Page 86 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

44 OMAN.
:
country westward of Musical to Massecra, which reduced the Imaum
to such distress, that he was compelled to make peace with the
Wahabees on their own terms, which were that he and the whole of
Oman should be subject to their authority, and aid their views on Bussora
and India, which were however, delayed until Sahood’s return from a
pilgrimage to Mecca.
It is of importance here to notice a new power, the Zahib tribe, which
the Wahabee Shaikh established in the tract of country from Musseldom
to Ramse, which he placed under the government of Hussain bin Ali
who was the Shaikh of Ramse, and of two strong forts, called Teg uera
and Bithney, which Sahood took from the Joasmees, and conciliated
Hussain Ali to his support. The Imaum, anxious not to break with the
Wahabees, refrained from acting against this tribe, which it would have
been for his interest to have done.
Hussain bin Ali, a Joasmec Chief, was invested by the Wahabees with
the fullest authority, which enabled him to compel the heads of the
Joasmees residing at Lingah and Ras-ool-Khyma to cruise in conjunction
with vessels from Ramse, in the service of the Wahabees, against all
ships, without exception, appearing in the Gulf.
Mahomed bin Nasser Gafree, dissatisfied with the Wahabees, made
advances to the Imaum, who, drawing him into a snare, seized
and imprisoned him, in consequence of his having acknowledged
the Wahabee power, but released him on his surrendering to His
Highness Semayle, and another strong place he possessed in the
mountains.
The Chief of Zaheera, having been plundered and insulted by the
Wahabees, offered to join the Imaum, who, however, distrusted him ;
whilst the ruler of Sohar, having been deprived of half of his territory,
declared his resolution rather to die than longer to submit to the
Wahabees. The common danger had in fact reunited the Shaikhs of
Oman, and they were determined on a vigorous resistance to Sahood,
who had threatened them with a visit on his return from Mecca. They
were, however, desirous of the assistance of the English, to recover
Shinas, and the places on the coast near Cape Musseldom, that had
been dismembered from Sohar, so as to reduce the defence of the
country to one point, the passage across the isthmus.
It is probable that the Oman Chiefs of the Hinavi tribe will, on
the annihilation of the Wahabee power, return to their former relations
with the Imaum.
Overtures for a pacification were recently received from Ameer
Hussan bin Rehma, of Ras-ool-Khyma, which have been of course
peremptorily rejected. He is devoted to the interests of the Wahabees,
and is not the legitimate Shaikh of Ras-ool-Khyma.

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