Page 50 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

8 OMAN.

and entreated that they might be relieved from the persecuting attacks
of Ali bin Suif; that he would be satisfied with complete possession of
the other towns, and allow them to enjoy the revenues of Ras-ool-Kh yma,
as a stipend for the support of the chiefs of their tribes. The Imaum
granted their petition, and favoured them with gifts, and robes of
honour. In this state affairs remained till the lmaum’s decease
a. h. 1185 (a. d. 1771).
During two years after the succession of his son Sueed, the affairs of
the Hinavi languished. In a. d. 1775, the Joasim attacked the whole
of Sir, and took possession of Jazerat-ool-Hamra and Shargah, and Ramse
and Khurfakhan also, a. ii. 1189.
Jaud, the son of Sueed, dispossessed his father of power, and in
a. h. 1200 (a. d. 1786) advanced against the Joasim, and re-look
Khurfakhan and Jazerat-ool-Hamra, and besieged Rarnse. He left
Mahomed bin Khalfan in charge of the naval armament, and proceeding
himself by land to the southward, reached Jabal-ool-Akhdhar, where,
after some little stay, he died.
To this prince succeeded his uncle Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sueed, a
weak and incompetent ruler, in whose reign the Joasim re-possessed
themselves of all Sir, except Khasab, and the other towns of the
Shihiyyin.
The successor of this prince was his nephew Badr bin Halal, who
found himself overpowered by the increased strength of the Joasim,
who had become sectaries of the Wahabee faith, and were supported by
the arms of its Head. The power of piracy was now daily gaining
vigour, when Badr was murdered, and gave room* for the succession of
his nephew Sueed bin Sultan, the present Imaum, who has continued
to lose his influence and territorial possession on every side.
This historical abstract shows that the Hinavi, of which tribe the
Yarabi and Syudi were branches, were the first Arabian settlers in
Oman; that the Ghafiri, of which the Joasim are a branch, entered
the province after the power of the Hinavi was perfectly established ;
that they submitted to the dominion of these ; and that the Hinavi
retained the supremacy over the whole of Oman, with few intervals of
supersession, from the age of Imaum Malik, the founder of the Arab
power in this province, till nearly the close of the eighteenth century.
The Province of Oman extends from Ras-ool-IIud to the extremity
of the ports of the Beniyas, and covers nearly two thousand square
miles. It is divided into four districts,—Sir, Dhahirah, Hajar, and
Batinah. The district of Sir extends from Musseldom to the end of the
the Arabian shore of the Persian Gulf, a
ports of the Beniyas, along
depth inland of fifty or sixty miles.

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