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Persian Gulf Administration Reports 1883/84 - 1904/05 [‎35r] (74/602)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (299 folios). It was created in 1884-1906. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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RESIDENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. FOR 1884-85.
29
Khor Fakan is described by Albuquerque as being situate at the foot of a very high
mountain, and almost impregnable on the land side. It was a large town with many Baman
merchants, and was a dependency of Hormuz. The climate was temperate and healthy, and
there was extensive cultivation of wheat and millet, with oranges, limes, dates, plantains, and
figs. The harbour was good, being protected by two small islets. Horses were extensively
exported hence to India and the interior belonged to Benjaber like the other parts.
Khor Fakan was the last scene of Albuquerque's exploits on the Oman coast, and he
had as little compassion on this as on former places. The town was set on fire and destroyed*
and the conquistador, elated by his victories, and confident in his strength, signalled to the fleet
and made his way direct to Hormuz.
The capture of Hormuz was the principal object of Albuquerque's expedition as before
remarked, and his operations and exploits here were characterised by the same distinguished
ability, valour, and success that had marked his previous career. Owing, however, to the disaffec
tion of his officers and the desertion of two of his ships, he was compelled to retire before the
finish had been put to his conquest by the completion of the fort which was to overawe the
town. He sailed away to Soeotra, where his arrival was most opportune, for he found the garri
son in great distress from famine and the enmity of the natives. He soon put affairs in order
there ; and his fleet having been increased by two ships that had arrived from Portugal to join
him, he weighed from Soko on the 15th of August 1508 to return to Hormuz, intending on the
way to reduce the city of Kilhat in retaliation for the assistance rendered by it to the King of
Hormuz, in violation of agreement, during the war. On anchoring off Kilhat, Albuquerque
sent his nephew Noronha in a boat to reconnoitre. Near the shore Noronha met an Arab
bringing presents from the Governor, on which he turned back and accompanied the man to the
flag-ship, where Albuquerque questioned the Arab as to the Governor's name and the force at
his disposal. Having elicited the required information, Albuquerque despatched Noronha to
the shore again to see the Governor, Sherif-ul-Din, and if possible to entice him on board
which Noronha endeavoured to do by representing Albuquerque as an officer who had just arrived
from Portugal with reinforcements to support Albuquerque at Hormuz. Sherif-ul-Dm was
polite, and offered the new commander a hospitable reception on shore, if it pleased him to land,
but he was too wary to trust himself on board a Portuguese ship.
On his nephew's return from his ineffective mission, Albuquerque made preparations to attack
the town, which is situated on a declivity under a high and steep cliff. The struggle for the
possession of the place did not last long. The Persians, terror-stricken by the vigorous onslaught
of the Portuguese, were driven in confusion out of the town, and Sherif-ul-Din was obliged
to retire to the heights behind the city, from whence he watched the proceedings of the in
vaders. Albuquerque, having posted guards on the gates and ramparts against surprise, gave the
place over to plunder, whereon the vigilant Sherif-ul-Dm, after three days, seeing the Portuguese
dispersed intent on pillage, deemed it a fitting opportunity to attempt to regain the town. Fol
lowed by 500 men, he accordingly made a descent from the hills, and tried to force one of the
gates. At first the guard posted there was driven back, but having speedily rallied the men,
closed with the Persians, and after a valiant fight, routed them before Albuquerque could come
to their assistance. After sacking the town and transporting on board all the provisions and
valuables he could collect, Albuquerque gave it to the flames, making a point of destroying the
famous Jami Masjid, to the great grief of the inhabitants. Albuquerque's description of this
mosque accords with that of Ibn Batula, who had visited the place about two hundred years
before, and from these accounts the edifice appears to have been a very fine specimen of Persian
architecture. It may be remarked here that no cut or squared stones are to be found at the
present day among the ruins of Kilhat. The houses there, and doubtless this mosque also, were
built of limestone and coral. The destruction of it, however, has been so complete that no ves
tige of it now remains to point out the spot where it stood.
Albuquerque here obtained important information from the Arab who had brought off the
presents from the Governor Sherif-ul-Dm, and who had until now been detained on board the
flag-ship, respecting the condition of affairs at Hormuz, and the man was dismissed with gifts.
He then gave orders to burn the Arab shipping in the creek, and after consultation with his
officers resolved to proceed at once with the expedition. The fleet accordingly sailed the follow
ing day, and having watered at Teywee, where he anchored for two days, and which Albuquerque
represents as a port with a river near running between lofty hills and forming on the shore a
lake surrounded by palm trees, continued his voyage up the gulf towards Hormuz.
The first act in the drama thus terminated in the destruction of Kilhat, and a lull succeeded
the stormful visits of the conquistador, whose path along the Arab coast had been marked by

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Content

The volume contains printed copies of Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Administration Reports. The Reports are incomplete (according to the introductory letters and lists of contents). Some of the Reports bear manuscript corrections. The following Reports are represented :

The Reports include a general summary by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. (covering the constituent agencies and consulates that made up the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , and topics such as the slave trade, piracy, the movements of Royal Navy ships, official appointments, and the weather); meteorological tables; separate reports on Muscat (also referred to as Maskat); reports on trade and commerce; and a number of appendices on special topics, such as supplementary notes on the care and culture of date trees and fruit (Report, 1883-84), historical sketch of the Portuguese in eastern Arabia (Report, 1884-85), notes on a tour through Oman and El-Dhahireh [Al Dhahirah] by Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Barrett Miles (Report, 1885-86), notes on cholera in Persia (Report, 1889-90), report on the cholera epidemic in Maskat, Matrah, and Oman (Report, 1899-1900), and information on individuals and tribes.

Extent and format
1 volume (299 folios)
Arrangement

The Reports are arranged in chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume. There is an introductory letter/table of contents at the front of each Report, but these show that the Reports are not complete.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation system in use commences at 3 on the second folio after the front cover, and continues through to 299 on the back cover. The sequence is written in pencil, enclosed in a circle, and appears in the top right hand corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. page of each folio.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Persian Gulf Administration Reports 1883/84 - 1904/05 [‎35r] (74/602), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/709, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023373225.0x00004b> [accessed 3 April 2025]

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