Page 190 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

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1G8 Part V—Chap. XXXIX.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

INTENDED SEIZURE DY PERSIAN AUTHORITIES OF lUNDAK
ADDAS; THE IMAM’S COMPROMISE OF PERSIAN
CLAIMS.
308. From a loiter from Gulab Chuudar, tho Hon’blo Company’s Broker
at Maskat, to tho Hon’blo Mountstuart Flphinstono, Governor of Bombay,
datod 20th April 1823, it appears that in that year Zuki Khan Muri left
Shiraz, professedly for the purpose of effecting somo arrangement regarding
liundor Abbas and tho ports adjacent, but in fact to got them into his
i possession, out of tho hands of the Imam. Tho Imam, as soon as he
was informed of tho real views of Zuki Khan, set sail with his two ships
for Bunder Abbas, when ho entered into terms of pacification with Zuki
Khan, by which it was settled that for eaoh of the two coming years, tho
Imam should pay 1,000 tomans over and above tho stipulated tribute
already yielded, and that after tho expiration of the two years, tho usual amount
of tribute only should bo required by Persia. The Imam presented Zuki
Khan with 500 tomans and ho returned after Zuki Khan’s departure;
Mirza Bakir arrived in a vessel, bringing with him two persons who had
formerly been subjects of His Highness, but had cast off their allegiance
and joined with the Persians, and were now desirous to bo reconciled to the
Imam; there were Hussain Ali Khan Hakim of Bunder Abbas, and Ali
Khan Hakim of Menaw. The Imam received them on board his ship with
apparent kindness and presented them with killats, after which they, with
Mirza Bakir, loft the ship in a muchwa, which had not gone far when it
sunk, and all in her perished: this was tho report the broker heard at
first; but on tho Imam’s return to Maskat, he made careful enquiries, and
felt no doubt that these three persons were seized on board His Highness’s
ship and conveyed to Maskat, where they were now confined without hope
of release.