'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎81r] (166/180)

151
Tribe.
Singular.
Settled
in
Trucial
'Oman
(souls).
Bedouins
in
Trucial
'Oman
(souls).
Location.
Remarks.
Thamairat
Thamiri.
120
Abu Dhabi
Town.
The Thamairat were originally
Marar, but they are now
reckoned among the Bani Yas.
Yas (Bani)
Yasi.
10,000
2,000
See article Bani Yas.
Za'ab
Za'abi.
3,500
See article Za'ab.
Zahum
Zahmi.
100
Siji near Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows.
Ham.
They are said to have been for
merly Sharqiyin of the Hafaitat
section, but at the present time
they are undoubtedly a distinct
tribe.
Besides the foregoing there are about 1,400 Baluchis at Dibai Town, Ghallah
and Ras-al -Khaimah ; 194 Hindus at Abu Dhabi, Dibai, Umm-al -Qaiwain and
Sharjah Towns; 214 Khojahs or other Indian Muhammadans at Dibai, Ras-al-
Khaimah and Sharjah Towns; and Persians, some Arabicised and some not, about
2,400 at Abu Dhabi and Dibai Towns, Khor Fakkan and Ghallah. Negro slaves
are exceptionally numerous in the coast towns, but no separate estimate of them
is possible and they may be taken as included in our tables among the Arabs to
whom they belong. The Indians are not domiciled nor accompanied by their
families. Here it may be useful to mention that the Bayadir found in Sir, at
Dibah, and elsewhere, e.g., at Khasab in Ruus-al -Jibal, are not a tribe but a class,—
the class namely of the agricultural labourer to whatever tribe he may belong.
The singular of the name is Baidar.
The total number of Bedouins in Trucial 'Oman may be estimated in
accordance with the table above at about 8,000 souls. In respect of settled
population, however, the table is not exhaustive, and recourse must be had to the
articles upon the principalities, from which it will appear that the figures are:—
Principality. Settled inhabitants.
'Ajman ... ... ... ... ... 750
Dhabi (Abu)
Dibai...
Qaiwain (Umm-al-)
Sharjah
11.000
10,250
5,000
45.000
Total for Trucial'Oman ... ... 72,000
By far the strongest numerically of the settled tribes are the Bani Yas, whose
Bedouins also are the most numerous of any except the Bani Qitab. Next after
the Bani Yas there rank, in point of _numbers among the settled^ tribes, first the
Sharqiyin and A1 'All, and then the A1 Bu Mahair and the Sudan.
Political and religious distinctions. —Like the people of the 'Oman Sultanate
those of Trucial 'Oman are divided between the Hinawi and Ghafiri political
factions, but Ghafiriyah greatly predominate, the Bani Yas and the Shihuh alone
being Hinawi; and, whereas in the Sultanate the Hinawiyah are mostly Ibadhis
and the Ghafiriyah mostly Sunnis by religion, here the Hinawiyah are all Sunms
of the Maliki school while the Ghafiriyah are virtual Wahhabis. The Wahhabnsm
of Trucial 'Oman is not now, however, of the militant order; it is generally
described as Sunniism of the orthodox school of Ibn Hanbal, and it even connives
at the private consumption of tobacco, though not as yet at the public sale ot the
same. Modern rifles are widely distributed among the people in both town and
country.
Character, life and language. —The people of the western coast, at least those
of the more northern parts, have shown themselves in the past a bold and energetic
race. By their piratical exploits at the beginning of the 9th century they gained,
under the misleading name of " Joasmees," a permanent place in history, an d
they played a large part in the politics of the Persian Coast, especially ot Qishm
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