'History of the imâms and seyyids of 'Omân by Salîl-ibn-Razîk, from A.D. 661-1856; translated from the original Arabic, and edited with notes, appendices, and an introduction, continuing the history down to 1870, by George Percy Badger, F.R.G.S., late chaplain in the Presidency of Bombay.' [‎59] (92/612)

AND ANALYSIS.
lix
defended the fort of Yabrin, the fort itself, deemed impreg
nable, held out against him. In spite, however, of the petty
wars to which this imprudent enterprise gave rise between
the el-Ghafiry and the allies of the Al-Bu-Said, Sultan
deemed the country sufficiently tranquil to permit his per
formance of the Hijj. He accordingly set out for Mekkah,
a.d . 1803, accompanied by a train of 'Omany notables.
During his absence, his nephew Bedr, the son of his de
ceased brother Seif, conspired with Majid-bin-Khalfan, the
Wakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. at Maskat, to seize the eastern fort; but the slave in
command refusing their admittance, Bedr fled first to 'Aj-
man, where he was hospitably entertained by the sheikh
of the Benu-Naim, and from thence to ed-Dir'iyyah, the
capital of 'Abdu-VAziz, where he took up his abode. - This
step, as Sultan remarked on his return, boded no good to
the people of 'Oman. One of the conspirators was seized,
starved to death in the western fort, and then thrown into
the sea.
Sultan's fears were soon realized, for a party of the Nejd
cavalry, accompanied by levies from their allies in ezh-Zha-
hirah, shortly after attacked es-Suwaik,—next to Sohar the
largest town on the coast above Maskat,—and nearly exter
minated the force sent to repel them, including their com
mander, Muhammad-bin-H&med. It became evident now
that the Wahhabis were bent on further conquest, and that
nothing less than a combined effort on the part of the 'Oma-
nis could arrest their onward progress. In this emergency
Sultan took counsel of the el-1 aaruby governor of Nakhl,
who advised him to assemble all the chiefs of Oman to a
conference on the subject. The council, which was held at
Barkah, was attended by Sultan's brothers, 1 alib and Mu
hammad, two of his nephews, Ahmed the son of the reigning
Imam, and other prominent members of the Al-Bu-baid,
besides several representatives of the el-\ aarubah and other
'Omany tribes. Sultan opened the proceedings by briefly