Page 161 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

POLITICAL REBIDENCY FOR 1906-1907. 57

CHAPTER vn.—ANNUAL ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE MASKAT
POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1906-1907.

L—OMAN POLITICS.

The official year of 1908-1907 would have been a comparatively uneventful
one for Oman as regards internal complications had it not been for a serious cala­
mity which overtook HiB Highness the Sultan towards its close, and deprived
him* of his strongest and most influential supporter. Before describing this dis­
aster and the circumstances connected therewith, the earlier events of the year
may be briefly discussed.
At the time of writing last year’s report, the troops raised by the Sultan’s
General Sulaiman bin Suwailim for the
Revolt of the Bani Riyam.
purpose of quelling the revolt of the Bani
Rivam were in occupation of the fort of Ziki, hoping and waiting for the arrival
of re-enforcements which would render them strone enough to capture the village
of Birkat-ul-M3uz. These hopes were not realised, but, late in May, Suiaiman,
aided by treachery on the part of some of his enemies, managed to oust the Bani
Riyam from the hamlet of Bait-us-Salit near Zild to which is attached an extensive
date plantation, and to occupy it himself without an engagement. This success
satisfied the aspirations of Ilis Highness for the time being, and the operations
thereupon terminated. Upon the arrival of the news in Maskat His Highness
released his prisoners, dressed his flagstaffs. and fired a salute of 21 guns in honour
of his victorious General. On June 20th Sulaiman, having made the final arrange­
ments for peace which included the stationing of 30 ’Askaris as garrison in Bait-
us-Salit, arrived at Maskat, and was further complimented by a personal salute of
13 guns.
As a result of this rising desultory warfare, comprising a few minor raids
and occasional murders, was carried on between the Bani Riyam and the Bani
Ruwahah until the end of the official year.
In June an attempt was made by 40 men of the Ya’aribah tribe, acting
ostensibly on behalf of the Sultan, to capture
Attempted capture of tbe fort of Hazam.
the fort of Hazam from Saiyid Said bin
Ibrahim. His Highness’s brother-in-law, in whose possession it had remained quietly
for some years. This party, having bribed one of the door-keepers, obtained an
entrance through the outer gate, but before they could push on the defenders suc­
ceeded in closing the inner defences and they were repulsed with a loss of five killed.
Said bin Ibrahim, who at this time was on a visit to the Batinah Coast, executed
the offending door-keeper on his return ; and also put to death four men of the
Ya’aribah tribe who were in residence at Rustaq and upon whom suspicion fell of
having been implicated in the attack. Two months later the Ya’aribah raided
Hazam in revenge for these executions, burning a few huts and Wiling one in-
offensive villager; and it was rumoured subsequently that Said bin Ibrahim in­
tended to plunder the Batinah Coast with the excuse of tracing the perpetrators
of this outrage. Nothing further took place however, partly owing to Said’s atten­
tion having been claimed by other matters.
Early in the year the Shu’aibiyin ( ), a Hinavi tribe inhabiting
Rendition of tho fort of Kalhatto H. H. the Kalhat, a port SOme 12 miby QOrth-
Uta^ west of Sur, owing to trouble with the
Bani Jabir of Taiwi, another port 8 miles to the north-west, built & fort far the
protection of their village. Shaikh Abdullah bin Salim, the Tamimah of the
Bani Bu Ali, objected to this on account of the existing alliance between the
ohu’aibiyin and his enemies the Bani Bu Hasan, and the Sultan at his request
ordered the fort to be destroyed. Further disputes however caused it to he rebuilt,
«« h. a-2-3