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536. It was arranged, however, that thoy should land at Daghmar near
Kurriyat. and return to Maskat via the Devil’s Gap, the Wadi Tyin, and the
Semnil Valley. Accordingly, disembarking from His Majesty’s S. S. Lapwing at
Daghmar, on 1st December, they reached Maskat on 10th idem, after an inter­
esting journey of 160 miles. They wore most hospitably received by the tribes
on their route, oxccpt at one of the small villages in the Wadi Tyin, named
Akda, inhabited by 30 or 40 of tho Beni Umar Battash.
637. Thoy had two Sheikhs of tho triho with them as “ Khafcors,” and in
tho other villages of this triho they had been wolcomed, but this particular
hamlet seemed to bo inhabited by a community of ignorant and turbulent char­
acters, who turned out en manse with their matchlocks, and barred the way to
their caravan and baggage guard, which was winding peacefully along the
Wadi Tyin, waiting for orders to halt for tho night.
638. No harm had resulted whon tho party arrived on tho scene, but tho
villagers with tho fuses of their matchlocks lighted wero in a very excited
state, and had ono rifle been discharged, on purpose or by accident, it would
have inevitably resultod in a general fusilade and a good deal of bloodshed.
639. As it was, after on hour’s dolay, the party passed through to the next
village of the same tribe, where tho inhabitants made them welcome and wero
profuse in their apologies for tho behaviour of thoir neighbours, who were also
subsequently said to bo craving for pardon. Tho excuse given was that the
villagers had received no previous warning of thoir approach, and were alarmed
and suspicious at tho arrival of Buch a largo caravan in their midst. Such a
plea might have been accepted for a momentary scare, but it was no adequate
reason for their maintaining their offensive attitude after the arrival of their
own tribal elders on the scene, and tho villagers of the adjoining hamlet, whore
the party camped for tho night, were told to let their comrades know that the
matter would not bo allowed to rest where it was.
640. Coal was found by Dr. Oldham to occur in torliary rocks, newest
rocks of tho district, extending from 4
Secret E., Aogoit 1902, Nos. 69-71.
miles north of Migel to 3 miles south of
Musweh, 10 miles in all. The quantity seemed very limited, merely pockets
in fact which reached good workable thickness in places, but rapidly thinned
out. Exposures indicated an area of coal perhaps } mile square with a thick­
ness of 4 feet and more; say 250,030 tons of workable coal. Conditions of
tho place were adverse to an easy working of the fields. Khor Jorama to Mus-
weh would require 30 and Sur to Musweh 35 miles of railway. There were
available neither local labour nor timber, nor firewood nor provisions ; nor oven
water within 10 or 12 miles. There was no probability of other more continu­
ous seams in neighbourhood.
641. Tho Government of India not prepared to proceed further in matter,
but directed that the result should bo explained to the Sultan and he asked to
promise the first refusal of concession to the British Government (letter No.
386-E.A., dated 1st February 1902). Tho Sultan gave the required undertaking
(Captain Cox’s letter No. 229, dated 31st May 1902).’
Obstruction of Doctor von Krafft's work by local tribes attributable to
French injluenoe.
642. There is little doubt that the obstructive tactics adopted by the tribes
against the first expedition for tho exam­
Scoret E., September 1901, Not. 1-27.
ination of the coal-fields wore due to the
intrigues of the French.
643. Let us observe the movements of the Frenoh vessels of war and tho
French Consul at the time. The It. F. cruiser Jean Bart arrived at Maskat
on tho morning of the 16th April 1901,
644. The French Consul returned to Maskat on 14th April in the mail
steamer, bringing with him a number of largo packages containing the cuneiform
bricks collected by the Do Morgan Archaeological expedition. The package