'An Account of the Arab Tribes in the Vicinity of Aden' [‎63r] (130/404)

the mahri' tribe of kishn AND SOKOTRA. I 13
The island was surveyed by Commander Haines, and in
i8 35 negotiations were undertaken through him with the chief
Amr bin Tawari, for the purchase of the island, and in antici
pation of their success a detachment of European and Native
troops was sent to take possession. The chief, however, dis
played an unconquerable aversion to the sale of the island, or
even the cession of a portion of it as a coaling depdt, and the
troops were withdrawn.*
In 1838 the chief proposed to farm the island to the British
Government; but the capture of Aden, while the proposal was
under discussion, rendered it unnecessary to secure Sokotra
as a coaling station.
In 1844 a severe drought occurred, and when the island
vvas visited in 1847 by Lieutenant Cruttenden he found it
almost depopulated. This officer ascertained that two French
war vessels had examined the eastern point of Sokotra with
the idea, it was supposed, of purchase.
At the close of 1874 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. of Aden called
attention to the advance of the Egyptians along the Somali
Coast to Guardafui, and solicited instructions in view thereof
with regard to Sokotra, which was also at that time visited by
a Turkish training ship. J
The Resident, acting on instructions received from the
Government of India, proceeded in H.M.S. “Briton” to
Sokotra and Kishn in January 1876, and an agreement (No.
XCVI) was concluded with the Sultan of Kishn and Sokotra
by which, in consideration of a payment of 3,000 dollars and
an annual subsidy of 360 dollars, he bound himself, his heirs
and successors never to cede, sell, or mortgage, or otherwise
give for occupation, save to the British Government, the island
of Sokotra or any of its dependencies—the neighbouring
islands. s
In April 1876 Captain Hunter, Assistant Resident, visited
Sokotra, and delivered copies of the ratified treaty to Sultdn
Saad, the resident Governor, and he again in 1877 went to
Sokotra, and was permitted to make a trip inland. He found
that the execution of the treaty had strengthened the Governor's
hands, and that the revenue had doubled.
* An account of Commander Haines’ proceedings will be found in the Tournal of the
Royal Geographical Society, Vol. 15, 1845, P art I-
B 744- 8