Page 495 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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WAHABEE3.
fortunate, as the Maritime Arabian Chiefs, although outwardly profess­
ing their determination to maintain their own independence, were
known to be secretly carrying on intrigues and correspondence with
him, and as the irregular proceedings of the Brymee Chiefs, in ,foraying
the districts of Syud* Humood bin Azan of Sohar, must have greatly
diminished, if not altogether destroyed, the prospect of any co-operation
on the part of the latter in the event of an attack upon Nujd.
A very short time sufficed to show how little able was the titular
chief, when deprived of the support of his Egyptian allies, to maintain
cven his own position.
Abdoolla bin Sooncyan, the son of Mahomed, the younger brother of
Saood, father of Khalid, entertaining pretensions to the sovereignty of
Nujd, and finding himself suspected by Khalid, had fled to Koweit,
where he remained some time, secretly supported by Toorkey Heezanee,
a Chief of Khurij. He returned in September of this year, and took
possession of Zoomali, where, under certain pretences, he seized and
executed an inhabitant named Zaghur, confiscating his property, to the
amount of S,000 dollars. He then took successively Syah and Mun-
foohad (one or two marches from Riaz), in which latter place, by the
execution of a wealthy inhabitant, he secured his property, amounting
to 4,000 dollars. With these means at his disposal, he satisfied the
immediate wants of his followers, said to consist of one thousand men;
besides which the tribes of Graymigah, Soohool, and Toorkey Ahrance,
well disposed towards him, could furnish fifteen hundred more.
Three other tribes, the Ali Moorah, Ejman, and Soobaya, numbering
about three thousand men, although said to have openly promised their
support to his opponent, would, it was supposed, either remain neutral
in the approaching conflict, or side with Abdoolla.
In December 1841 he threatened Riaz, the major part of whose
inhabitants were said to be in his favour. Khalid was represented as
having in his service about eight hundred Egyptian troops, one *alf
cavalry the other infantry, mostly irregular, indifferently armed and
mounted, and somewhat discontented, in consequence of not receiving
their arrears of pay, now due for a whole year. These were looked on
with much jealousy and disfavour by the Arab Chieftains, who, when
Khalid was left in authority over Nujd, ha*d expressed their dislike to
the strangers, and stipulated for their dismissal, in return for their own
friendship and support,—a measure to which he at the time acceded
but its execution he had been led to defer, in consequence . of the
revolt of Abdoolla bin Sooneyan. In addition to the Egyptian troops,
he could too, it was reported, depend on the assistance of three thousand
men from the Anisa, Muhtari, and Beni Hajir tribes. There
was no
artillery on either side, unless a few honey-combed and badly mounted