Page 247 - PERSIAN 4 1890_1899

AND MASK AT POLITICAL AGENCY FOE THE YEAB ) 894-95. 17
residency
eluded between the Rahabiyeen and Al-Jawabir, a branch of the
StJTthoAl-Haboos.
News of a more unpleasant nature was received in December to the effect
t there had been a sanguinary conflict between the Beni-Riyara and Beni-
. regidin" in Nezwah. Tho disturbance appears to have commenced with
attack by tho Boni-Riyam on a mosque situated in the quarter called
As-Suweik, and tho massacre of fifteen of the Beni-Hina who'were inside. On
hearing of this outrage tho Beni-Hina, headed by Badr-bin-Hiial flew to arms,
nd in the encounter which ensued twenty, five of the Beni-Riyam were killed
and fifty wounded. The disorder reigning subsequent to this disturbance was
rently ^rought to the notice of Sheikh Saleh, for, in January 1895, he de­
spatched his son Sheikh Abdullah to Nezwah with orders to make peace between
Sheikh Badr-bin-Hilal and the Riyami faction.
Early in February the Sultan received information that Sheikh Abdullah,
who had been joined by Sheikh Hamood Al-Jahafi, had left Nezwah, and that
both Sheikhs were on their way to Maskat to visit and interview him regard­
ing the condition of that town. They arrived at Maskat, each with a small
following, the former on February 11th, accompanied by Sheikh Mohsin-bin-
Amir Al-Harithi; the latter on February 12th. The three Chiefs were received
with hospitality by the Sultan, who, after according them an audience, dis­
missed them on the evening of February 12th with the usual presents, and they
intimated their intention of leaving Maskat on the same night or early on the
following morning. Subsequent events clearly demonstrate that such was
never tlieir intention, for after dark a number of their followers who had not
been allowed to enter Maskat, made their way into the town in parties of two’s
and three’s, not without exciting the suspicions, however, of the Hydrami and
Wahabi soldiers of the Sultan. The latter hastened to inform their master,
who thus had ample warning of the treacherous designs of his visitors. Tho
warning was entirely disregarded, the Sultan refusing to believe that, so long
as the Chiefs and tlieir followers were in the town as his guests, they could be
guilty of so grave a breach of the rules of Arab hospitality as to take advan­
tage of their position to attack their host. He was speedily undeceived, for, at
daybreak, on the morning of the 13th, his palace was suddenly attacked and
the rebels, having overpowered the few guards on duty, proceeded in the direc­
tion of his sleeping apartments with the intention of taking his life. The
alarm had, however, been given, and the Sultan supported by some of his fol­
lowers offered a determined resistance; but, after keeping bis assailants at bay
for some time, he was eventually compelled to take refuge with his family and
adherents in Fort Jellali, his brother Seyyid Muhammad-bin-Toorkee, who had
also taken flight from his residence, finding a similar refuge in Fort MeranL
Early intelligence of this serious state of affairs was brought to the Politi­
cal Agent, who at once took such steps as were possible for the protection of
British life and property, and addressed a letter to Sheikh Abdullah, the rebel
leader, intimating that he would be held responsible for any injury that British
subjects might suffer at the hands of bis followers.
The followers of the Sultan meanwhile, supported by a vigorous cannon-
aae and rifle Are from Fort Jellali, made a determined attempt to recover pos­
session of the palace, which proved, however, unsuccessful, and a lull in the
Tb ^owe<*> neither party being in sufficient force to take the aggressive.
t e rebels who, simultaneously with the attack on the palace, had seized the
t°wn gates, were now masters of the greater part of the town; but they con-
rou d- tliemsc*ve8 with taking up as strong a defensive position as their sur-
n lnga admitted of, and quietly awaited the arrival of re-inforcementa.