تقارير إدارية من الخليج العربي ١٨٨٣/١٨٨٤ – ١٩٠٤/١٩٠٥ [و‎‎٣‎٤] (٦٠٢/٧٢)

RESIDENCY AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOE 1884-85.
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reinforced by a powerful Sheikh from the interior, and felt strong enough to withdraw their
submission and defy the Portuguese. Albuquerque therefore resolved on reducing the town
without delay, and having ordered his ships to take up positions, commenced to bombard the
stockade and batteries. The fire of the guns, however, had little effect, owing probably to the
distance of the ships, and Albuquerque thought it best to call a council of war to decide on what
was- to be done. The captains, who had already begun to get restive under the iron rule of
their commander, seeing that Albuquerque had made up his mind as to the course he would
pursue, and dreading perhaps the strength of the place, declined to discuss the plan of operations,
or express an opinion, and informed him simply that they were ready to obey his orders. Being
now free to act, Albuquerque no longer hesitated, and gave directions for an assault on the morrow.
He divided his force into two, giving command of the right division against the stockade to
Captains deTavora and daCosta, while he himself took charge of the left. The landing was
effected under the fortifications; and although an obstinate defence was made, the walls were
stormed and carried at both points. A junction was then effected in the streets between the
two attacking parties, according to previous arrangement, and the enemy was then gradually
driven through and out of the town.
The Sheikh, whose arrival had caused such rejoicing and had inspired the people to oppose
their invaders, escaped after a long pursuit, but the slaughter of the Arabs was very great, and
included the Persian Governor of the town and a number of women and children. In the
slaughter of the women, the two captains who subsequently mutinied and deserted their leader,
viz,, Antao doCampo and Joao daNova, seem to have particularly distinguished themselves ;
but Albuquerque^s conduct is equally deserving of reprobation, for after the rout of the Arabs
was complete and the scattered Portuguese soldiers were collected in the town, he proceeded to
massacre most of the remaining inhabitants, men, women, and children, without distinction.
After guarding against surprise, the town was occupied and pillaged, and the men were allowed
to retain their loot and remove it on board, as some compensation for the hardships they had
undergone. Among the spoil were thirty guns, bows and arrows, lances and other weapons
used by the Arabs. Albuquerque spent eight days here, and took the opportunity to refit his fleet
and victual it with provisions and water. Having done this he was preparing to evacuate the
town and set it on fire, when the inhabitants, who had taken refuge on the heights above,
guessing his intention, despatched an Arab with a flag of truce to beseech him to be content
with having slain the women and children, and to spare the town and ships from the flames.
Albuquerque replied to the envoy that he regretted the destruction of the city, but that the
inhabitants had broken faith with him, and he could not consequently admit their claim to
forbearance. He consented, however, to hold the city to ransom, which he fixed at 10,000
Ashrafis in gold, to be paid the next day at noon. This amount the Arabs were unable or
unwilling to pay by the time appointed, and the town was therefore destroyed by fire, together
with 34 dows and many fishing boats. The mosque, described as a very large and beautiful
edifice constructed of wood elaborately carved, also fell a prey to the flames; and it is related
that three Portuguese engaged in hacking at the carved wooden pillars were crushed and
buried by the sudden collapse of the building: all believed they had perished; but as they
emerged unhurt, the commander at once returned thanks to the Holy Virgin for her miraculous
interposition in their behalf during their pious labour. Albuquerque gives the following
curious description of Muscat at that time :—
"Muscat is a large and very populous town flanked on both sides with high mountains, and the front is
close to the water's edge; behind, towards the interior, there is a plain as Jarge as the square of Lisbon, all covered
with salt-pans. Not that the tide reaches there, bat the springs are salt and salt forms there. Hard by are
many pools of fresh water of which the inhabitants make use, and there are orchards, gardens, and palm groves
with wells for watering them by means of swipes and other engines. The harbour is small, shaped like a horse-
shoe, and sheltered from every wind. It is the principal entrepot of the kingdom of Hormuz, into which all the
ships that navigate these parts must of necessity enter to avoid the opposite coast, which contains many shallows.
It "is an ancient mart for the shipment of horses and dates. It is a very fine town with many good houses, and
supplied from the interior with much wheat, millet, barley, and dates for lading as many vessels as come for
them. This city of Muscat forms part of the kingdom of Hormuz, and the interior belongs to a king called
the Benjaber, who had two brothers. Between these brothers was divided the country which extends as far as
Aden. On the north it is washed by the Persian Sea, and from thence it stretches as far as the vicinity of Mecca.
The Arabs call this country the Island of Arabia, because the Persian Sea turns inwards, opposite to the Eed
Sea, in such a manner that the country is circular and is almost surrounded by water, that is, by the Red and
Persian Seas. It is a very small country, and is called on that account the Island of Arabia. It had formerly
been all reigned over by a King, called the Benjaber, and this man had three sons, to whom, at his death, he left the
land to be divided among them, and the eldest afterwards retained the name of Henjaber as the father had done.
The other two acknowledged him as their lord. This Benjaber has dominions over Fartak, Dhofar, Kilhat, and
Muscat, and his boundary reaches to the land of the Sheikh of Aden ; the other two dwell on the coast of the
Persian Sea, and one of them had taken from the King of Hormuz the Island of Bahrein, where there is a pearl