Page 303 - PERSIAN 4 1890_1899

maskat political agency for the year 1895-90. 9
BESIDENCY AND

9.—SLAVE TRADE.
There aro many indications of a considerable and perhaps indeed an
1 activi(y in this nefarious traffic recently. In the course of the
•°?Wo concern with the affairs of Bahrain, involved in our support of
•? through the trouble with which it was threatened from Zobara, many
• cuinstances came to light showing that slaves were imported. On the Oman
pirate Coast there was evidence of a brisk trade, as has been noticed in the
section on that coast.
There is the strongest reason to believe that Sur—low down on the Maskat
coast—is the source for supplying the demand for slaves throughout the Persian
Guif. There is undoubtedly a considerable importation to that place, whence
slaves are carried to the Batineh, and distributed to the Arab, and even to the
Persian coast. The presence of a gunboat off the south-east corner of the
Arabian coast, during the slaves running season, would seem the most effectual
mode of striking at the root of the evil.
Several slaves appealed to or sought refuge in the Residency; these cases
tfere examined and dealt with on their merits, freedom being secured in some
six cases out of eleven.
A large number, over forty slaves, sought freedom at Bahrain; in almost
all these cases manumission certificates were obtained from the chief, hut the
slaves consented, for the most part to return aud work for their former masters
as free men.
10.—PIRACY.
During the general disturbance caused by the Bahrain troubles with
Zobara some cases of piracy occurred. A peculiarly hold one was under­
taken singlclnudcd by an Arab, who obtaining a passage in a bauia’s boat
returning from Katif to Bahrain, suddenly made a most savage and treacherous
attack on the hania, who escaped, with the loss of his hand and other serious
wounds, by jumping overboard. The Arab then caused the boatmen to land him
on the coast and disappeared with the bania’s valuables, estimated at Rs. 40,000.
Another British Indian vessel was boarded near Katr, one of the crew was
killed and others wounded and the property found was carried off.
A number of piracies were committed off the mouth of or within the Shat-
el-Arnb, and also oft the mouth of the Bami>liir, the old outlet of the Karun river,
both Turkish and Persian authorities mutually sought to affix the responsibility
for these outrages each on the opposite side, but the Arab populations on the two
Kinks have frequent intercourse with each other, aud it is in the highest degree
probable that they shared in these atrocities. The victims were Persian and
rab, as well as British Indian vessels, aud some of the attacks were of a most
savage and murderous character, in one case a derelict boat being found with
om\ corpses on hoard. One of the most serious cases was that of the British
n ion buggla" Haripassa ” from Kathiawar, when four men were killed, three
vomided and a large amount in money was plundered, but though urgent
effect' at 10 iS WCre ma<*e to kotli the Persian aud Turkish authorities no

11.—ROYAL NAVY.
Crumble,” which had been in the Gulf since the troubles at
Kat m March 1895, left for Aden on relief by H.M.S. ” Sphinx ” in April.
for tlio^n a?dij!onal™ssels H.M.S. “ Pigeon” and “Plassy” were sent to Bahrain
addition* ai* o ^le P*ace during the troubles connected with Zobara, in
duties ti,n° 4i , " Sphinx,” which bore the brunt of the arduous and trying
H. M S ^throughout: the greatest heat from July to the close of the summer,
hostile fWt r ‘* aac* " Pigeon ” were both engaged in the attack on the
boats bein» a ?10w? assembled at Zobara on the 0th September, over forty
iph ? Proved and sone hundred and twenty surrendered,
December^; ,0^tllcso ships proceeded to Bombay in October, and in
elieved H. M. S. “ Pigeon ” at Bahrain.
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