Page 225 - Gulf Precis (III)_Neat

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and profitted himself thereby. It being impossible to fix the number of slaves
for the importation of whom the Chief was responsible with any exactitude, while
it was evident that it could not be small, it was taken at forty, and a fine of
dollars 2,100 was imposed upon the Chief, after a deduction on account of nine
slaves whom he produced and delivered. These, together with another who
effected his own escape, were taken on board and carried to Bushire, where they
were set free.
76. No confirmation of the allegations of the Chief of Abu Thabi regarding
the participation by ports other than his own in the trade by sea in slaves was
forthcoming. It was feared, however, that the other towns were not exempt
from the responsibility of a share in it and the existence of a trade overland from
the Batineh coast of Maskat was generally admitted; the opportunity was
therefore taken to address a serious warning to the various Chiefs in the course of
the tour. The trade in slaves overland was beyond our reach, but if means could
be found to put an effectual stop to the importation from Africa to Sur, whence
slaves were carried to the Batineh, and thence distributed by sea and land to
places further up the Gulf, a heavy blow would be struck at the root of this atro­
cious evil.
77. There was no proof of the allegation against the Shargah Agent, which
might have been only the restilt of the latter’s having recently brought the Chief
of Abu Thabi to account.
There was the strongest reason to believe that Sur—low down on the Mas­
kat Coast—was the source of supplying the demand for slaves throughout the
Persian Gulf. There was undoubtedly a considerable importation to that place,
whence slaves were carried to the Batineh, and distributed to the Arab, and even
to the Arabian coast. The presence of a gun-boat off the south-east corner of
the Arabian coast, during the slaves running season, seemed to the Resident the
most effectual mode of striking at the root of the evil.
7S. In May 1S96, Captain Beville, Political Agent at Maskat, in the absence
of any war vessel, personally effected the
Gulf Administration Report (or 1896*97.
capture of an Arab dhow with 2S slaves
on board (see paragraphs 173*76 below). Captures were also made by the
Lapwing and Sphinx ; the two vessels seized by the latter being under French
colours, the regularity and validity of which seemed open to doubt, were made
over to the French Vice-Consul.
79. Several minor slave transactions of a local and unimportant character came
to light. In one of these a small party of Baluch slaves, for the most part boys,
who had probably been kidnapped, were shipped at Wadam on the Batineh
coast—a place of evil repute in this connection—for Lingah. An adult of the
party there made his escape, and the remainder were carried to Debay, where two
more after escaping fell into the hands of the Arabs of Khan, a dependency of
Shargah. These were recovered and sent to Maskat, where on the clue furnished
by Feroz's evidence proceedings were taken resulting in the conviction of a large
number of slave-dealers. An attempt at re-enslavement of a liberated slave on
the Persian coast was reported he was recovered after some months at, Lingah,
and handed over to the Commander of H. M. S. Sphinx.
80. Six slaves who, after effecting their escape from Shargah, had managed
to reach the telegraph station at Jask, were brought to Bushire, and being there
liberated were conveyed to Maskat at their own desire.
81. A more serious case was the kidnapping of 17 men on the South Arabian
coast by an armed party of the Yal Saad, who carried them by boat to the
Batineh coast and thence sent them by land to the Pirate coast or the interior.
This act was committed in February 1S96, but the facts did not come to light
till the beginning of the year 1S97, on the information of one of the slaves who
had escaped. The Shaikh of the Yal Saad who was directly implicated was
imprisoned by the Sultan, and later died in confinement. Only one other of
the party was traced in the possession of the Bedouin, and as it was impossible
to obtain his freedom without ransom, the disbursement of the sum required was
sanctioned by Government.
8 . The history of slave trade after this becomes much complicated with the
French Flag question dealt with in the Maskat Precis, itig2'igo5.
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