File 87/1926 Pt 2 'Arabia: Bin Saud: Relations with H.M.G. Revision of Treaty.' [‎184r] (55/840)

Indian traders will certainly be increased for a long time to come, and many people
opine, I believe, that the Najd State is not likely to continue as it is alter Abdul
Aziz’s death.
25. I am sending a copy of this despatch to the Government of India.
I have, &c.
* F. R. PRIDEAUX,
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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Enclosure 3 in No. 1
Note on the Tracts and Tribes of South Hasa, Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. , " Independent Oman,
and Dhahirah (Oman Sultanate), located between the Coast of the Persian Gulj
and Ruba -al-Khali (the Great Salt Desert).
SOUTH of the Hasa oasis is the extensive Jafurah desert, which extends
eastwards at least to the 52nd meridian of east longitude.
Its south-western and south-eastern corners are respectively the Jabrin oasis
and a point about 10 miles south of Idd village in Dhafrah. Jafurah is almost as
inhospitable a land as the Ruba’-al-Khali desert, which borders it on the south.
Its only inhabitants, besides Ajman Bedouin on its northern fringe, are A1 Morra,
who own the Jabrin oasis and who have dealings occasionally with the people of the
Hasa oasis.
Like the Bani Hajir of Central Hasa (Riyadh), a few of these A1 Morra also
repair occasionally to Katar to receive hospitality and gifts from the A1 Thani
family.
The boundary on the coast between Katar and Abu Dhabi was ruled in 1907
by the Government of India to be the “ Khor " (bay) of Odaid. At Odaid village,
which is the north-western-most point of the small coastal tract known as Akal, is
Odaid village, founded, and periodically abandoned, by Bani \ as tribesmen.
Manasir from Dhafrah and A1 Morra from Jafura occasionally camp in this tract.
East of Akal is Mijan, a desert containing no settled inhabitants, though wells
and good grazing exist. The Bedouin who encamp in Akal also frequent this region.
It is bordered on the south by Jafurah at a distance of 70 miles from the coast.
East of Mijan is the saline and marshy tract called Sabakhat Matti. Being
liable to inundation from the sea at high tides for 15 miles, and containing no wells
or grass, it is avoided even by the Manasir, who, on their movements to the north
west from Dhafrah, prefer to pass through Jafurah.
East of Sabakhat Matti is the large desert of Dhafrah, containing six
sub-divisions—Taff-Bainunah, Taff, Bainunah, Dhafrah proper, Kufa and Liwa—
of which the southernmost, Liwa, is the only one to support a settled population.
These inhabit thirty or forty village oases, possessing considerable date groves,
amongst the sand dunes. . The whole population is composed of Bani Yas and
Manasir Bedouin. The former are fellow-tribesmen of the Sheikhs of Abu Dhabi
and Dibai.
The Manasir are friendly and allied to the Bani Yas. An increasing number of
them go pearl diving in summer.
East of Dhafrah are the towns and villages of the Trucial chiefs, settled in
Oman-ash-Shumali, “ North-(Western) Oman.” South of this coast is Khatam, a
grazing district only visited m winter by Bani \as, Manasir and Naim, further
south is Ja, with its oases—Baraimi, Hafit, Kabil and Mahadhah.
Baraimi oasis is populated by two tribes only the Dhawahir, who aie
subordinate to the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi, and the Naim, who are unfriendly to him.
The Naim, who also possess Hafit and Kabil, mainly hail from Dhahirah (Oman
Sultanat), but they also have colonised a number of villages on the Trucial coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .
Mahadhah, occupied by Bani Kaab, seems to have no connection with Baraimi.
Its sheikhs possess properties in Sohar (of Muscat). ,
South of Hafit and east of Dhafrah lies the great sub-montane district ot
Dhahirah belonging to the Oman Sultanate. This contains a number of towns—
Ibri Araki seat of a Wali (Governor under Muscat), Dhank, Yankul, &c. The
nomads of this district are the Naim, Awamir, and Dam, all of whom are generally
at feud with both the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi and the Ibadhi leaders of Oman.
It is intelligible, therefore, that they should be inclined to welcome Wahabi
advances.