'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎330] (349/622)

330
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
Sheikh, after some persuasion, was induced to own to the
possession of a few shawls, which, with some 1,200 dollars, he
gave up to the British officers ; but in consequence of the tribe
residing in the interior, and, therefore, being inaccessible to a
naval force, the Commodore and Resident both decided it would
be unwise to land the seamen and attempt coercive measures.
The squadron therefore returned to Muscat and thence to the
Gulf.
On the 15th of December of this year (1829), having con
cluded a treaty with the Bahrein Sheikh, with whom he had
been at war, the Imaum left his nephew, Mahomed bin Salem,
as his Wali, or viceroy, and proceeded to Zanzibar, for the
purpose of suppressing a rebellion at Mombasa; but no sooner
had he quitted Muscat than some of his chiefs rose in arms, and
Sheikh Sultan bin Suggur made a warlike demonstration. The
Imaum's deputy sent off a fast sailing vessel to bring back his
uncle, and appealed for help to the Bombay Government.
Accordingly, acting under instructions received through the
Resident in the Gulf, the Commodore immediately despatched
a ship-of-war to Muscat, with orders to assist in the defence of
that place, and also made arrangements to proceed with the
remainder of the squadron directly there was imminent danger
of the town being attacked. At the same time measures were
taken to prevent any of the maritime Arab chiefs from
menacing the territories of our ally. The Imaum returned to
Muscat on the 8th of May, 1830, all his plans for the reduction
of Mombasa* having failed, and he was now equally unsuc
cessful against Sohar, and found himself obliged to cede that
town and other districts to his rebellious cousin, Humood bin
Azan, whose father had transferred Sohar to Seyyid Said.
Early in 1832, the Imaum again quitted Muscat for Zanzibar,
but his departure was the signal for fresh disturbances, and
his son, Seyyid Hillal bin Seyyid, and nephew, were treacher
ously seized and throw T n into prison by Saood bin Ali,^ chief ot
Burka. As it was the British policy to preserve the integrity
of the Imaum's territories, the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Squadron once
more sailed for Muscat, and letters were addressed to the
Sheikhs of Abu Thubi, Shargah, Sohar, Soweik, and Burka,
intimating the determination of the British Government o
support their ally, and directing the last-named chief to release
his prisoners. Saood bin Ali, who was visited by a vesse o
war, complied with this demand, and a cruiser was lei a
Muscat, which had been gallantly held by the Imaums
daughter, who personally saw to the defences of the place, an
addressed letters to the British authorities at Bombay an
Bushire, requesting the assistance which was so promp y
* It was not until his visit to Zanzibar in 1837 that the Imaum succeeded
establishing his authority over Mombasa.