'Monograph on the Aden Hinterland as touching the States of Dthala, Yafa', Alawi, etc., by Major H F Jacob, late Political Agent, Dthala.' [‎7v] (19/48)

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included in tlie assessed area. Here again in return for the Zindani acknow
ledgment of the Amir’s fatherhood and rule, the people are termed his sons
to assist him at all times against his foes. This to me seems tantamount to a
co-ordination of interests. The key-noto is mutual succour. The Blue Book
at page 33(> mentions Zindani predominance. To this I assent. These Zindani
were originally Imam’s soldiers, and they hail from the North. Where, how
ever, the text goes on to record that the suzerainty of the Amir over Ahl
Jihaf was acknowledged by the documents of A. H. 127&, 1285, and 1341
(read 1314) I with diihdence beg to differ. Jabal Jihaf is a general term and
comprises a large diversity of interests. An acquaintance with tribal folk lore
and customs would have prevented such a mistaken conclusion.
It may safely be affirmed that not till we arrived on the scene and took up
the Amir’s cudgels against Turk and so-called Amiri subjects did the Amir
fairly start to tax the various parts. It is a pity we were so impetuous, for a
door was at once opened for Amiri cupidity, and this has caused the disintegra
tion of the Amir’s authority in places where, even if the ties of sympathy wi3re
at times wanting, there would exist a certain transfusion of prejudices making
for some semblance of order and rest.
Admitting the existence of some vague sort of suzerainty over Jihaf, it is
the same as exercised (?) over the Badfan tribes near Suleik. This suzerainty
oives the Amir no grasp on Radfan territory nor any right to its revenues
(on Jihaf he expressly stipulated for certain revenues, but this right of his was
tempered by a corresponding duty). Again, the suzerainty gives no authority
over a tribesman’s person qnd imprisonment or fettering. hat the Amir
has, he has derived from the tribesman’s willing assent which marks the period
of its continuance to him.
14. I have tried to sketch the inter-tribal relations as they affect the
Amir of Dthala. I will now discuss our relations with him through the
medium of the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. . It will be remembered, and it is a common
place, that the duties of a Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. are narrowly and carefully prescribed
and interference as clearly proscribed, but I cannot see how Dthala with its
Amir can be put on an equal footing with other chiefs in India. Emerson has
said that the “ man is explicable by nothing less than all his history ”. This
is indeed true of the Amirs of Dthala. A stipendiary of the British Govern
ment which corresponded from a distance, he was daily pin-pricked by the
invading Turk. Like Issaoharof old he was “ an ass crouching between two
burdens’’. It is not surprising that duplicity of character has been the out
come of the attempt to serve two masters and that Amir Shaif’s name amongst
his tribesmen is synonvmous with treachery and deceit. “Put no confidence
in the House of Kharafa even if it swear a solemn oath ” is a common
sayinsr, which loses by the departure from the jingling rhyme into English.
AVe came into this country under arms and though the Field Column
was soon broken up, troops remained under Political control and this act
of itself was very significant as spelling, and implying the possibility of,
intervention of an unusual kind. Intervention, then', is no new thing, but
resort to it even if fitful was warranted by past history and I hope to shew was
justifiable.
15. I must first touch on certain remarks made by the Foreign Depart
ment, Simla, in a Confidential Memorandum of information for the month of
September PJ05 in re external affairs relating to Arabia. From it we
learn that the Government of India had previously expressed “ a hope that the
personal influence of the Political Officer of Dthala might prove useful as a
means of conciliating the ’’—Again, it is believed that “ if time be given
to Captain Jacob to consolidate his position at Dthala, his influence may
become a factor of great importance in keeping the tribes quiet and the trade
routes open ” and finally, they state the indispensability of a Political Officer’s
presence inter alia “as the pivot of a new system of dealing with the
Hinterland tribes.”
16. Take the case of the restless Sha’iri tribesmen who for 150 years
lave been on bad terms with the Amir. The Turks who for years had retired