Page 21 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

RESIDENCY FOR THB YEAR lfiO6-10O«. 11

maintained, but it in doubtful whether 8heikh Makhtoom’s successor will
provo as amenable to reason as bo himself usually was.
The ealiont event of the year was the threatened visit of Bin Saood;
the details regarding which are fully dealt
Overturn from Bln Saood.
with in the body of the report. The
"Wahabi’s attention would naturally turn in the direction of Oman if he were
confident of his position in Ncjd, but at the time of his overtures to the Truoial
Sheikhs he could not have been by any means assured on that score, and it is
probable that his suggestion was a ballon d'essai sent up to show the direction,
of the wind, or to induce finanoial support from the 8heikhfl.
The overture was, however, enough to disturb the equilibrium of Sheikh
Zaeed bio Kalifah, thoHinawi leader on the Trucial Coast and always the least
tractable of the Chiefs, and to give him a handle for parading his old hobbies,
such as the colonisation of Zora and the re-occupation of Odaid.
The politics of the hinterland have been chiefly remarkable for the
Ill-feeling between Abu Tbabi and Umm-al- obstinate quarrel between the Sheikh of
Kawain. TJmm-al-Kawain and Sheikh Zaeed of Abu
Thabi in connection with the latter’s relations with the Bedouin tribe of Beni
Katab.
In connection with this quarrel an interesting written agreement was
arrived at between Sheikh Zaeed and Sheikh Rashid just after the close of the
year, and whether or no this is likely to have a long life, it is in itself of
considerable interest. In it the tribal spheres of interest of the two Sheikhs
are defined and it is noted that those recorded as under the protective influ­
ence of Sheikh Zaeed, are, among others—
(1) Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulla of Eujeira (subject of Shargah).
(2) Mahomed bin Sulaiman of Dercez (subject of the Sultan of Maskat).
(3) Sultan bin Mahomed Nacemi (Independent).
(4) The Shihiyeen (or Shihub) of Roos-al-Jabal (subjects of the Sultan of
Maskat).
Sheikh Zaeed no doubt assumes protection over Nos. 2 and 4 in view of
his alliance with the Saltan of Maskat, but bis doing so is certainly an evidence
of the exiguity of His Highness’s practical authority in the Dhabireh and
Roos-al-Jabal.
The Trucial Sheikhs, especially Sheikh Zaeed, are not rendered easier to
deal with by the strict enforcement of
Belgian Cos total Administration.
regulations against them by the Belgian
Customs rdgime. Even if the Customs are in the right—and they often are—it
is extremely difficult to*explain matters to the Sheikhs, and when hasty action
is taken, as it frequently is by their subordinates at petty ports, it is a process
of time and difficulty to obtain relief. This, however, must be regarded as a
permanent difficulty, a9 nothing but the education of the Arabs up to civilised
methods of administration and justice will eliminate it.
The Resident visited Baraimi in December after a lapse of five years
and noticed a considerable extension of
B^aidcnt’s tours.
Sheikh Zaeed’s domination in the oasis,
entirely enveloping the Dhowabir and extending now even to the Naeem,
the chief Ghafiri element, whose Sheikhs are indeed of no personality and
conld no donbt be absorbed at once, but Sheikh Zaeed’s policy is evidently one
of pacific absorption, in which he has certainly had a considerable measure
of success, and though impatient himself of advice or control, it must be
admitted that his influence among those whom he controls is on the side of law
*nd order so long as it U compatible with hiB own undisputed supremacy.
This Sheikh still continues to make the non-settlement of the Taona
murder case by the Persian Government
, . * subject of grievance, and owing to the
jnaocie state of the Administration at present there seems no likelihood of that
grievance being removed by a satisfactory settlement of the oase.
O 1