
before. The Joasmec Shaikh, after informing the British authority
of the conclusion of peace between himself and the Beniyas Chief
on the 17th March, wrote again, on the 22nd of the same month, stat­
ing that he found it quite impossible to maintain any engagement with
a person of so faithless a character as his late enemy. Certain it is
that, whether as an offering to the offended dignity of Shaikh Tahnoon,
which had been sorely touched by the demolition of Derail, or in order
to sow dissension between him and the Shaikh of Ras-ool-Khyma, tho
Imaum presented the former with artillery and warlike stores, and
likewise endeavoured to induce the inhabitants of Debaye to acknow­
ledge his (Tahnoon’s) jurisdiction. Encouraged by this support, Shaikh
Tahnoon seized the ruler of Debaye by treachery, and afterwards
attacked and carried that place by storm.
Anxious to avert the great and general distress so invariably occa­
sioned by the breaking out of hostilities during the pearl fishing season,
the British Resident proceeded to the Arabian Coast in June, but
on his arrival found that peace had been again concluded between the
contending chieftains. In an interview held with Shaikh Sultan, the
latter endeavoured in vain to obtain the guarantee of the English to the
treaty between himself and Tahnoon, and likewise entered into a long
discussion upon Article IV. of the General Treaty,* which, he maintained,
bound the British Government to prevent the Arabs from fighting with
each other. A written explanation of the real tenor of this article having
been given him by the Resident, he did not touch again upon the subject.
About this time some acts of a piratical nature having been commit­
ted by a person named Udwee (a subject of Rashid bin Humecd), upon
two Debaye boats, a remonstrance was made to Shaikh Sultan bin
Suggur by the British authority, in consequence of which the above
individual, together with one or two of his followers, was placed in
confinement, and detained there for a considerable period.
As might have been expected, the amicable relations, mentioned
above as having been entered into by Shaikh Sultan bin Suggur with
the Chief of A.boothabee, were very soon interrupted by their mutual
jealousy, and the collisions of their Bedouin dependents. In a letter
dated November 1S27, the Joasmee Shaikh declared war against
Tahnoon, and detailed his reasons for so doing to the British authority.
Notwithstanding this declaration, Shaikh Sultan appears to have given
up his intention, and affairs remained in their former situation.
* Vide pages 76 to 78 of this Selection.