Page 189 - PERSIAN 4 1890_1899

II —ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE MUSCAT POLITICAL
1 AGENCY AND CONSULATE FOR THE YEAR 1893-94.

There is but little change to record in the Political history of Oman since
last year’s report was written; no events
Political.
of political importance occurred during the
year under review, and the collisions between the tribes were local and did not
affect the general peace of the country.
The policy of the Sultan towards the tribes is not marked by that energy
and firmnesB which they would wish to see their ruler exercise towards the
se ttlemcnt of the feuds and quarrels which so frequently break out between
them. Interference in their internal affairs they are very ready to resent, but
they have been accustomed to look to the central authority for a decision in
the'mattcr of their differences with their neighbours, and in this respect the
action of the Sultan is often neither timely nor sufficiently assertive. On the
other hand, the Sultan’s hold over the tribes is but slight, and aggressive or
coercive measures might lead to inconvenient reprisals.
Oman has enjoyed a period of tranquillity for the last five years which is
perhaps without a parallel in the annals of.its history, and to this Sayyid
Feysal’s mild and little-felt rule has, in a measure, contributed. But other
causes have been at work—those who have it in their power to cause mischief
are cither absent or disinclined to move; no new leader has risen, round whom
political intrigues could focus, and the Shaikhs remember that in their attempts
against Muscat in the reign of Sayyid Toorkee, the Sultan received assistance
from the British Government.
Inter-tribal raids and feuds betweea the rival Hinawi and Ghafri factions
were rife as usual, but they did not lead to any general rising or coalition of
the tribes. Early in April a party of SO of the Beni Hina under the leadership
of Badr, a son of the Tameemah, nilal-bin-Zahir, raided on the Yal Khamis,
who reside at Hail under the protection of the Beni Umar and Beni Kelban;
they killed seven of the Yal Khamis and made off with a quantity of camels and
goats and some household property, losing four of their number in the encounter.
On their return they were pursued by 700 of the Beni Umr and Beni Kelban;
20 of the Beni Hina were killed in the affray that ensued on their refusal to
give up the plundered property, and the rest, with the exception of their
leader, who managed to make good his escape, were made prisoners. At the
request of the Tamcemah, Hilal-bin-Zahir, Sayyid Ibrahim-bin-Kais sent
his nephew, Savyid Saood-biu-Azzan, to open negotiations for the redemption
of the captives. Later on in the month the Beni Hina were attacked
at Ghafat by the Beni Shekeyl, who set fire to the place. Amongst other
casualties, Ghusn, the eldest son of the Tameemah of the Beni Hina, with
two of his companions, was killed, and Muhammad-bin-Ali, one of the principal
Shaikhs of the Beni Shekcyl, was carried wounded off the field. This quarrel
owed its origin to the Beni Hina persisting in erecting a fort on a plot of land
they had bought from the Beni Shekeyl. Hostilities again broke out between
the tribes later on in the year; in September Sbaikb Saleh-bin-Ali induced
them to come to peace, after the Beni Hina bad been credited with the murder
of a former Kadhi of Muscat and his wife in retaliation for the death of the
^heir Tamcemah, tho Kadhi having taken an active part in supporting
e Beni Shckeyl against the Beni Hina. Shaikh Hilal-bin-Zahir subsequently
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